National Biodiversity Authority issues SOP for threatened species

The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) of India released a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the notification of threatened species on 26 June 2026. The SOP operates under Section 38 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, and applies to States and Union Territories in India.

Legal basis under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002

Section 38 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 provides for the notification of threatened species. The Act was enacted in 2002 to conserve biological diversity, ensure sustainable use of its components, and enable fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from biological resources.

Process for identification and notification

The SOP sets out a step-by-step process for scientific assessment, stakeholder consultations, validation, notification, conservation planning, monitoring, and periodic review. It requires States and Union Territories to use scientific evidence, field-based assessments, and traditional knowledge before recommending a species for notification. The framework involves local communities, Biodiversity Management Committees, the Botanical Survey of India, the Zoological Survey of India, academic institutions, and subject experts. Biodiversity Management Committees function at the local level under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.

Threatened species and conservation planning

As of 26 June 2026, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has notified 159 plant species and 173 animal species as threatened in 17 States and 3 Union Territories. The SOP also provides for species recovery plans, conservation action plans, regular monitoring, and review after notification.

Important Facts for Exams

• The National Biodiversity Authority is a statutory body under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
• Section 38 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 deals with threatened species notification.
• The Botanical Survey of India studies plant diversity in India, and the Zoological Survey of India studies animal diversity in India.
• India’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2024-2030 includes Target 4 on preventing human-induced species extinctions.

National biodiversity framework

India’s biodiversity governance includes the National Biodiversity Authority, State Biodiversity Boards, and Biodiversity Management Committees. The SOP is linked to conservation planning for species listed as threatened in States and Union Territories.