India Submits Seventh National Report to Convention on Biological Diversity

India has submitted the its Seventh National Report (NR-7) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). This report is reaffirming the commitment to biodiversity conservation and sustainable environmental governance. This report was submitted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) on 26 February 2026 and just ahead of the global deadline of 28 February 2026.

Seventh National Report CBD

The Seventh National Report CBD explains India’s continued commitment to the three key objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

These include various conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use of natural resources and fair sharing of benefits from genetic resources.

This report confirms that India has fulfilled its international obligation under Article 26 of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

And in which requires member countries to periodically submit national biodiversity reports.

India Biodiversity Report 2026 Aligned with Global Biodiversity Framework

The India biodiversity report 2026 is presented through the Seventh National Report CBD.

This report is based on the 142 national indicators that measure biodiversity progress across multiple sectors.

These indicators are map against 23 National Biodiversity Targets (NBTs) defined in the country’s biodiversity strategy.

The report aligns closely with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) which is the major international agreement aimed at halting biodiversity loss by 2030.

National Biodiversity Targets of India

One of the important findings of the Seventh National Report CBD is that all 23 National Biodiversity Targets India are currently on track to achieve.

This indicates strong alignment between India’s national policies and international biodiversity commitments.

This report highlights how biodiversity safeguards are integrated into key sectors such as infrastructure development, agriculture, forestry and coastal ecosystem management.

India Biodiversity Conservation Progress

The India biodiversity conservation report found significant improvements in forest and ecological landscape management.

According to the Seventh National Report CBD India’s Recorded Forest Area stands at 7,75,377 kilo metre square and it is representing 23.59% of the country’s geographical area.

Additional key achievements mentioned in the India biodiversity report 2026 includes,

Forest cover: 5,20,365 kilo metre square² (15.83% of total land area)

Total forest and tree cover: 8,27,356.95 kilo metre square² (25.17%)

Ramsar wetlands: Increased from 26 in 2014 to 98 in 2026

This expansion reflects long-term ecological planning and strengthened environmental governance under the Seventh National Report CBD.

Wildlife Conservation Achievements in the Seventh National Report CBD

The Seventh National Report CBD also highlights India’s remarkable progress in wildlife conservation through its expanding network of protected areas and species recovery program.

India’s conservation network now includes,

• 58 Tiger Reserves
• 33 Elephant Reserves
• 18 Biosphere Reserves
• 106 National Parks
• 574 Wildlife Sanctuaries

Major wildlife population estimates reported includes,

• 3,682 Tigers (over 70% of the global population)
• 4,014 Greater One-Horned Rhinoceroses
• 22,446 Wild Elephants
• 891 Asiatic Lions
• 718 Snow Leopards (first national population assessment)
• 6,327 River Dolphins under Project Dolphin

About Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is the global environmental treaty adopted at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.

It aims to the conserve biodiversity, promote sustainable use of natural resources and ensure equitable sharing of benefits from genetic resources.

Countries which are parties to the CBD must submit periodic national reports to track biodiversity progress and policy implementation.

Question

Q. India submitted its Seventh National Report (NR-7) under which international convention?

A. UNFCCC
B. Convention on Biological Diversity
C. Ramsar Convention
D. Montreal Protocol