India has emerged as a credible voice across the world for climate justice, equity and sustainable development, demonstrating that conservation and climate action are mutually reinforcing pillars of growth, and that prosperity for the people and protection of the planet can proceed together.
It is one of the world’s 17 mega-biodiverse countries, accounting for nearly 8 per cent of all recorded species worldwide, despite occupying just 2.4 per cent of the global land area, according to an official document.
The country is home to over 96,000 animal species and 47,000 plant species, including almost half of the world’s aquatic plant species. Considering the rich natural heritage, conservation is not merely an environmental concern, but a national imperative, stressed a Press Information Bureau explainer on energy and environment. India’s green pathway represents a comprehensive transformation, it explained, expanding protected areas, restoring ecosystems, scaling renewable energy, and embedding climate action into governance.
By aligning domestic implementation with global cooperation, India is not only safeguarding its natural heritage but also shaping a resilient, low-carbon future. The vision of living in harmony with nature by 2050 is no longer aspirational rhetoric but a roadmap backed by measurable progress across sectors. The biodiversity governance framework is anchored in the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, supported by the National Biodiversity Action Plan and aligned with the Convention on Biological Diversity, which India signed in 1992. Protected areas in the country have expanded significantly from 745 in 2014 to 1,134 in 2025. Flagship programmes such as Project Tiger, Project Elephant, and Project Dolphin have seen significant gains, while Project Cheetah and Project Snow Leopard mark new milestones in species recovery, added the Press Information Bureau report.