Biodiversity Governance and Natural Capital — ESG BROADCAST shares key takeaways.
India has strengthened its biodiversity governance framework with the notification of two new institutions as designated repositories under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. Announced by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in April 2026, this move expands the country’s National Network of Repositories and reinforces mechanisms for scientific conservation and documentation of biological resources.
The notification was enabled by the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) in consultation with the central government. Under Section 39 of the Act, the government holds the authority to designate institutions as repositories for various categories of biological resources. These repositories play a critical role in maintaining biological materials in safe custody, including voucher specimens, and ensuring systematic documentation of newly discovered species and resources used in research and commercial applications.
The two newly designated institutions include the Referral Centre Bhavasagara at the Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology (CMLRE), Kochi, and the MACS Collection of Microorganisms along with the National Fungal Culture Collection at the Agharkar Research Institute, Pune. These institutions were selected following a structured evaluation process, where proposals were reviewed by an expert committee and recommended in line with established guidelines issued by the NBA.
The Referral Centre Bhavasagara represents a specialized national facility focused on deep-sea biodiversity. It maintains over 3,500 taxonomically identified and geo-referenced specimens, including marine invertebrates and deep-sea fish species. This repository supports advanced marine research, particularly in underexplored ecosystems, and contributes to expanding scientific understanding of ocean biodiversity.
Similarly, the MACS Collection of Microorganisms and the National Fungal Culture Collection provide critical infrastructure for preserving microbial and fungal diversity. These facilities support research across agriculture, healthcare, and industrial applications by maintaining diverse and well-characterized biological samples. They also offer training, collaborative research opportunities, and specialized capabilities for handling rare and complex microorganisms.
With this addition, the total number of designated national repositories has increased to 20, further strengthening India’s biodiversity infrastructure. The repositories are also expected to improve traceability, record-keeping, and compliance with access and benefit-sharing (ABS) provisions under the Biological Diversity Act. This ensures that biological resources are utilized in a transparent and accountable manner while safeguarding equitable benefit sharing.
The initiative aligns with India’s commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity and reflects a broader policy push toward integrating biodiversity conservation with research, innovation, and sustainable development. By institutionalizing scientific repositories, India is creating a robust ecosystem to support biodiversity data management and long-term conservation outcomes.
Strategic significance lies in strengthening biodiversity governance through scientific infrastructure. The expansion of designated repositories enhances India’s ability to document, preserve, and regulate biological resources, which are increasingly critical for bio-economy growth, pharmaceutical research, and sustainable agriculture. For ESG stakeholders, this move underscores the growing importance of natural capital management, traceability, and compliance with biodiversity-related regulations in evolving sustainability frameworks.
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