RA Ajisha, Amity University, Kolkata
ABSTRACT
The biodiversity of an area not only includes the flora and fauna but also other species of fungi and microorganisms. They include living organisms from all over the ecosystem such as terrestrial, aquatic, marine, etc. The protected area has been established to safeguard the biodiversity especially flora and fauna in their naturally grown habitat. The lack of a proper approach resulted in the extinction of certain species and a reduction in the tropic index. The forest fires, illegal exports, and other unauthorized technologies have led to the damage and disbalance of the ecosystem. The changing climate has been an indirect indicator of the loss of biodiversity across the world. To reduce such practices of humans there were protected areas created which include Wildlife Sanctuaries, Conservation reserves, etc. According to the records on the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) as of February 2024, there are currently 295,584 protected areas, across the world whereas according to the National Wildlife Database Cell, there are 1014 Protected Areas in India. Accordingly, several international conventions have been established for safeguarding biodiversity such as the 1992 Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) which was adopted during the Earth Summit held in Reo de Janeiro. Over the centuries humans have been over-exploiting the resources as well as the biodiversity of vast flora and fauna for their own needs. Thus, the lessons learned from the activities have also thrived a need for more measures towards the safeguarding of the biodiversity and creation of a better ecosystem. This article emphasizes on the role of the protected area towards safeguarding the ecosystem by focusing on the conservation methods and international conventions, treaties, and institutions formed in this regard and to answer the question as to whether the conservation of biodiversity through protected areas has led to the violation of the fundamental rights of the indigenous inhabitants? Further, it also emphasizes the lessons learned from the past and also discusses the future directions for the conservation of biodiversity and their implications.
Keywords: Protected Areas, Biodiversity, Ecosystem, Conservation, Tropic Index, Indigenous Community.
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