Chennai:
The overall estimate of biodiversity
contribution to the global economy is estimated at $500 billion to one trillion
and India is currently conducting a study to identify the contribution of
biodiversity to the national economy, according to chairman of National
Biodiversity Authority Dr Balakrishna Pisupati.
Speaking to reporters after the
inaugural session of National Consultation Meeting on ‘Economic Valuation of
Bio-resources for Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) here on Monday, Pisupati
said that the study is being undertaken to understand the potential of the
biodiversity resources besides translating it into reality.
He said the national study, which is
undertaken by many agencies including the Ministry of Environment as well as
National Biodiversity Authority would submit the report in a year’s time.
He said currently there is no
methodology developed to harness the potential of biodiversity and ensure
economic benefits of access and benefit sharing. He said during the
consultation a strategy is likely to charted out.
He said through the study, the
government would valuate the biodiversity resources and under which it would
try to secure benefits for community through the local level through access and
benefit sharing.
Interestingly, NBA has already entered
into agreement with 120 agencies, most of them foreign research agencies and
academic institutions to share the benefits. This could range from 2 per cent
to 5 per cent of the gross sale of the materials, Pisupati said.
Earlier delivering the keynote address,
Prof U Sankar of Madras School of Economics said that in cases of certain
environmental investments like climate mitigation, eco-restoration, costs are
incurred now but the benefit may accrue after a long time. “As a result the net
benefit may become negative if the market rate of interest is used for
discounting. We need a non-market approach like public investment or government
regulation or global agreement to solve the problem,” Sankar said.
He also said that for sustainable
management of biological resources and ensuring better livelihood opportunities
for the providers and locals, participation of providers in the process of
getting patent, commercialisation or enhancing opportunities for local
production with community based producers group along with technical, credit,
training and marketing support is needed.
He also said that valuation of
biological resources for access and benefit sharing must be cautious because
not all values of biological resources can be measured and if there is
uncertainty in the valuation it must be indicated. “When they are measurable
even for partial realisation of these values we need both market and non-market
approaches. In case of public goods and merit goods the corresponding values
must be realised by public provision,” he added.
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