Biodiversity Conversation and Sustainable Development

1.  Biodiversity and Ecosystem: 

• Introduction: Elements and levels of biodiversity and its significance; 
• Ecosystems and ecosystem diversity: Components of an Ecosystem, Food Chains and Food Web; 
• Important units of conservation: natural units and legally declared units; 
• Biodiversity Conservation: Relevance, Extinction of species, IUCN Red Data List, Different Schedules of Wildlife (Protection) Act; 
• Examples of Ecosystem Conservation: Mangroves, Coral and Coral reefs, Wetlands, Saline desert of Little Rann of Kachchh, Grasslands; 
• Case study discussions about extinction of important species

‍

2. Policies and Legal framework for obtaining environmental clearances for developmental projects 

• Evolution of Policy and legal framework related to the rights and privileges of local communities- Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA), 1996, Forest Rights Act 2006; 
• Introduction to important laws for conservation of forests, wildlife, biodiversity, environment etc.; 
• Legal framework for obtaining environmental clearances for developmental projects

‍

3. Sustainable Development

• Concept, United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and Targets; 
• Sustainable Development, Biodiversity conservation and community; Stakeholders, Social, Economic and Political process vis a vis Conservation; 
• Sustainable Development for a wildlife landscape- Man-animal conflicts, wildlife friendly infrastructure and development;
• Dependence of local communities on Natural resources; Joint Forest Management, Participatory Approaches to the management of Forests and Wildlife;

‍