NEW DELHI: During the G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Ministerial Meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced India's recent launch of the international Big Cat Alliance. This initiative aims to protect and conserve the seven magnificent big cat species inhabiting our planet. Drawing insights from the success of Project Tiger, a pioneering conservation program that has led to 70% of the world's tigers being found in India, the Big Cat Alliance stands as a crucial step towards safeguarding these majestic creatures. As part of our efforts, we are also actively engaged in Project Lion and Project Dolphin.
Emphasizing India's commitment to renewable energy, PM Modi highlighted the country's position among the top five nations in terms of installed renewable energy capacity. With an ambitious target of achieving net zero by 2070, India collaborates with its partners through various alliances, including the International Solar Alliance, CDRI, and the Leadership Group for Industry Transition. India has consistently been a pioneer in taking action to conserve, protect, and enrich biodiversity.
The genesis of the International Big Cat Alliance traces back to 2019 when the Prime Minister made a call for an alliance to combat poaching and illegal wildlife trade in Asia on Global Tiger Day. This alliance aims to mobilize financial and technical resources to support the entire ecosystem connected to big cats, ensuring their long-term survival and well-being.
In a significant discovery earlier this year, the Bihar Forest Department found the first breeding site of endangered Indian skimmers, also known as Indian scissors-billed birds, in the Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary (VGDS) in Bhagalpur district. With only 2,450-2,900 mature individuals estimated worldwide according to the IUCN Red List, the Indian Skimmers are an endangered bird species that require urgent conservation efforts.
Through initiatives like the International Big Cat Alliance and the protection of endangered bird species like the Indian Skimmers, India remains at the forefront of global biodiversity conservation and sets an example for the rest of the world to follow.
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