Cabinet Approves International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) Establishment
By CCN News | Published: Feb 29, 2024
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The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has granted approval for the establishment of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) with its headquarters based in India. A one-time budgetary support of Rs. 150 crore has been allocated for the initial five-year period from 2023-24 to 2027-28.
India's pivotal role in conserving tigers, lions, leopards, snow leopards, and cheetahs, alongside its other endangered species, has been recognized globally. Prime Minister Modi first proposed the formation of an alliance during his speech on Global Tiger Day in 2019 and reiterated this vision during the commemoration of India's 50 years of Project Tiger on April 9, 2023. The IBCA aims to replicate India's successful conservation practices across many other countries that are home to these iconic big cats.
The alliance will encompass 96 big cat range countries, non-range countries interested in conservation, conservation partners, scientific organizations, and businesses committed to supporting big cat conservation efforts. It seeks to establish networks and synergies to centralize successful conservation practices and expertise, supported by financial contributions that can bolster conservation efforts to halt the decline in big cat populations and reverse current trends. This initiative underscores India's leadership in the global effort to unite range countries and stakeholders under a common platform.
IBCA's objectives include fostering mutual cooperation among countries for shared conservation benefits. It will employ a multifaceted approach encompassing knowledge sharing, capacity building, networking, advocacy, financial and technical support, research, and education. By promoting big cats as symbols of sustainable development and livelihood security, India and its fellow range countries can advance efforts in environmental resilience and climate change mitigation, ensuring the continued thriving of natural ecosystems that are integral to economic and developmental policies.
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The alliance aims to achieve synergy through collaborative platforms for disseminating gold-standard conservation practices, providing access to a central repository of technical knowledge and financial resources, and strengthening existing intergovernmental platforms and transnational initiatives for conservation and protection. By securing ecological futures and mitigating climate change impacts, IBCA endeavors to enhance green economy projects and catalyze transformative conservation and prosperity initiatives among its partners.
IBCA also emphasizes integrating biodiversity policies with sustainable development goals (SDGs) to achieve holistic conservation outcomes aligned with local needs and global SDGs. It advocates for mainstreaming biodiversity considerations across various sectors such as agriculture, forestry, tourism, and infrastructure development, promoting sustainable land-use practices, habitat restoration, and ecosystem-based approaches that support biodiversity conservation.
The governance structure of IBCA comprises an Assembly of Members, a Standing Committee, and a Secretariat headquartered in India. The framework of the agreement is modeled on the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and is being finalized by the International Steering Committee (ISC), with a host country agreement prepared similarly to ISA. The Steering Committee will consist of nominated national focal points from founding member countries, and the Directorate General (DG) will be appointed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) as the interim head of the IBCA Secretariat until the Assembly appoints a permanent DG.
The Government of India has initially allocated Rs. 150 crore for IBCA's operations from 2023-24 to 2027-28, with plans to augment funding through contributions from bilateral and multilateral agencies, public sector organizations, national and international financial institutions, and donor agencies.
By safeguarding big cats and their habitats, IBCA aims to enhance natural climate adaptation, water and food security, and the well-being of communities dependent on these ecosystems. It underscores cooperation among nations for mutual benefit and significantly advances the long-term conservation agenda
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