Down To Earth talks to conservationist Vinod Mathur to learn more about India’s roadmap to conserve its marine regions
OECMs have the potential to achieve long-term conservation by enabling communities’ social, economic, and cultural well-being. Photo: iStock
In December 2022, 196 countries signed a pact to protect 30 per cent of the world’s terrestrial, inland and marine areas by 2030. Ocean conservation professionals and experts met up two months later to chart a path towards protecting 30 per cent of the world’s oceans in the next seven years.
The 15th Conference of Parties (COP15) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Canada’s Montreal last year adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). The framework has 23 targets that the world needs to achieve in less than a decade.
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The fifth International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC5) from February 3-9, 2023 was the first moment for the global marine community to come together after the COP15 CBD, non-profit World Wide Fund for Nature told DTE.
Countries are looking at two ways of accomplishing this goal: Marine Protected Areas (MPA), which enable the long-term conservation of oceans by limiting human activities and Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECM).
OECMs are managed areas that effectively conserve biodiversity, regardless of whether this was the primary objective. Unlike protected areas, it has the potential to achieve long-term conservation by enabling communities’ social, economic, and cultural well-being, experts highlighted.
India is in the process of identifying potential OECM sites to bring more areas under conservation.
Down To Earth caught up with Vinod Mathur, vice-chair of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and ex-chair of the National Biodiversity Authority, to learn more about India’s roadmap to conserve its marine regions. Edited excerpts:
Rohini Krishnamurthy: Why is India looking at OECMs?
Vinod Mathur: The entire world, not just India, is looking at OECMs, which will help us reach the 30 per cent target faster. Getting an inch of land for conservation is quite a complex process, making it very challenging to designate new protected areas in the category of a national park or a wildlife sanctuary.
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OECMs are not strictly for wild animals and plants alone, and they can help achieve several conservation functions. Conservation also should not only mean conserving a few charismatic species such as leopards, tigers, etc. We need to refine and redefine the definition to make it more comprehensive.
Corridor areas and lands under different land use ownerships, such as corporate lands and waterbodies, can also be designated as OECMs. We have identified areas owned by corporate companies that could be potential OECMs.
These areas will remain in the ownership of companies. In return, companies can get reputational benefits. There are also opportunities for responsible tourism.
Another potential OECM is the saffron cultivation areas in Kashmir. Local people own many saffron-growing areas. The practice also helps in the conservation of soil, moisture and water. And we can add tourism as a spin-off benefit in addition to trade and commerce.
Similarly, the canal network around dams can also be an attractive OECM category. Water flows in these canals for six to nine months, depending on availability and use. They can be suitable for conservation as they become home to algae, fungi, fish, amphibians and birds, etc.
For effective conservation to happen, we must engage both corporations and communities. Without them, we are not going to make much progress.
RK: How much have we progressed with marine OECMs?
VM: We understand the terrestrial world better, so establishing OECMs in coastal and marine areas is more challenging. Boundaries are not precisely known, unlike land. So that is why it’s a work in progress. Marine animals also move larger areas than their terrestrial counterparts.
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We are now working with other agencies, such as the Wildlife Conservation Society based in Bangalore. We are gathering more information to help us identify potential places.
RK: Do you plan to bring a legal instrument for OECMs?
VM: We do not intend to bring in a legal instrument for designating OECMs for now. Regulations operate 24x7 in National Parks. But in an OECM, we would need protection only when the life cycle requires an animal to be protected in that area for a certain time.
For example, a migratory species needs to be protected during the time of its movement. Species need to be protected during breeding seasons.
RK: How can OECMs be financed?
VM: Corporations can finance their own OECMs. Once the Government of India formalises OECM areas, they might also be willing to give funds.
We are also looking at global funds like the Green Climate Fund.
[This fund was established within the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change as an operating entity of the financial mechanism to assist developing countries in adaptation and mitigation practices to counter climate change].
RK: Do you have mechanisms in place to evaluate OECM?
VM: Yes, we do have. With the help of UNDP-India, we have created an OECM portal. Once an individual expresses interest by filling out an online form, UNDP teams will visit those areas and evaluate them. They will also talk to people and gather information.
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Evaluation is essential as not every canal can be considered an OECM. If it runs through the heart of the city with polluted drains flowing in, it is not eligible. Similarly, not all private reserves are suitable.
Consent is also essential. We don’t want to force anyone. In the past, we have not adequately consulted people. We want to avoid repeating those mistakes now.
RK: Some experts have expressed concerns that OECMs could infringe on community rights. What are your comments?
VM: Communities can use marine resources sustainably. For example, during the breeding or migratory seasons of marine animals, we will advise them not to fish. During other times, people can continue to use marine resources.
This process does not harm conservation and also does not deprive the community. It’s a win-win situation.
RK: How will OECMs be monitored for community and biodiversity benefits?
VM: We will have mechanisms for management, monitoring and reporting by competent and credible entities -scientific institutions, universities and non-profits.
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