A landmark people’s plan, will Arunachal’s biodiversity strategy set a national example?
Arunachal Pradesh, one of India’s most biodiverse states, has taken an important step towards conservation with the release of its State Biodiversity Strategy and Action: A People’s Plan.
Launched by chief minister Pema Khandu, this initiative signals a strong commitment to protecting the state’s rich ecosystems while ensuring sustainable development.
However, the real question is, will this plan translate into meaningful action, or will it remain another document in the archives of good intentions?
Arunachal Pradesh is home to over 500 species of orchids, rare mammals like the Mishmi takin, red panda, clouded leopard and Arunachal macaque, unique birds such as the Blyth’s tragopan, hornbills and the critically endangered white-bellied heron.
Its forests serve as vital corridors for wildlife migrating across India, Bhutan and Myanmar, linking key biodiversity hotspots.
More than a conservation concern, biodiversity is a way of life for Arunachal’s indigenous communities, Nyishi, Apatani, Monpa and Mishmi, who have depended on forests for food, medicine and cultural traditions for generations.
Protecting this ecological wealth is not just a regional necessity but a national and global responsibility.
What sets this strategy apart is its bottom-up approach. Unlike conventional conservation plans that impose policies from above, this one gives local communities, districts and indigenous groups a leading role in biodiversity protection, with government support.
Since over 80 per cent of Arunachal’s forests are under community ownership, empowering these stakeholders is both practical and essential. Indigenous practices like sacred groves and seasonal hunting bans have long supported conservation.
By integrating this traditional wisdom with scientific efforts, Arunachal has the potential to create a model for community-led biodiversity protection, but only if incentives, training and legal safeguards ensure meaningful participation.
Successful conservation will require respecting indigenous land rights, supporting community-based programmes like the hornbill nest adoption initiative in Pakke Tiger Reserve, and offering economic alternatives such as ecotourism and sustainable harvesting, rather than outright bans that harm livelihoods.
If these communities are treated as passive participants rather than equal partners, the plan will lack credibility and fail to achieve meaningful results.
This initiative is closely linked to the Pakke Declaration, which focuses on climate resilience, well-being, and sustainable livelihoods. It also aligns with India’s national biodiversity targets and the United Nations-mandated Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
If executed well, Arunachal’s plan could serve as a state-level model for meeting the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework’s ambitious goal of protecting 30 per cent of the planet’s land and waters by 2030.
But for that to happen, Arunachal must learn from other states that have introduced similar strategies, only to see them falter due to weak enforcement or conflicting economic priorities.
Madhya Pradesh promoted community-led conservation but struggled with the pressures of mining and infrastructure expansion.
Karnataka enacted strong biodiversity laws, but rapid urbanisation around Bengaluru has continued to threaten habitats. Sikkim, with its similar ecosystem, has had more success by integrating biodiversity concerns into its development policies, while Maharashtra’s efforts to protect ecosystems have been undermined by forest fragmentation due to highways and industrial projects.
These lessons highlight the importance of translating policy into real action on the ground.
Releasing a biodiversity strategy is a positive step, but implementation remains the real challenge. Plans in India have historically struggled due to lack of funding, weak enforcement and limited local participation.
The state has established a monitoring cell in the chief minister’s office to track progress, but its effectiveness will depend on whether it has independent oversight, transparency and authority to intervene in destructive projects.
A major contradiction in Arunachal’s conservation efforts is the rise of mega projects that threaten its biodiversity. The Dibang Valley and Etalin hydropower projects risk destroying key habitats, while the Trans-Arunachal Highway has already led to forest fragmentation and rising wildlife roadkills. Coal and limestone mining in Namchik-Namphuk have worsened deforestation and water pollution.
If Arunachal is serious about conservation, it must strictly enforce environmental regulations and reassess destructive infrastructure projects.
At the launch of the biodiversity strategy, the chief minister has urged students to promote the plan online, but awareness alone is not enough.
Arunachal must leverage digital tools, citizen science for biodiversity tracking, AI-based deforestation monitoring and drone surveillance to prevent illegal activities.
The government must commit finance, empower the monitoring cell with enforcement authority and actively involve indigenous communities in decision-making.
Most importantly, conservation must not come second to short-term economic gains. Arunachal has a chance to lead the way, if it ensures that biodiversity protection is not just a policy, but a reality on the ground.