National Conservation Vision on Biodiversity Conventions and Pakistan’s Commitments

Research Associate, Eco-Health Research Group, PMAS Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi

The author can be contacted at: abid.mughal@imcbh9.edu.pk

Biodiversity: the variety of genes, species and ecosystems—is the foundation of ecological stability, food security, human health and sustainable development. Pakistan possesses remarkable biological diversity, ranging from the high mountains of the Himalayas, Karakoram and Hindu Kush to forests, rangelands, deserts, wetlands, riverine ecosystems, coastal areas and mangroves. Yet this natural wealth faces increasing pressure from habitat degradation, unsustainable resource use, pollution, invasive species, climate change, land degradation and expanding human demands. The international response to biodiversity loss was significantly strengthened through the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), adopted at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. The CBD established three fundamental objectives: conservation of biological diversity, sustainable use of its components, and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources. Pakistan became a Party to the CBD on 24 October 1994, accepting the responsibility to translate these objectives into national policies and actions.

Two important protocols subsequently expanded the CBD framework. The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, adopted in 2000, establishes rules concerning the safe handling, transport and use of living modified organisms that may affect biodiversity. Pakistan became a Party in 2009. The Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing, adopted in 2010, seeks fair and equitable sharing of benefits resulting from the utilization of genetic resources; Pakistan acceded to it in 2016.

Pakistan’s biodiversity commitments also intersect with other major environmental agreements, including the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, CITES, the Convention on Migratory Species, the UN Convention to Combat Desertification and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. These agreements demonstrate that biodiversity cannot be treated as an isolated environmental issue. It is closely connected with climate resilience, water security, agriculture, food systems, livelihoods and public health.

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination (MoCC&EC) should occupy a strategic position in Pakistan’s future biodiversity governance. The Ministry’s mandate already encompasses environmental protection, ecology, forestry, wildlife, biodiversity, climate change and desertification, as well as coordination and implementation of international environmental agreements. Its Biodiversity Directorate has a particularly important role as a national coordinating mechanism for the CBD and related biodiversity processes. The Ministry can therefore serve as the institutional bridge between international commitments and practical action within Pakistan, coordinating federal ministries, provincial governments, research institutions, conservation organizations and development partners.

Looking ahead, the Ministry’s role should extend beyond reporting Pakistan’s commitments to international conventions. It should lead the development of measurable national biodiversity targets, biodiversity indicators and a national biodiversity information and monitoring system. Pakistan’s biodiversity vision should ultimately move from species protection alone toward nature-positive development. The future agenda should connect biodiversity conservation with climate adaptation, sustainable agriculture, water security, ecosystem restoration and community livelihoods.

Universities and research institutions, including PMAS Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi and University of Gujrat can contribute substantially by generating scientific evidence, developing biodiversity indicators, documenting genetic resources, supporting ecological monitoring and translating research into policy. Local communities should be recognized not merely as beneficiaries but as partners and custodians of ecosystems. Pakistan has already demonstrated its commitment through participation in major international biodiversity conventions and protocols. The next phase must transform these commitments into coordinated, adequately financed and scientifically monitored national action.