Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav has called for local-level planning as imperative for documenting local biodiversity and traditional knowledge. Speaking at the 16th National Meet of the State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs) and Union Territory Biodiversity Councils (UTBCs) at Chandigarh, the Minister said People’s Biodiversity Registers should evolve into dynamic planning instruments for local bodies, enabling information on local biodiversity and associated traditional knowledge to contribute to local planning and sustainable development.

Mr. Yadav urged States and Union Territories to align their rules, institutional mechanisms and implementation processes with the amended framework of Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act, 2023 and the Biological Diversity Rules, 2024. In his address, he highlighted India’s long-standing environmental ethos and referred to initiatives like Mission LiFE, Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam, Amrit Sarovar and the Green Credit Programme.

The two-day national meet has been organised by the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) from 6th to 7th September 2026 .