New Delhi: India has received consent from 16 out of 96 big cat range countries to join the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) as its member, furthering the country’s green diplomacy in the fields of environmental protection and climate action.
Bolstering the India-led Big Cat Alliance (BCA), 16 countries – including Brazil, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Malaysia – have officially joined the multilateral conservation effort, reported officials from the Environment Ministry on Friday.
Additionally, nine international organizations, such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) International, have given their consent to be part of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA).
The Union Cabinet under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi greenflagged the formation of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) on Thursday.
The effort is being deemed as a tool to further the ‘Big Cat diplomacy’ of India, as well as, an important step in wildlife conservation. The initiative is also aimed to boost the ‘green economy’ across the member states.
IBCA will provide a framework for the protection and conservation of seven majestic big cat species: tigers, lions, leopards, jaguars, pumas, snow leopards, and cheetahs, found across the member states.
To support this initiative, the Indian government has pledged a one-time budgetary allocation of ₹150 crore, spread over five years from 2023-24 to 2027-28.
Demonstrating international support for the IBCA, 16 countries have already joined the coalition, with the Environment Ministry expecting more countries to follow suit.
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