INDIA GREENS PARTY
Press Statement
Issued at New Delhi on 2 November 2024
The India Greens Party today expressed grave concern over the planned Great Nicobar project, which threatens to devastate one of the nation’s most ecologically sensitive and biodiverse regions.
Government permission to deforest has allegedly greatly understated the deforestation potential which will result into irreversible environmental, ecological, and social harm.
“The environmental implications will be catastrophic for local ecosystems, especially for endemic species that are unique to this region and already endangered due to climate change and habitat loss. The project stands to annihilate natural habitats critical to maintaining ecological balance and threatens a unique pristine ecosystem that holds immense value not only for India but for global biodiversity. The destruction of such habitats undermines India’s role in global conservation efforts, particularly given our commitments under the Kunming-Montreal Protocol on Biodiversity,” pointed out Mr Kailash Anerao, Co-President of the India Greens Party (iGP).
“The isolated indigenous Shompen and Nicobarese communities of the Great Nicobar Island, who have lived in harmony with these ecosystems for centuries, will face severe disruptions to their way of life. This land is not just an ecological haven but also a repository of cultural heritage and traditional knowledge. By proceeding with this project, the government risks violating the rights of these sustainable communities, displacing them from their homes and severing their connection with their ancestral lands,” added Mr Anerao.
India Greens Party urges the Modi government to reconsider this project and its long-term consequences. We call for an immediate halt to the Great Nicobar project to allow for comprehensive ecological assessments and transparent dialogues with indigenous communities. We demand that the government prioritise sustainable development and fulfil its international obligations to protect biodiversity.
The Great Nicobar project poses severe threats to endemic species and biodiversity, especially as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are part of one of India’s most biodiverse and ecologically sensitive regions. This archipelago is home to a rich array of endemic species found nowhere else, including flora and fauna adapted to its unique island ecosystem. Key threats from the project include large-scale deforestation, habitat destruction, and ecological fragmentation, each of which would have cascading effects on biodiversity and ecosystem health, with far-reaching consequences for India’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP).
1. Impact on Endemic Species and Ecosystems
- Deforestation and Habitat Loss: The clearing of millions of trees is expected to destroy the habitats of numerous endemic species. Species such as the Nicobar megapode, Nicobar tree shrew, and various other island-specific birds, reptiles, and plants would face rapid habitat loss, potentially pushing them toward extinction. Many of these endemic plants and animals have evolved in isolated environments, making them highly sensitive to environmental disturbances and unable to relocate or adapt to other areas.
- Marine Ecosystem Disruption: The Nicobar region is not only crucial for terrestrial species but also for marine biodiversity, including coral reefs, sea turtles, and migratory bird species. The development of a port and associated infrastructure would lead to sedimentation, pollution, and potentially destructive changes to coastal habitats, directly threatening coral reefs and marine species such as the Leatherback sea turtle, an endangered species reliant on these beaches for nesting.
- Fragmentation of Ecosystems: Construction activities will likely fragment previously contiguous habitats, isolating populations of flora and fauna. Fragmentation disrupts genetic flow among populations, weakening biodiversity and leaving species vulnerable to genetic bottlenecks and disease, ultimately reducing ecosystem resilience.
2. Implications for India’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP)
India’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) emphasizes the need for ecosystem preservation, species conservation, and sustainable use of biodiversity. During COP16 in Cali, India reaffirmed its commitment to global biodiversity targets, with a particular focus on ecosystem preservation and protection of endangered species. The execution of the Great Nicobar project would severely compromise these commitments in several ways:
- Failure to Meet Conservation Goals: The destruction of an ecologically sensitive region goes against the core NBSAP goals, which include protecting and managing key biodiversity areas and habitats critical to biodiversity conservation. The loss of endemic species, which cannot be restored once extinct, would directly contradict these national goals.
- Reduced Carbon Sequestration Capacity: The large-scale tree felling would significantly reduce the area’s natural carbon sequestration capacity, a vital ecosystem service crucial for climate regulation and part of India’s contributions to global carbon reduction targets. This would undermine the NBSAP’s alignment with climate and biodiversity goals, as outlined in the Kunming-Montreal Protocol on Biodiversity.
- Inadequate Safeguarding of Indigenous Knowledge and Sustainable Practices: Indigenous communities in the Nicobar Islands have played an essential role in conservation through sustainable land use and protection of biodiversity. By disrupting these communities, the project disregards NBSAP’s focus on incorporating traditional knowledge in biodiversity conservation and deprives future generations of valuable indigenous practices and conservation ethics.
3. Long-term Impact on Global Biodiversity
- Hindrance to International Biodiversity Goals: India is a signatory to global biodiversity agreements, and by permitting the Great Nicobar project, it risks failing to meet the Kunming-Montreal targets, which prioritize the preservation of ecosystems and the conservation of endemic and endangered species. India’s actions in this regard could weaken its stance as a biodiversity champion and lead to international criticism.
- Risk of Future Loss of Ecosystem Services: Biodiversity and endemic species provide critical ecosystem services that support local and global ecological balance, such as water purification, coastal protection, and food sources for indigenous communities. The project’s disruption to these services would diminish the ecological health of the region and contribute to an accelerating global biodiversity crisis and extinction of endangered species.
In conclusion, the Great Nicobar project poses substantial risks to biodiversity and endemic species that are integral to the ecological balance and cultural heritage of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Moving forward with this project would not only endanger unique species and ecosystems but also severely compromise its global reputation as a responsible steward of biodiversity.
Given India’s strong stance on environmental responsibility on global platforms by PM Narendra Modi, we believe that it is imperative for India to demonstrate its commitments on ground by “protecting and preserving existing forests & biodiversity hotspots” instead of submitting plans to meet national biodiversity targets through “restoration of degraded areas”.
India Greens Party, therefore stands firm in its opposition to the Great Nicobar project and calls upon citizens, environmental organizations, biodiversity experts and other political parties to join in urging the government to protect India’s diminishing biodiversity & endemic species of Great Nicobar Island.
–Issued by Suresh Nautiyal, Chief Spokesperson
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(India Greens Party is registered with the Election Commission of India under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. Registration Number: 56/476/2018-19/PPS-I, effective from 18/07/2019.)
National Head Office: GreenDham AnandiChait, IndraBalbhadra Parisar, Unchir-Dunktok, SH-31, PO-Ghurdauri, Distt-Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand, INDIA. PIN-246194.
Email: contact@indiagreensparty.org Website: https://indiagreensparty.org
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