India officially joins High Ambition Coalition (HAC) for Nature and People; What is HAC?

India, at a ceremony held between the French and Indian Governments on October 7, 2021, officially joined the High Ambition Coalition (HAC) for Nature and People. HAC is a group of 70 nations encouraging the adoption of the global goal to protect 30x30 (30 percent of the world’s land and ocean by 2030).

The Union Environment Ministry in an official statement said that India is the first BRICS bloc of major emerging economies (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) to join the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People.

India’s announcement of joining HAC comes in the lead up to a high-level biodiversity meeting in China from October 11 to 15. Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Rameshwar Prasad Gupta handed over the signed agreement to Ambassador of France to India Emmanuel Lenain.

India & French Government signed the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People agreement to protect at least 30% of the planet’s lands and seas by 2030. pic.twitter.com/n2LjcND7Ou

— MoEF&CC (@moefcc) October 7, 2021

Why India joining HAC is significant?

Rameshwar Prasad Gupta, while expressing delight on India joining the member countries of HAC, said that the resource mobilization will also be the cornerstone for the implementation of policies and programmes for conserve biodiversity. He added that India will ensure all the support to meet the global biodiversity targets.

Ambassador of France to India while welcoming India’s decision of joining HAC, which was initiated at the ‘One Planet Summit' in Paris in January 2021, said that on the eve of the opening of COP 15, India joining HAC is a real game-changer and will help in boosting multilateral efforts.

The French ambassador while stating India as the major player for biodiversity protection informed that this coalition aims to promote an international agreement to protect at least 30% of the world’s land and ocean by 2030.

The meeting of 'High Ambition Coalition for Nature & People' between Shri R.P. Gupta, Hon'ble Secy., MoEF&CC & H.E. Mr @FranceinIndia, Ambassador of France, aims to:

1. To promote synergies between UN Framework Convention on #ClimateChange & Convention on #BiologicalDiversity. pic.twitter.com/jaJcmB9tMR

— MoEF&CC (@moefcc) October 7, 2021

Why 30x30 is the target of HAC?

To address the climate and biodiversity crisis, there is growing research that half of the planet must be kept in a natural state. Some studies also suggest that the number should be even higher, while some also suggest slightly lower.

However, experts around the world agree that a scientifically credible and necessary interim goal must be to achieve a minimum of 30% protection by 2030.