International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA)

Context

The Indian government, under the leadership of the Prime Minister, has approved the creation of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) with its headquarters in India. A budget of Rs.150 crore will be allocated for the alliance over a five-year period from 2023-2028.

Key Points

• Recognizing India’s significant efforts in protecting tigers, various big cats, and endangered species, the Prime Minister of India emphasised the need for a coalition of global leaders to combat poaching in Asia during his speech on Global Tiger Day 2019. 
• This call was reiterated during the celebration of 50 years of India’s Project Tiger in 2023, where the Prime Minister officially announced the establishment of an International Big Cat Alliance aimed at safeguarding the future of big cats and their habitats. 
• India is home to five out of the seven big cats, including tigers, lions, leopards, snow leopards, and cheetahs.

International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA)

• The IBCA, made up of 96 countries, corporations, and scientific institutes, is a coalition directly engaged in the conservation of big cats. Its aims are to overcome disputes and fierce competition across the countries for joint protection of ecosystems.
• The partnership will concentrate on encompassing facets like information exchange, capacity building, networking, advocacy, resource mobilisation, research, literacy, and awareness.
• The plan seeks to bolster conservation methods, link up to resources and funds, establish better networks all over the world and combat climate change’s influence on biodiversity by working tactically with other institutions.
• The partnership further stresses the importance of promoting the green space plan with sustainable development targets and local needs to ensure a holistic and successful conservation.

Members of IBCA

• The IBCA’s area of work will include the setup of an assembly, a standing committee, and a secretariat in India.
• The Environment Ministry officials will name the interim director general as per the guidelines for interim office-bearer to the secretariat until a permanent office-bearer is chosen by the coalition members.

Importance of the IBCA

• The development of the IBCA would facilitate agreement among nations, thus encouraging mutual advantageous benefits and laying the necessary groundwork for conservation initiatives both for the short term and long term.
• it is at the forefront of conservation strategies. It is opening the means to build the future where natural habitats are allowed to grow and will be talked about when either environmentally related or development-based policies are made.
• With an aim, the Alliance upholds a concerted approach that is set to guarantee the responsible use of the resources and deal with the variety of the challenges resulting from climate change.
• The IBCA chooses to devote its efforts to the protection of remarkable cats and their dwellings, thus giving much-needed support to the adaptation process of ecosystems to climate change, as well as improving water supply and food security.
• However, it also provides a lot of benefits to many communities that these ecosystems are based on for their activities.

Source: The Hindu

UPSC Prelims Practice Questions

Q.Consider the following statements:

1. International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) is a mega-global alliance launched by India.
2. A secretariat and a council of the International Big Cat Alliance with a minimum of seven but a maximum of fifteen member nations are chosen by the general assembly for a five-year term.
3. India, Australia, and the US are the founding members of the Global Biofuels Alliance.

Which of the above statements is/are incorrect?

a. 1 and 3 only                       b. 2 only

c. 3 only                                 d. All of the above

Ans- “c”

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