Preserving Urban Biodiversity and Marine Wealth: A Developmental Imperative for India

On May 22, 2025, India joined the global community in marking the International Day for Biological Diversity under the theme "Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development." The day could not have arrived at a more urgent time. From urban sprawls that are choking under concrete and smog, to coastal zones that are reeling under the collapse of fish stocks, the signs are loud and clear: India’s natural ecosystems, both terrestrial and marine are under serious stress. As policymakers and citizens debate the future of development, these insights provide a blueprint to achieve economic growth without forsaking ecological security.

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1. Introduction

India's dual pursuit of urbanisation and food security through fisheries has significantly contributed to its economic momentum. Yet, as the footprint of cities expands and marine extraction intensifies, it is becoming increasingly clear that ecological systems are buckling under pressure. Cities are growing vertically and horizontally, often consuming wetlands, forests, and riverbanks in the process. Meanwhile, oceans, once seen as infinite reservoirs are showing signs of collapse due to overfishing, habitat destruction, and climate-induced disruptions.

This twin erosion of natural capital urban biodiversity and marine ecosystems threatens not just wildlife or aesthetics, but the very scaffolding of public health, food security, climate resilience, and economic justice. In this blog, we attempt a deep dive into both these issues, unpacking current trends, challenges, policy frameworks, and the way forward.

2. Urban Biodiversity: A Silent Casualty of Development

Biodiversity in urban areas is not a luxury it is a necessity. From air quality regulation and temperature control to mental health benefits and disaster mitigation, the services provided by trees, wetlands, and urban fauna are irreplaceable. Yet, most urban masterplans in India treat natural spaces as dead zones, awaiting real estate conversion.

According to the Forest Survey of India (2023), the average green cover within metropolitan boundaries in India is a dismal 0.26%. Cities like Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Ahmedabad have lost large chunks of green space to commercial and residential construction. Chennai and Hyderabad alone lost over 2.6 square kilometres of urban forest cover between 2021 and 2023. This rapid loss undermines ecosystem services and makes cities hotter, more flood-prone, and less liveable.

The problem is compounded by a lack of mandatory urban biodiversity planning in town development regulations. Ecological hotspots within cities- wetlands, scrublands, ridge areas are routinely rezoned for infrastructure or industrial use. Unregulated groundwater pumping, canal encroachments, and poorly planned roads worsen the situation.

3. The Role of the City Biodiversity Index

To address these issues, India must adopt tools like the City Biodiversity Index (CBI), developed by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and ICLEI. This index assesses cities based on 23 parameters, including native species richness, ecosystem connectivity, conservation budgets, and governance structures.

In India, cities like Kochi, Gandhinagar, and Pune have piloted this approach. The insights from these assessments reveal a harsh reality, cities score low not due to lack of biodiversity alone, but due to lack of institutional frameworks to recognise and conserve it.

A biodiversity-friendly city, as per the UN Habitat 3:30:300 rule, must ensure that every home is within 300 metres of a green space, each neighbourhood has 30% canopy cover, and every household can see at least three mature trees from their premises. This is not just idealism it is a measurable pathway toward healthier, more resilient urban settlements.

Municipal corporations must go beyond parks and botanical gardens. Biodiversity corridors, rooftop gardens, water-sensitive urban design (WSUD), and tree census-backed plantation drives must be institutionalised. Integrating biodiversity plans with Urban Local Body (ULB) performance rankings under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs can also accelerate mainstreaming.

4. Overfishing and Coastal Ecosystem Collapse

On India’s 7,500 km coastline, a different but equally urgent ecological crisis is unfolding. Marine fisheries, despite yielding over 4 million tonnes annually, are in deep distress. The catch is rising in volume, but the benefits are disproportionately captured by mechanised trawlers that represent only 10% of the fishing population. Meanwhile, small-scale fishers, who make up over 90% of the workforce, struggle with declining fish stocks, increasing debt, and dwindling returns.

Much of this crisis stems from unregulated or poorly enforced fishing practices. A single commercial trawler can discard over 10 kilograms of juvenile fish for every kilogram of shrimp exported. These practices destroy not only target species but entire food webs affecting coral reefs, sea grass beds, and the reproductive health of marine populations.

India’s Marine Fisheries Regulation Acts (MFRA) vary state to state, with weak coordination. As a result, fishers exploit legal grey zones, catching protected species in one jurisdiction and selling them in another. Enforcement is limited by lack of patrolling vessels, insufficient real-time monitoring, and a fragmented data-sharing regime.

5. Legal and Policy Reforms Required

India urgently needs a National Marine Fisheries Code that harmonises state laws, defines Minimum Legal Size (MLS) limits for key species, sets closed fishing seasons, and regulates fishing gear and trawler engine power. Lessons can be drawn from New Zealand and Norway, where robust monitoring systems are matched with science-based quotas and fisher incentives.

On the urban front, biodiversity must be enshrined within Smart City Mission guidelines, Town Planning Acts, and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) protocols. Tree census data should be made publicly accessible, and projects leading to deforestation must undergo biodiversity audits. The “Net Green Gain” principle where developers must contribute to compensatory greening must become legally binding.

6. Community-Led and Science-Based Solutions

Top-down approaches alone will not suffice. In Kerala, a community-backed decision to raise the MLS for certain species led to 40% higher average fish sizes and improved income security. Likewise, empowering fisher cooperatives to manage local marine protected areas has shown results in Maharashtra and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

In cities, decentralised urban greening such as community gardens, roadside plantations, edible landscaping, and school garden programs can reintroduce biodiversity where space is limited. Urban agriculture not only helps with food and nutrition security but builds social cohesion and ecological awareness among residents.

Technology too can be a force multiplier. Mobile-based fish catch reporting, AI-assisted species recognition, and smart irrigation systems can revolutionise biodiversity management at the grassroots level.

7. Interlinkages with SDGs and Climate Goals

Urban and marine biodiversity protection aligns closely with India’s commitments under the Sustainable Development Goals:

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
SDG 13: Climate Action
SDG 14: Life Below Water
SDG 15: Life on Land

Natural infrastructure such as wetlands, mangroves, and forest patches contribute to flood mitigation and carbon sequestration. Healthy marine ecosystems support food security, climate buffering, and blue economy growth. Ignoring these linkages would mean undermining both the Paris Agreement and India’s Panchamrit climate pledges.

8. Conclusion

India stands at a critical juncture. As cities grow and oceans feed millions, the path forward must balance development with stewardship. The cost of inaction is immense—urban heat islands, biodiversity extinction, fisheries collapse, and public health crises. But the opportunity is equally vast: to become a global leader in nature-positive development.

By embedding biodiversity into the DNA of policymaking, investing in citizen science, strengthening legal frameworks, and learning from successful local models, India can chart a sustainable path that protects both its people and its planet.