Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Biological Diversity Act, 2002: A Critical Analysis

Biodiversity means a variety of living species and it becomes very essential for humanity to survive on this planet. Biodiversity is so important that without it, life is not possible. However, humanity over the last few centuries has depleted almost all biological resources in a manner that it has now become very necessary to conserve them for the survival of the entire ecosystem. On one hand conservation of biodiversity is the need of the hour and on the other hand, its sustainable utilization is also essential for maintaining the livelihoods of the majority of the population. India is a biodiversity hub and so biodiversity-conservation laws play an important role in regulating the access to such resources. However, on the other hand, a majority of India’s population is also dependent on biological or genetic resources for maintaining their livelihood. The utilization of such biological resources in a sustainable manner is also dependent on the traditional knowledge possessed by the local communities transmitted from generation to generation even though not documented. Thus, for sustainable utilization of biological resources, the conservation of such traditional knowledge is also essential. This is the reason why analysis of the Indian Legal Framework regulating the access of biological resources becomes important. This essay will therefore analyze the role played by the Indian Legal Framework in the conservation and protection of biological resources and the associated traditional knowledge in India