Mangroves, Marine Biodiversity & Antarctic MPAs — UPSC Notes

Three separate but connected strands of marine conservation dominate current environmental policy discourse: mangrove ecosystems on India's coasts, Antarctic Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) under CCAMLR, and the BBNJ (High Seas) Treaty negotiated under UNCLOS. All three converge on one UPSC theme — marine biodiversity governance in the 21st century. This note consolidates them in one evergreen guide.

Part 1: Mangroves — India's coastal defenders

What are mangroves?

Salt-tolerant plants, or halophytes, adapted to harsh coastal tropical/subtropical intertidal zones. They typically grow where:

• Rainfall is between 1,000-3,000 mm.
• Temperature ranges 26-35°C.
• Tidal influence brings regular seawater exposure.

India hosts the world's third-largest mangrove area by country after Indonesia and Brazil, at roughly 5,000 sq km (ISFR 2023).

Major Indian mangrove zones

Ecological functions

• Coastal protection — storm surge and tsunami buffer (verified in 2004 tsunami).
• Carbon sequestration — mangrove forests store 3-5x the carbon per hectare of tropical rainforests (blue carbon).
• Nurseries for fisheries — ~75% of tropical commercial fish spend part of their life in mangroves.
• Biodiversity habitat — tiger, saltwater crocodile, Olive Ridley nesting, migratory birds.
• Water filtration — trap sediments and nutrients.
• Livelihoods — honey collection, fishing, ecotourism.

Threats

• Indiscriminate clearing for agriculture, industry, tourism, shrimp aquaculture, and salt farming.
• Freshwater reduction from upstream dams and irrigation — increases salinity beyond mangrove tolerance.
• Coral reef destruction removes the first wave barrier.
• Pollution — fertilisers, pesticides, industrial effluent, oil spills.
• Climate change — sea level rise submerges mangrove roots; mangroves need stable sea levels.
• Urban encroachment — Mumbai, Chennai pressure.
• Overharvesting of wood for fuel and construction.

Indian policy response

• National Coastal Zone Management Authority (NCZMA) and CRZ Notifications.
• CRZ-I A category protects mangroves under the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification 2019.
• MISHTI — Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (Budget 2023) — restoration across 9 states/4 UTs; aims for ~540 sq km restoration.
• Mahatma Gandhi NREGA convergence for mangrove plantation.
• Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve (1989), Bhitarkanika Ramsar site.
• Green India Mission funds mangrove regeneration.
• Blue Carbon monitoring via Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE).

Part 2: Marine Protected Areas in Antarctic — CCAMLR

The Antarctic Treaty System

A suite of agreements governing the Antarctic, preserving it for peaceful scientific use:

CCAMLR in depth

The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources:

• Established by convention in 1982.
• Headquartered in Hobart, Australia.
• Currently has 26 members (25 countries + EU).
• India is a member (since 1985).
• Uses ecosystem-based management — harvesting allowed only if sustainable.

Existing Antarctic MPAs

Proposed MPAs

• East Antarctic MPA (EU + Australia proposal).
• Weddell Sea MPA (EU + Norway proposal).
• Antarctic Peninsula MPA (Argentina + Chile).

Consensus in CCAMLR has been blocked by Russia and China in recent years. India has supported EU-led proposals for East Antarctic and Weddell Sea.

Why Antarctic MPAs matter

• Krill, a keystone Antarctic species, is threatened by commercial fishing and warming.
• Unique species — emperor penguin, Weddell seal, toothfish.
• Climate research — unperturbed baselines.
• Global carbon cycle — Southern Ocean's heat and CO2 uptake.

Part 3: BBNJ Treaty — High Seas for humanity

Background

BBNJ = "Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction". The High Seas — ocean beyond any nation's Exclusive Economic Zone (200 nautical miles) — cover 64% of the ocean surface but had no comprehensive biodiversity law.

UNGA (2015) decided to develop a legally binding instrument under UNCLOS. After years of negotiation, the treaty text was agreed in March 2023 and formally adopted on 19 June 2023.

Key elements

1. Marine Genetic Resources (MGR) — including benefit-sharing from commercialisation of ocean-derived biotech.
2. Area-Based Management Tools (ABMTs) — including Marine Protected Areas on the high seas.
3. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) — for activities in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
4. Capacity Building and Transfer of Marine Technology (CB&TMT) — to developing countries.

30×30 link

BBNJ operationalises the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework's 30×30 target — protect 30% of global land and ocean by 2030.

India's position

• India supports the treaty in principle.
• Signed BBNJ on 25 September 2024.
• Ratification — under internal consultation.
• Concerns remain on:
• Benefit-sharing rules for marine genetic resources.
• Funding mechanisms for developing countries.
• Impact on deep-sea mining interests (India’s Central Indian Ocean exploration licence with ISA).

Complementary Indian commitments

• Coastal Clean Seas Campaign.
• Ban on single-use plastics (2022 phase-out list).
• Draft Blue Economy Policy.
• Deep Ocean Mission (launched 2021) — Samudrayaan manned submersible targets 2026.
• Proposed Sustainable Coastal and Ocean Research Institute (SCORI) for Pacific Island countries.
• Part of High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People (30×30).
• Protecting Our Planet Challenge — MPAs by 2030.

Latest developments (2024-26)

Updated context: verify current signatory/ratification counts with UN DOALOS.

• BBNJ Treaty — 60+ ratifications needed for entry into force; crossing threshold expected 2025-26.
• CCAMLR (October 2024) — East Antarctic and Weddell Sea MPA proposals again stalled by Russia/China.
• MISHTI scheme — tree planting across 75 locations; aims for 540 sq km restoration by 2028.
• Wild Life Protection Amendment 2022 — created Management Authority for CITES; indirectly supports marine species protection.
• COP29 Baku — ocean-climate nexus emphasised; Ocean Pavilion amplified.
• UN Ocean Conference (2025, Nice) — to review SDG 14 progress.
• Deep Ocean Mission — Samudrayaan trials accelerated for 2026 manned dive.
• IUCN Coral Reef reports 2024 — fourth global coral bleaching event confirmed.

UPSC relevance

GS-III mapping

• Conservation, environmental pollution.
• Indian ocean governance (overlaps with GS-II IR).

Prelims bullets

• Mangroves — India 3rd largest mangrove area.
• MISHTI — Budget 2023 mangrove scheme.
• Sundarbans — joint UNESCO WHS of India and Bangladesh.
• CCAMLR — HQ Hobart; 26 members; India is a member.
• South Orkney Islands MPA — world's first high-seas MPA (2009).
• BBNJ Treaty adopted 19 June 2023; India signed September 2024.
• 30×30 — protect 30% of land and ocean by 2030.
• EEZ — 200 nautical miles.

Mains angles

• "Discuss the ecological and socio-economic significance of mangroves and evaluate India's conservation measures."
• "Analyse the significance of the BBNJ Treaty for global ocean governance and India's position on it."
• "Examine the role of CCAMLR and proposed Antarctic MPAs in marine biodiversity protection."

Essay hooks

• Blue carbon and climate — mangroves as mitigation and adaptation.
• Oceans as the last global commons.
• Antarctica — the frontier of international environmental diplomacy.

Quick revision

For UPSC, the unifying frame is: marine biodiversity governance is the 21st century's most under-regulated frontier. Mangroves (local), Antarctic MPAs (regional), and BBNJ (global) offer India three tiers of engagement to pursue both conservation and climate leadership simultaneously.