Bhupender Yadav Calls for Global Unity to Protect Big Cats and the Climate

The high-profile event was attended by global delegates and was graced by Dr. Madan Prasad Pariyar, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock from the Government of Nepal.

In a compelling address at the High-Level Ministerial Segment on the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) during the UNFCCC CoP30, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, called on the global community to adopt integrated, cooperative strategies for the conservation of big cat species and their ecosystems. The high-profile event was attended by global delegates and was graced by Dr. Madan Prasad Pariyar, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock from the Government of Nepal.

Held under the theme “Protecting Big Cats, Protecting Climate and Biodiversity,” the session spotlighted apex predators not only as iconic species but also as key indicators of ecosystem health, climate resilience, and biodiversity integrity.

Big Cats as Sentinels of Climate Resilience

Shri Yadav made a powerful case for recognizing big cat landscapes as natural climate solutions. “Where big cats thrive, forests are healthier, grasslands regenerate, water systems function, and carbon is stored efficiently in living landscapes,” he said, emphasizing their role as ecosystem regulators and carbon sequesters.

He stressed that declining big cat populations destabilize ecosystems, reduce nature’s ability to absorb carbon, and erode the ecological buffers needed to withstand climate-related disasters. In this regard, he urged nations to view wildlife conservation not as an isolated activity, but as central to climate action.

India’s Global Leadership in Big Cat Conservation

The Minister proudly noted that India is home to five of the world’s seven big cat species—including tigers, lions, leopards, snow leopards, and clouded leopards—and has achieved landmark conservation outcomes. He highlighted:

• India’s success in doubling its tiger population ahead of global targets,

• A steady rise in the population of the Asiatic lion, and

• The development of a nationwide database that includes detailed population assessments of major big cat species.

India has also expanded protected areas, established secure wildlife corridors, and empowered local communities through eco-tourism and sustainable livelihood programs, making conservation inclusive and grassroots-driven.

Shri Yadav reiterated that India’s conservation model is based on community partnerships, rigorous science, and institutional coordination, and serves as a template for other countries navigating similar challenges.

The International Big Cat Alliance: A Global Platform for Conservation

Launched under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) is emerging as a major intergovernmental platform focused on the conservation of big cats and their ecosystems through technical support, capacity building, policy harmonization, and innovative finance.

Shri Yadav informed that:

• 17 countries are currently formal members of IBCA,

• Over 30 additional countries have expressed intent to join, and

• IBCA is grounded in the ethos of “One Earth, One World, One Future.”

He noted that IBCA will facilitate South–South cooperation, technology transfer, and blended finance mechanisms, including biodiversity-carbon credits, that can help countries integrate wildlife protection into climate financing frameworks.

India to Host Global Big Cats Summit in 2026

In a major announcement, Shri Yadav revealed that the Government of India will host the first-ever Global Big Cats Summit in New Delhi in 2026. The summit will invite all range countries, conservation experts, policymakers, and multilateral institutions to share best practices, launch collaborative projects, and set a roadmap for big cat conservation as part of the global climate-biodiversity agenda.

“The Global Big Cats Summit will be a milestone for ecological diplomacy, global conservation finance, and shared environmental governance,” he said, extending India’s invitation to all nations to join IBCA and co-create lasting conservation solutions.

Ecological Security is Climate Security

Shri Yadav underlined that the climate and biodiversity crises are deeply intertwined, and solutions must reflect this interdependence. He called for nature-based solutions to be central in future Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.

He noted, “What we often call ‘wildlife conservation’ is, in fact, climate action in its most natural form.” From watershed protection to carbon sequestration and disaster risk reduction, big cat habitats offer multiple co-benefits that should be recognized in climate policy, finance, and adaptation planning.

India Unveils Climate Action Decade Report at CoP30

At the same CoP30 forum, India also released its landmark publication, “One Earth, One Family, One Future: A Decade of Climate Action,” documenting:

• National and state-level progress on climate mitigation,

• Adaptation and resilience strategies,

• Innovations in green finance, and

• A vision for a Viksit Bharat by 2047, rooted in sustainable development and intergenerational equity.

The publication reaffirms India’s leadership in climate justice, its commitment to low-carbon inclusive growth, and its readiness to serve as a partner for global ecological stewardship.

A Global Appeal for Unity and Action

In his closing remarks, Shri Yadav struck a unifying tone, stating, “The world stands at a moment of ecological realignment. We must collaborate, not compete. We must find strength not in isolation, but in solidarity.”

He concluded with a profound message: “Protecting big cats is protecting our shared planet. Protecting big cats is protecting our future.”

The CoP30 Ministerial on Big Cats demonstrated that wildlife protection, climate resilience, and sustainable development are inseparable, and India is determined to lead this integrated global mission with courage, commitment, and cooperation.