New Delhi, September 2, 2026: Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav has called for a conservation approach rooted in harmony between people and nature, saying that the protection of tiger landscapes must go hand in hand with sustainable livelihoods and socio-economic development.
He made the remarks while inaugurating a two-day international workshop in New Delhi on “Tiger Landscapes: Conservation, Bioeconomy and Ecotourism as Pillars for Livelihood and Income Generation.” The workshop is being held from September 2–3 and is jointly organised by the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA), Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
Tiger Landscapes Seen as Natural Capital
Addressing the gathering, Yadav highlighted India’s conservation experience under Project Tiger and stressed that protecting tigers cannot be separated from protecting the ecosystems in which they survive.
He pointed to forests, grasslands, rivers, prey populations, wildlife corridors and surrounding communities as interconnected components of tiger landscapes.
According to the Minister, these landscapes provide essential ecosystem services, including water security, carbon sequestration, climate regulation, biodiversity conservation and livelihood support.
He emphasised that conservation policies should therefore move beyond protecting individual species and instead adopt an integrated landscape-based approach.
Human-Nature Coexistence at the Centre
Yadav underlined the importance of ensuring that conservation does not become disconnected from the needs of communities living around protected and natural areas.
He said that “conservation with harmony and human-nature coexistence” should form the foundation of ecological conservation.
The Minister also drew attention to growing global concerns over desertification, declining soil moisture and deterioration of soil quality. In this context, he stressed the importance of protecting tiger landscapes while using the knowledge and experience of local communities to support sustainable development.
Traditional Knowledge and Ecotourism
A significant part of the workshop is focused on finding ways to combine conservation with bioeconomy and ecotourism.
Yadav called for greater recognition of traditional and indigenous knowledge in policymaking. He urged participants to explore ways of documenting such knowledge and incorporating it into policies relating to conservation, sustainable economic activity and ecotourism.
He also highlighted knowledge sharing, capacity building and community participation as important elements in developing more effective conservation strategies.
IBCA and ADB Sign MoU
A key development at the event was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the International Big Cat Alliance and the Asian Development Bank.
The partnership aims to strengthen cooperation in areas including landscape conservation, sustainable development, capacity building, knowledge exchange and nature-positive financing.
Yadav described the growing role of IBCA as a global platform for cooperation among countries and institutions working to conserve the world’s seven big cat species.
ADB Country Director for India Mia Oka noted that 2026 marks 40 years of the bank’s partnership with India. She highlighted India’s experience in ecological conservation and sustainable development and said ADB could help create new financing opportunities for conservation across big-cat range countries.
International Experts Join Deliberations
The workshop has brought together representatives and experts from several tiger-range countries, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Malaysia, Nepal and Vietnam.
Senior officials from the Ministry of Environment, State Forest Departments and tiger reserves, along with researchers, conservation practitioners and development partners, are participating in the discussions.
The gathering is expected to facilitate the exchange of regional experiences and explore innovative approaches that can strengthen ecological conservation while generating sustainable economic opportunities for communities.
