Bhutanese government hosted the Sustainable Finance for Tiger Landscapes Conference on Earth Day 2024 to mobilise USD 1 billion over the next decade for conserving tigers and their habitats across Asia.
Sustainable Finance for Tiger Landscapes Conference
- The two-day conference will be hosted by Bhutan under the patronage of the country’s queen, Jetsun Pema Wangchuck.
- It seeks to mobilise the amount of USD 1 billion over 10 years for the preservation of tiger landscapes.
- The conservation of tiger landscapes is vital to maintaining biodiversity, sequestering carbon, supplying resources to over 100 million people, and ensuring the overall health of the planet.
- The conference convened tiger range countries, visionary private and public sector donors, international development agencies, the Tiger Conservation Coalition, and other conservation organisations.
Key Highlights from the Conference
- High-level representatives from ten tiger range countries delivered statements on the progress and ambitions for conserving their tiger landscapes.
- The conference culminated with the Paro Statement by the Royal Government of Bhutan reiterating it’s objective.
Other Sources of Funding
- Since 2010, the Global Environment Facility has provided more than USD 197 million in financing and mobilized another USD 880 million, in co-finance, for tiger conservation.
International Big Cat Alliance
- India has proposed to launch a mega global alliance under its leadership to protect big cats and assured support over five years with guaranteed funding of USD 100 million.
- The proposed International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) will work towards the protection and conservation of the seven major big cats — tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, puma, jaguar and cheetah.
- Membership to the alliance will be open to 97 “range” countries, which contain the natural habitat of these big cats, as well as other interested nations, international organisations, etc.
- The alliance was inspired by the arrival of cheetahs in 2022 from Namibia.
- India is the only country in the world to have tigers, lions, leopards, snow leopards and cheetahs in the wild except for the pumas and jaguars.
- So, it is only befitting that India takes the lead to bring together all big cat range countries under an United Nations(UN)-like organisation.
Structure of IBCA
- A General Assembly consisting of all member countries.
- A council of at least seven but not more than 15 member countries elected by the General Assembly for a term of 5 years, and a Secretariat.
- General Assembly will appoint the IBCA Secretary General for a specific term.