Research is the lifeblood of conservation efforts. The International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, which is used to identify and track species that are at risk of extinction around the world, is a prime example of how data can guide the protection of species. Hearteningly, India is now set to launch a Red List of its own. While attending the ongoing World Conservation Congress of IUCN in Abu Dhabi, the Union minister of state for environment, forest and climate change, Kirti Vardhan Singh, unveiled the roadmap for a first-of-its-kind assessment by India of 11,000 species of flora and fauna to discern their vulnerability. Called the National Red List Assessment of Indian flora and fauna, the exercise will follow the parameters of the global standard and culminate in the publication of the National Red Data Books on flora and fauna by 2030, which will serve as a central resource for conservation planning and threat mitigation; it will include a user-friendly online database. The need for such a national effort is urgent. Out of the 55,726 recorded plant species in India, only 6.33% have been assessed for the IUCN global list. In the case of fauna, merely 7.2% of the 1,04,561 species have been assessed thus far, leaving a huge gap that needs to be covered. Out of the tiny pool that has been assessed, 13.4% of the species are in the threatened category. Alarmingly, a large number of species — 13.8% — are in the data-deficient category, which means that sufficient information to determine their risk is still not available. Several countries, including India, have been using such national-scale assessments for specific species. But India’s decision to launch a nationally coordinated, participatory, context-specific Red Listing system is a commendable first step. Such an initiative can accurately reflect the conservation status of species and will help the conservation fraternity respond to unique ecological challenges with greater precision. This is because local data collection and region-specific studies often capture details that global assessments overlook.
But the move from broad mapping to targeted action hinges on the transparency of data. The Red List must not become a document riddled with bureaucratic hurdles; it must be publicly accessible, regularly updated, and open to scrutiny and criticism. The government must invest in continuous monitoring and strengthen data-sharing among states and stakeholders, including conservationists and scientists. The tweaking of data to meet India’s global ecological imperatives must not be encouraged.