Consider the following statements : 1. In India, the Biodiversity Management Committees are key to the realization of the objectives of the Nagoya Protocol. 2. The Biodiversity Management Committees have important functions in determining access and benefit sharing, including the power to levy collection fees on the access of biological resources within its jurisdiction. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The correct answer is C, Both 1 and 2. Both statements are correct, because Biodiversity Management Committees are the grassroots bodies through which India carries out access and benefit sharing. The Nagoya Protocol of 2010 under the Convention on Biological Diversity aims at fair and equitable sharing of benefits that arise from the use of genetic resources and the traditional knowledge linked to them. India implements it through the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, which has a three-tier structure: the National Biodiversity Authority, State Biodiversity Boards and BMCs set up by every local body. BMCs prepare People's Biodiversity Registers, are consulted by the NBA and State Boards before access to resources is granted, and so help make sure benefits reach local communities, which makes statement 1 correct. Under Section 41(3) of the Act, a BMC may levy charges by way of collection fees on anyone collecting biological resources for commercial purposes in its area, so statement 2 is correct. Option A is wrong because statement 2 is also true. Option B is wrong because statement 1 is also true. Option D is wrong because both statements are true. Exam tip: Biological Diversity Act 2002 means NBA (Chennai), SBBs and BMCs; BMCs keep the People's Biodiversity Register.