Call To Emphasise On Biodiversity Education In Schools
Delegates also recommended the creation of biodiversity clubs in every district, and legal awareness around community rights and conservation.
Hyderabad:Young researchers and students have called for biodiversity education to be formally integrated into Telangana’s school and college curricula, and urged the government to roll out a youth-led action roadmap for climate and ecosystem protection. These were among the key recommendations of the “Hyderabad Declaration”, released by the Telangana State Biodiversity Board on the occasion of International Day for Biological Diversity.
The declaration, drafted at the National Youth Biodiversity Conference (NYBC) earlier this year, was formally unveiled on Thursday during the board’s celebrations at Bhaskara Auditorium in Hyderabad. Over 300 participants, including scientists, students, and conservation workers, attended the event.
The NYBC report urges policymakers to invest in biodiversity training, particularly among rural and marginalised youth, and calls for state-level programmes that bridge scientific knowledge with indigenous practices.
Delegates also recommended the creation of biodiversity clubs in every district, and legal awareness around community rights and conservation.
The event’s theme, “Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development”, was in line with the UN’s Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Telangana PCCF (HoFF) Dr C. Suvarna, who attended as chief guest, said the state must treat its youth as “equal partners in conservation.”
The report points out that despite strong legal protections, community-level awareness remains uneven. It also notes that Telangana’s rapid urbanisation is putting fragile ecosystems, particularly wetlands and scrublands, at risk.
During the event, the board released its annual achievements brochure in Telugu, and distributed awards to winners of state-wide competitions in biodiversity-themed painting, photography, short films and quizzes.
Telangana Biodiversity Board Secretary Kalicharan S. Khartade welcomed attendees.
The NYBC, held earlier at Kanha Shanti Vanam, brought together young delegates from across India for field sessions, bird walks, and training in legal and ecological literacy. Officials said the Hyderabad Declaration would now be submitted to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change as part of wider youth engagement efforts.