Victoria Falls [Zimbabwe], July 24 (ANI): Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Wednesday made a strong pitch for community-based conservation and the Global South's priorities at the Ramsar COP15 summit in Zimbabwe, while showcasing India's sharp rise in wetland and biodiversity protection.

Yadav held detailed meetings with Musonda Mumba, Secretary General of the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar), and Ivonne Higuero, Secretary-General of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), on the sidelines of the global summit in Victoria Falls.

During his meeting with Mumba, Yadav discussed India's unprecedented 250 per cent growth in Ramsar Sites under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, from 26 to 75, in just a few years. He highlighted India's model of wetland conservation, which is supported by strong policy backing and grassroots engagement.

'Pleased to have met Dr Musonda Mumba... We held very engaging talks on expanding India's Ramsar Sites' network, which has seen an unprecedented 250% expansion under the leadership of PM Shri @narendramodi ji,' Yadav posted on X.

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Mumba, he said, appreciated India's commitment to wetlands through reforms, regulatory frameworks and community-driven conservation.

Yadav also met with CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero and discussed how India is helping to reframe the conservation dialogue to represent the voices of the Global South, especially those that rely on local, community-led models to balance biodiversity protection with sustainable trade.

'Met with Ms Ivonne Higuero... Discussed India's active role in CITES decision-making and regional coordination,' Yadav posted, adding that the discussion focused on how countries like India balance conservation and livelihood needs, especially in vulnerable ecosystems.

'We held detailed discussions on how the issues of Global South relating to community-based conservation and trade regulation can find greater resonance at CITES,' he wrote.

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Yadav, who represents Alwar in the Lok Sabha, arrived in Zimbabwe on Wednesday to participate in the 15th Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention (COP15). India, he said, will utilise the platform to present its vision for wetland preservation, sustainable use, and the connection between ecological health and local livelihoods.

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Earlier, Yadav noted India's growing stature in global wetland conservation, highlighting that the country now hosts 91 Ramsar Sites the highest in Asia and third-highest globally. (ANI)