The International Conference on Biodiversity has begun in Hyderabad today with India giving a call for the need to strike a right balance while addressing environmental issues and poverty alleviation. Addressing the plenary session of the 11th meeting of the Conference of Parties- CoP11, Union Environment and Forests Minister Jayanthi Natarajan has said biodiversity issues should be addressed while implementing the poverty alleviation programmes especially in developing countries. The Minister has called for concerted efforts among all the stakeholders to speed up implementation of the UN strategic plan for the resilience of the ecosystems and achieving decadal biodiversity targets. She said the process is underway in full swing for ratification of the Nagoya Protocol on Access and benefit sharing on genetic resources. She called upon the member countries to prepare a roadmap for mobilization of funds during the12-day negotiations.Meanwhile, the CoP11 has taken up deliberations on the agenda items including mobilization of financial resources for complying with the UN Strategic Plan for 2011-20. By outlining various steps being taken in line with the UN Strategic Plan, India has highlighted the critical issues and the challenges ahead in safeguarding biodiversity on the inaugural day of the CoP11. At the same time it appealed to the member countries to fast track the measures required for realizing the UN targets on this front. While hosting this prestigious International Conference India reiterated the need for inclusion of all stakeholders particularly the communities at grassroots level in achieving biodiversity targets. It also highlighted the need to chalk out a roadmap for both financial mobilization and steps for expediting the implementation of the Strategic Plan. Unlike in the past, the civil society organizations and NGOs are expressing their concerns over a gamut of issues during the deliberations and stressing the need for making local communities an integral part of biodiversity conservation.