Who gains from saving nature
Ledger 1 : 33 — For each dollar financing nature-based solutions in 2023, about $33 financed activities harmful to nature. (UNEP)
Cases / Genetic resources and benefit-sharing · India · 2017–2025

Red sandalwood funds made up most of India's benefit-sharing payouts

Short record: the main facts, with sources. A full case file has not been prepared.

Nature's voice · report
No measurement of the harm done to me here is on record.
Did nature suffer? Not measured.
Not on record
  • The record does not name which of my species, waters, soils or forests were harmed.
What the record lacks: 1 none on record · 2 insufficient · 1 not measured See the gaps

India reports 268 crore rupees of benefits from access and benefit-sharing approvals since 2017, and 101 of the 127 crore rupees distributed came from red sandalwood funds. The sources reviewed do not report the effect on red sandalwood forests.

What?
India's benefit-sharing funds include 101 of 127 crore rupees distributed from red sandalwood protection. KNN India
Where?
Andhra Pradesh, India, for red sandalwood; benefit-sharing applies nationwide Deccan Chronicle
When?
Benefits counted November 2017 to December 2025; release reported 21 November 2025 Deccan Chronicle
Who?
Gained
  • Andhra Pradesh government — Received 39.84 crore rupees released by the National Biodiversity Authority for red sandalwood protection Deccan Chronicle
Lost
None on record
Harmed
None on record
Why?
Not stated in the sources reviewed.
How?
The National Biodiversity Authority distributed the funds, with state forest departments involved. Deccan Chronicle
6 of 6 questions answered from the record

What happened

The record, in order.

The Policy Edge reported that India's first Nagoya national report counts 268 crore rupees of benefits from 12,830 approvals between November 2017 and December 2025.

KNN India reported that cumulative benefit-sharing distributions reached 127 crore rupees, of which 101 crore came from red sandalwood funds.

Deccan Chronicle reported that the National Biodiversity Authority released 39.84 crore rupees to Andhra Pradesh for red sandalwood protection.

    In court and with insurers

    Every proceeding and every insurer decision on record.

    Lawsuits and rulings

    No court case on record. No court has ruled on this case.

    Insurers

    No insurer decision on record.

    What we don't know

    Undisclosed, unproven, untried: recorded as data.

    Nature

    • Not measured Harm to nature: The record holds no measurement of harm to nature.

    Record

    • Insufficient Reported but not verified: the Nagoya Protocol's global monetary benefit is about 54 million dollars; this figure comes of 103 national reports.
    • Insufficient Reported but not verified: the red sandalwood funds come from trees the Andhra Pradesh forest department auctioned or seized.
    • None on record The sources reviewed do not report the conservation status of red sandalwood or its forest cover.

    Did the harm stop?

    Not stated in the sources reviewed.

    Who paid?

    Not stated in the sources reviewed.

    Sources

    Voices on record: — Company or project— Government and regulators— Courts✓ Press and investigations— Communities and civil society— Researchers

    Press and investigations

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