NEW DELHI (Diya TV) — India’s forest and tree cover now covers 25.17% of the country’s total geographical area, as per the latest India State of Forest Report (ISFR), which has added 1,445 square kilometers since the last assessment two years ago. The report reveals that forest cover accounts for 21.76% of this area, while tree cover contributes 3.41%, showing steady progress in the nation’s environmental conservation efforts.
This has substantially increased India’s carbon stock, which now is 30.43 billion tons of CO2 equivalent. This increase supports India in building climate resilience while reducing its carbon footprint toward the global climate action for which the country signed an agreement under the Paris Agreement.
India’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the Paris Climate Agreement require the country to bring up global warming to within 1.5 degrees C by increasing carbon sinks and decreasing emissions. Already, India has gone far, as indicated by ISFR, in meeting its carbon sink goals. It had sequestered an estimated 2.29 billion tons of carbon—this is only 2 million tons short of its 2030 target to add 2.5 billion tons.
The total carbon stock in the country’s forests now stands at 7,285.5 million tons. An increase of 81.5 million tons is experienced from the last assessment.
This growth indicates that tree planting and forest management is one of the essential contributions to the fight against climate change.
India has had several afforestation and reforestation programs that have helped boost forest and tree cover. The report states that the maximum increase in forest cover was seen in states such as Arunachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh. Furthermore, programs like the National Afforestation Programme and Green India Mission have added to the general expansion of green cover.
Tree planting on private and community lands also increased tree cover. These activities not only support biodiversity but also contribute to local livelihoods through sustainable use of forest resources.
Though there has been positive growth, sustaining and further increasing forest cover still faces challenges. Continued issues such as deforestation and encroachment still are significant threats to India’s forests, especially where more tribes and rural folks settle.
Climate change continues affecting forest ecosystems. In several ways, it causes more adverse effects on biodiversity in terms of tree regeneration.
The Indian government has stressed the importance of balancing development and conservation, realizing that the health of the country’s forests forms an integral part of sustainable development goals. The report by ISFR reminds all of the progress made as well as the work yet to be done to achieve both national and global climate targets.
