INDIA’S FORESTS HOLD THE FUTURE

Introduction: Forests as the Foundation of India’s Sustainable Future

India stands at a crucial juncture, balancing rapid economic growth with the urgent need for ecological sustainability. Forests are emerging once again at the centre of India’s climate and development agenda. The revised Green India Mission (GIM) aims to restore 25 million hectares of degraded forest and non-forest land by 2030, aligning directly with India’s climate commitment to create an additional carbon sink of up to 3.39 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent by decade’s end.

However, the challenge lies not merely in increasing forest cover, but in ensuring quality, ecological resilience, and community participation in the process of restoration.

The Quality Challenge: Beyond Counting Trees

A 2025 study by IIT Kharagpur, IIT Bombay, and BITS Pilani revealed a 12% decline in photosynthetic efficiency of India’s dense forests due to rising temperatures and drying soils.

• This finding challenges the simplistic assumption that more trees mean more carbon absorption.

• The focus must shift from quantity of trees planted to quality of ecosystems restored.

Healthy forests act not only as carbon sinks but also as biodiversity reservoirs, water regulators, and climate stabilizers. Thus, restoration must aim for ecological functionality rather than mere canopy expansion.

Achievements and Expanding Vision under GIM

Between 2015 and 2021, GIM facilitated afforestation on 11.22 million hectares across 18 states with a funding of ₹575 crore.

• Forest and tree cover increased from 24.16% (2015) to 25.17% (2023).

• The revised blueprint now focuses on biodiversity-rich landscapes such as:

  • Aravalli Hills

  • Western Ghats

  • Mangrove ecosystems

  • Himalayan catchments

GIM also seeks to integrate with existing government programmes:

• National Agroforestry Policy

• Watershed Development Initiatives

• CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority)

The mission’s success will hinge on policy alignment, institutional synergy, and ground-level implementation.

Persistent Gaps in India’s Afforestation Story

Despite strong frameworks, India’s forest sector faces three persistent challenges:

1. Community Participation Deficit

   • Around 200 million Indians rely on forests for survival.

   • The Forest Rights Act (2006) empowers them to manage forest resources, but plantation drives often bypass their consent.

   • Positive examples:

     • Odisha integrates Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs) in planning and revenue sharing.

     • Chhattisgarh promotes biodiversity-sensitive plantations, aligning ecology with tribal livelihoods.

2. Ecological Design and Species Choice

   • Historical overreliance on monocultures (eucalyptus, acacia) led to groundwater depletion and loss of native biodiversity.

   • The new GIM emphasizes native, site-specific species for resilient ecosystems.

   • States like Tamil Nadu have successfully doubled mangrove cover, enhancing both carbon storage and coastal protection.

3. Financing Bottlenecks

   • The CAMPA fund holds over ₹95,000 crore, but utilization is low (Delhi spent only 23% of its approved funds between 2019–24).

   • GIM’s limited budget and dependency on CAMPA restrict scalability.

   • Innovative financing initiatives:

     • Himachal Pradesh: Biochar programme generating carbon credits while mitigating fire risk.

     • Uttar Pradesh: 39 crore saplings planted, exploring linkages to carbon markets via village councils.

Building the Future: From Programmes to Movements

India possesses the building blocks for large-scale ecological restoration:

• Robust legal frameworks (FRA, CAMPA, Forest Conservation Act).

• Strong institutional networks and training capacity.

• Financial resources and local success models.

The way forward requires:

• Empowering communities to lead restoration efforts.

• Training forest departments in ecological restoration techniques.

• Establishing public dashboards for transparency on:

  • Survival rates

  • Species diversity

  • Fund utilization

  • Community participation

• Expanding CAMPA’s mandate to support participatory planning and adaptive management.

• Engaging civil society and research institutions in monitoring and technical support.

Conclusion: Forests as India’s Development Capital

As India marches toward Viksit Bharat 2047, forests must be seen not merely as environmental assets but as natural capital — essential for long-term prosperity, resilience, and climate security.

The goal of restoring 25 million hectares is ambitious but achievable. If pursued with rigour, inclusion, and foresight, it could redefine global restoration paradigms and ensure that India’s forests truly hold the key to the nation’s sustainable future.