National Mission for Green India (GIM)
The Indian government has unveiled a revised roadmap for the National Mission for Green India (GIM) with a focus on enhancing and restoring forest and green cover. The mission seeks to address climate change impacts, focusing on key areas such as the Aravalli ranges, Western Ghats, Himalayas, and mangroves.
Achievements and Objectives
- Launched in 2014 as part of India's National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).
- Aims to increase forest and tree cover on 5 million hectares and improve the quality of forest cover on another 5 million hectares.
- From 2015-16 to 2020-21, facilitated afforestation activities on 11.22 million hectares.
- Between 2019-20 and 2023-24, Rs 624.71 crore was allocated to 18 states, with Rs 575.55 crore utilized.
Revised Roadmap
- Incorporates climate impact feedback from states and scientific bodies.
- Emphasizes restoration of vulnerable landscapes with region-specific best practices.
- Includes collaboration with the Aravalli Green Wall project to combat desertification.
The project involves restoration across 8 lakh hectares in 29 districts, aimed at creating a 5 km buffer zone around the Aravalli ranges.
Combatting Land Degradation and Desertification
- Approximately one-third of India's land (97.85 million hectares) faced degradation in 2018-19.
- India aims to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes CO2 through increased forest cover by 2030.
- The GIM and related projects aim to restore 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030.
An additional carbon sink of 2.29 billion tonnes CO2 equivalent was created from 2005-2021. Restoration of open forests is a cost-effective method for high-impact CO2 sequestration.
- The Forest Survey of India estimates this could sequester 1.89 billion tonnes CO2 over 15 million hectares.
- GIM aims to expand forest and tree cover to 24.7 million hectares, achieving a carbon sink of 3.39 billion tonnes CO2 equivalent by 2030.