Decline in Photosynthetic Efficiency
A 2025 study by IIT Kharagpur, in collaboration with IIT Bombay and BITS Pilani, reported a 12% decline in photosynthetic efficiency of dense forests across India, primarily due to rising temperatures and drying soil.
Green India Mission (GIM) Overview
India aims to restore 25 million hectares of degraded forest and non-forest land by 2030, aligning with its climate pledge to create an additional carbon sink of up to 3.39 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent by the end of the decade.
Restoration Approach
- Focus on enhancing ecological resilience rather than just increasing canopy cover.
- Between 2015 and 2021, 11.22 million hectares afforested with ₹575 crore disbursed to 18 states, increasing forest and tree cover from 24.16% in 2015 to 25.17% in 2023.
Challenges
- Community participation, ecological design, and financing gaps.
- Dependence on forests for daily survival by nearly 200 million Indians.
- Issues with plantation drives that bypass community consent, eroding trust and legitimacy.
Bright Spots and Innovations
- Odisha's integration of Joint Forest Management Committees in planning.
- Chhattisgarh's biodiversity-sensitive plantations.
- Shift towards native, site-specific species instead of monocultures like eucalyptus or acacia.
Financing and Utilization
The CAMPA fund holds ₹95,000 crore, but inconsistent utilization is a challenge, exemplified by Delhi's 23% fund usage between 2019 and 2024.
Innovative Financing Tools
- Himachal Pradesh's biochar programme for carbon credits and fire risk reduction.
- Uttar Pradesh's plantation of over 39 crore saplings and exploration of carbon markets.
Future Directions
India has the frameworks, resources, and capacity to succeed but needs alignment among communities, forest departments, and the government. Empowering communities and prioritizing ecological restoration over mere plantation are crucial steps forward.
