Syllabus: GS 3/Biodiversity & Environment
Recent Context
The "India State of Forest Report, 2023" (ISFR 2023) was recently released by the Environment, Forests, and Climate Change Minister at the Forest Research Institute in Dehradun.
About
The Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) oversees the Forest Survey of India (FSI), which publishes the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) every two years. The ISFR 2023 is the 18th edition, having been first published in 1987.
Major Findings of the Report (ISFR 2023)
1. Total Forest and tree cover: India's total forest and tree cover is 8,27,357 sq km (25.17% of its geographical area).
Forest cover: 7,15,343 square kilometers (21.76%).
Tree cover: 1,12,014 square kilometers (3.41%).
2. States/UTs with High Forest Cover: 19 states/UTs have forest cover that exceeds 33% of their land area.
8 states/UTs (Mizoram, Lakshadweep, A&N Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Manipur) have forest cover of at least 75%.
3. Increased Forest and Tree Coverage
Total increase: 1,445 sq km (156 sq km of forest and 1,289 sq km of trees).
Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, and Rajasthan have seen the most significant increases in forest and tree cover.
Mizoram, Gujarat, and Odisha have experienced the greatest increases in forest coverage.
4. States with the most forest and tree coverage (by area): Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, and Maharashtra.
Forest Coverage Only: Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.
5. Highest Percentage of Forest Cover: Lakshadweep ranks top and has the highest forest cover at 91.33%, followed by Mizoram at 85.34% and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands at 81.62%.
6. The mangrove cover in India has shrunk by 7.43 sq km to 4,991.68 sq km. Gujarat had the largest loss of mangroves.
7.Timber Production Potential: Outside forests, trees have an estimated yearly potential of 91.51 million cubic meters.
8. Bamboo: The total area of the bamboo-bearing area is 1,54,670 sq km. The area has grown by 5,227 sq km since the last evaluation in 2021.
9. Carbon Stock: India's carbon stock has reached 30.43 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent, achieving 2.29 billion tonnes of additional carbon sink since 2005, nearing the 2030 target of 2.5–3.0 billion tonnes under the NDC.
India's Global Commitments on Forests and the Environment
Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (1971): This international treaty recognizes the ecological importance of wetlands, such as mangroves, and encourages their conservation and sustainable usage.
UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (1992): The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is an international convention that addresses climate change and its effects. As a convention signatory, India is required to report on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as well as activities connected to land use, land-use change, and forestry.
Convention for Biological Diversity (CBD): The CBD, signed at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro and enforced in 1993, requires India to conserve biodiversity and promote sustainable natural resource use. Meet Aichi Biodiversity Targets, such as forest habitat conservation (Target 5).
UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD): This legally binding convention, adopted in 1994 and implemented in 1996, compels India to combat desertification and drought-related consequences while supporting sustainable land management.
The Kyoto Protocol (1997): This protocol makes the UNFCCC operative by requiring developed nations to meet specific GHG emission reduction objectives.
Bonn Challenge (2011): This global program, launched by the German government and IUCN, aims to repair degraded areas. India has agreed to restore 26 million hectares of damaged land by 2030.
New York Declaration of Forests (NYDF) (2014): The NYDF, launched at the United Nations Climate Summit, intends to reduce deforestation by half by 2020 and remove it completely by 2030. Encourage sustainable forest management and restoration.
Paris Agreement (2015): It is a landmark agreement under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change that focuses on reducing global warming to less than 2°C, preferably 1.5°C, and underlines the essential role of forests in mitigation and adaptation.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): India actively pursues SDG 15, which focuses on forest conservation and restoration. SDGs include climate action, life below water, no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, and clean water and sanitation.
Challenges for India's Forests
Forest Cover Decline: Urbanization, agricultural development, and infrastructure projects have led to significant declines in moderately dense forest (MDF) and open forest (OF) across multiple states.
Eco-Sensitive Zones: Over the last decade, forest cover in Western Ghats' eco-sensitive zones has fallen by 58.22 square kilometers.
Biodiversity Hotspots: Declines in wooded regions within biodiversity hotspots endanger ecological equilibrium and species survival.
Forest Fire Vulnerability Incidence of Fires: An increase in forest fires has destroyed significant tracts of forest, diminishing biodiversity and regeneration capability.
Most Affected States: In the 2023-24 season, Uttarakhand, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh had the most fire incidents.
High-Risk Zones: About 32.06% of forests are designated as "highly fire-prone."
Pressure on Forest Resources: Forest ecosystems are under unsustainable strain due to the growing demand for fuelwood, non-timber forest products (NTFPs), and lumber.
Habitat loss and fragmentation: urban sprawl, road development, and mining are some of the projects that lead to habitat fragmentation, especially in the Western Ghats and Himalayan regions. The loss of contiguous habitats has a negative impact on ecosystems and puts wildlife populations at risk.
Management and Monitoring Difficulties: Illegal logging and encroachment are made worse in wooded regions by inadequate monitoring and enforcement systems.
Way Forward
Uphold and Enforce Existing Regulations: Implementing policies should be strengthened by upholding current forest conservation regulations, such as the Forest (Conservation) Act of 1980, and enforcing severe penalties for infractions including encroachment and illegal logging.
Promote Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) by putting into practice scientific forest management techniques that strike a balance between resource use and conservation, such as sustainable non-timber forest product (NTFP) harvesting.
Preserving Biodiversity and Raising Awareness: To improve climate resilience and biodiversity, prioritize conservation efforts in environmentally fragile areas such as the Western Ghats, Northeast India, and mangrove habitats. Furthermore, programs like "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam" should be used to create public awareness about the necessity of forest conservation.
Increase Afforestation Efforts: To improve carbon sequestration and rehabilitate degraded landscapes, scale up programs like the Green India Mission and Bonn Challenge.
Robust Technology for Surveillance: For efficient threat assessment, monitoring, and response, make use of GIS mapping, satellite images, and real-time forest fire alert systems.
Community Involvement/Participation: To guarantee sustainable use and conservation of forest resources, increase the participation of local communities and indigenous people through initiatives like Joint Forest Management (JFM).
Conclusion
In order to preserve and restore forests for future generations, strong policies, active community involvement, and technological solutions are required to address the issues of deforestation, degradation, and climate change. India's forests play a critical role in maintaining ecological balance, preserving biodiversity, and mitigating climate change.
Mains Model Question
Q. The India State of Forest Report 2023 recognizes substantial gains in forest cover, carbon stock, and biodiversity protection but also identifies issues such as forest cover decline, fire risk, and habitat fragmentation. In light of India's worldwide commitments and emerging environmental issues, discuss the key findings of the India State of Forest Report 2023 and provide a comprehensive strategy for sustainable forest management and conservation for India. (250 words)
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