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India’s Green Mission Revised
India’s Green Mission revised plan: Centre to focus on Aravalli, Western Ghats restoration
Context: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has revised India’s Green Mission document for the period 2021-2030. The revised plan was released by Union Environment Minister in Jodhpur on the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought.
World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
About: Established by the UN General Assembly in 1994, this day is observed annually on June 17 to promote awareness and action against desertification and drought.
- The day commemorates the adoption of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in 1994 and was first celebrated in 1995.
Theme 2025: “Restore the Land. Unlock the Opportunities” – emphasising land restoration and sustainable development.
Importance: Raises awareness about land degradation, promotes policy action, and encourages global cooperation for sustainable land management and climate resilience.
What is the Green India Mission?
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Launched in February 2014 as one of the eight core missions under India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), GIM aims to:
- Protect, restore, and enhance India’s forest and tree cover
- Use a blend of climate adaptation and mitigation strategies
- Increase forest/tree cover on 5 million hectares of land
- Improve forest quality on an additional 5 million hectares
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Revised GIM Overview (2021-2030): The revised mission will focus on restoring ecologically vulnerable landscapes, including:
- Aravalli Hills
- Western Ghats
- Mangrove forests
- Indian Himalayan region
- Arid regions of North-West India
How Will Restoration Be Achieved?
- A micro-ecosystem approach will be adopted for targeted interventions.
- Restoration of degraded forests, soil and moisture conservation, and planting of native high-carbon-sequestration species.
- Strategies include reforestation, tree plantation on wastelands, and along railways & highways.
- Ensuring land degradation neutrality through best practices.
What is the Expected Carbon Sequestration Impact?
- The revised mission projects a carbon sink of 3.39 billion tonnes, based on Forest Survey of India (FSI) estimates.
- To achieve this, an increase of forest and tree cover of over 24.7 million hectares is required.
- The mission aligns with India’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) goal of creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent.
Why is the Restoration of the Western Ghats Important?
- The Western Ghats ecosystem has suffered from deforestation, illegal mining, and pollution.
- Depletion of groundwater, air and water pollution, and increased human-wildlife conflict have further worsened conditions.
- Restorative measures will include:
- Planting native trees
- Controlling land degradation
- Enhancing biodiversity through sustainable forest management
What Are the Challenges and Achievements of GIM?
- Between 2021 and 2023, India’s net forest cover increased by only 156.41 sq km (as per the 2023 State of India’s Forest Report).
- The country has also witnessed a loss of old-growth forests, mangroves, and a decline in forest cover across the Western Ghats.
- Since its 2015-16 intervention, about 11.22 million hectares have been included under plantation efforts.
About Aravalli Hills and Western Ghats
Aravalli Hills:
- One of the oldest fold mountain ranges in the world, dating back to the Proterozoic era.
- Stretches across Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, and Gujarat.
- Guru Shikhar (5,650 ft) on Mount Arbuda is the highest peak.
- Acts as a natural barrier preventing desertification from spreading eastward from the Thar Desert.
- Rich in minerals and biodiversity, but faces threats from illegal mining and deforestation.
Western Ghats:
- The Western Ghats stretch approximately 1,600 km along the western coast of India, covering the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
- A UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world’s eight “hottest hotspots” of biodiversity.
- Home to over 7,400 species of plants and animals, many of them endemic.
- Plays a crucial role in monsoon regulation and is a major watershed for peninsular rivers.
