February 2025
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50 Reads
The key issue behind the recent global climate change is a continuous increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Emission of greenhouse gases during the time period from 2010 to 2019 was higher across the globe than the previous time periods in human history. The anthropogenic emission of greenhouse gases since 1850–1900 is responsible for warming of 1.1 °C. Taking note of the serious issues of global climate change, world governments in the year 1992 agreed on a global treaty called ‘United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’ for stabilising the concentration of greenhouse gases. Subsequently, Paris Agreement adopted in 2015 aimed ‘to hold global average temperature increase to well below 2 °C and pursue efforts to limit temperature rise to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels’. Countries made commitments under the Paris Agreement through their nationally determined contribution. Protection of forested lands, improved forest management, restoration of degraded forests and other ecosystems have major potential to offset emission of greenhouse gases. As per the India State of Forest Reports, carbon stocks in India’s forest increased from 6071 million tonnes in 1996 to 7204 million tonnes in 2021. India’s third National Communication to the UNFCCC reveals that forests were removing 20% of total greenhouse gas emissions in 2019. Shifting of distribution ranges of many species would occur in future owing to the changing climate combined with land-use change. Significant changes in Himalayan forests with respect to their vegetation composition and distribution pattern at different altitudes were observed mainly due to changing climate. Ecosystem-based adaptation and nature-based solutions can enhance mitigation and adaptation benefits of forests towards climate change. Studies on climate change vulnerability, impacts, loss and damage, adaptation and long-term sustainability are priority areas for future research in forest sector. Inadequate financial and technical resources in the country are key barriers for conducting these studies and implementing suitable adaptation measures. A programme to reduce emission from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries (REDD) was initiated in 2005 by UNFCCC primarily to address the causes of deforestation. However, a comprehensive policy approach put forth by India led to the inclusion of conservation of forest carbon stocks and sustainable management of forests in the agenda of REDD and since then it was upgraded to REDD+. In India, National REDD+ Strategy, Forest Reference Level and Safeguards Information System are already in place to facilitate implementation of REDD+ activities. Forest sector in India is witnessing a number of domestic initiatives to address the climate change issues. Eight national missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change reflect India’s vision of sustainable development along with meeting its climate change mitigation and adaptation objectives. The NDC target for forest sector of India is ‘to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5–3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030’. In India, a strong policy framework is already in place for the protection and conservation of forests. The objective of the National Forest Policy of 1988 is ‘to ensure ecological constancy and maintenance of ecological balance with an aim to bring one-third of geographical area of the country under forest and tree cover’. The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 was brought to check rampant diversion of forest lands for non-forest purposes and to regulate and control the land use changes in forests. With the implementation of this act, the rate of diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes has been radically reduced. The National Working Plan Code also attempts to include climate change and biodiversity conservation aspects through forest working plans in the country.