Why India's large-scale tree-planting programs fail to meet climate and biodiversity goals
By
Priyanka Shankar
Sesame, salt, and substance. A flagship bake.
Summary
India's ambitious tree-planting programs, including Van Mahotsav, Green India Mission (GIM), National Afforestation Programme (NAP), and Sub-Mission on Agroforestry (SMAF), are falling short of their climate mitigation and biodiversity goals. Despite millions of saplings being planted annually, the article examines the systemic issues behind these failures, such as poor species selection, lack of long-term maintenance, survival rate problems, and potential misalignment with ecological needs. The piece critically evaluates whether these large-scale afforestation drives are truly benefiting ecosystems or merely serving as symbolic exercises.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledFor many countries, including India, increasing tree cover has become a core part of climate mitigation plans to improve biodiversity and ecosystems.
From tree planting drives and festivals such as the annual Van Mahotsav, where India pledges to plant millions of tree saplings, to tree plantation programmes such as the Green India Mission (GIM), National Afforestation Programme (NAP), and Sub-Mission on Agroforestry (SMAF), afforestation is high on the priority list of solutions.
However, a question that remains is whether these efforts are truly effective.
You might also wanna read
China's Tree Planting Transforms Taklamakan Desert into Carbon Sink
New research reveals that China's massive tree-planting efforts around the Taklamakan Desert have transformed the region from a 'biological
livescience.com·3mo ago
How the Miyawaki Method Creates Dense Urban Micro Forests to Restore Biodiversity
The article covers the Miyawaki method of reforestation, which involves planting small, densely packed native forests in urban areas to rapi
Ambrook·1mo agoBiofuels Policy, a Mainstay of American Agriculture, a Failure for the Climate
Game Development: Implementing Procedural Vegetation Planting in 'Around The World'
This article is part of a game development series about 'Around The World,' a sea exploration game in early development. The author details
frozenfractal.com·6mo ago
Gensler Unveils Baghdad Sustainable Forests Masterplan with One Million Trees
Architecture firm Gensler has unveiled plans for the Baghdad Sustainable Forests project, a major urban development in Baghdad, Iraq. The ma
Dezeen·8mo ago
The Impact of Forest Restoration on Global Cooling
Replanting forests can help cool the planet, especially in the tropics, but it won't fully offset human-generated warming. A study suggests
news.ucr.edu·11mo ago