Model Answer
0 min readIntroduction
India’s forest resources are vital for ecological stability, economic prosperity, and livelihood security for millions. Covering approximately 24.62% of the country’s geographical area (Forest Survey of India, 2021), these forests play a crucial role in regulating climate, conserving biodiversity, and providing essential ecosystem services. However, decades of deforestation, fragmentation, and unsustainable practices have significantly impacted the health and extent of these forests, creating a complex interplay with climate change. Understanding this relationship is paramount for formulating effective environmental policies.
Forest Resources of India
Forest resources encompass a wide range of components, including:
- Timber: Used for construction, furniture, and paper production.
- Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs): Medicinal plants, fruits, nuts, bamboo, resins, and honey, providing livelihoods for tribal communities.
- Biodiversity: India is a megadiverse country, with forests harboring a significant proportion of global species.
- Water Resources: Forests regulate water cycles, prevent soil erosion, and recharge groundwater.
- Carbon Sequestration: Forests act as carbon sinks, absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere.
Status of Indian Forests
According to the Forest Survey of India (2021), India’s forest cover is 771,650 sq km. This is categorized as:
- Reserved Forests: 532,693 sq km (fully under government control)
- Protected Forests: 266,062 sq km (local communities have some rights)
- Unclassified Forests: 69,895 sq km
However, the quality of forest cover varies significantly. A substantial portion is degraded, facing threats from:
- Deforestation: Driven by agricultural expansion, urbanization, and infrastructure development.
- Fragmentation: Breaking up of large forest areas into smaller, isolated patches.
- Forest Fires: Recurring fires, often human-induced, causing significant damage.
- Illegal Logging: Unsustainable extraction of timber.
- Climate Change Impacts: Increased frequency of droughts, floods, and pest outbreaks.
Impact on Climate Change
Positive Impacts (Mitigation)
Healthy forests act as significant carbon sinks, absorbing atmospheric CO2 through photosynthesis. India’s forests sequester approximately 118 million tonnes of carbon annually (MoEFCC, 2018). Afforestation and reforestation initiatives, like the National Mission for a Green India (NMG), aim to enhance carbon sequestration capacity.
Negative Impacts (Vulnerability & Feedback Loops)
Degraded forests release stored carbon into the atmosphere, exacerbating climate change. Deforestation contributes to increased greenhouse gas emissions and reduces the land’s capacity to absorb future emissions. Climate change itself further stresses forests, increasing their vulnerability to fires, pest attacks, and droughts, creating a negative feedback loop. For example, increased temperatures and reduced rainfall can lead to widespread tree mortality, releasing carbon and reducing forest cover.
Forest degradation also impacts regional climate patterns, reducing rainfall and increasing temperatures, affecting agricultural productivity and water availability.
Government Initiatives
- National Forest Policy (1988): Emphasizes forest conservation, afforestation, and sustainable forest management.
- Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA): Funds afforestation activities using funds collected from industries diverting forest land.
- Forest Conservation Act, 1980: Regulates the diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes.
- National Mission for a Green India (NMG): Aims to increase forest cover and improve forest quality.
Conclusion
India’s forest resources are inextricably linked to climate change. While healthy forests offer significant mitigation potential through carbon sequestration, their degradation exacerbates the problem and increases vulnerability. A holistic approach encompassing stringent forest conservation measures, sustainable forest management practices, community participation, and robust climate change adaptation strategies is crucial to safeguard these vital resources and ensure a climate-resilient future. Investing in forest restoration and promoting agroforestry can further enhance the positive impacts of forests on climate change.
Answer Length
This is a comprehensive model answer for learning purposes and may exceed the word limit. In the exam, always adhere to the prescribed word count.