Syllabus: GS-III: Conservation

Why in the news?

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) released its Global Forest Resources Assessment (GFRA) 2025 (launched in Bali). 

More About the News

• The assessment shows that India has moved from 10th to 9th place globally in total forest area and retained 3rd place for annual net forest gain — with the report attributing an average annual net gain for India of about 191,000 hectares (1.91 lakh ha) in 2015–2025. 
• The Government of India has highlighted this outcome as evidence of the success of large-scale afforestation, community forest protection and related programmes.

About the report (GFRA 2025) 

• Publisher & scope: FAO’s Global Forest Resources Assessment is the authoritative global inventory produced periodically using national reporting and standardized methods. 
  • GFRA 2025 covers trends from 1990–2025 and includes reporting for 236 countries and territories.
• Global picture (key numbers): The report estimates forests cover about 4.14 billion hectares (~32% of global land area). 
  • More than half (≈54%) of the world’s forests are concentrated in five countries — Russia, Brazil, Canada, the USA and China. GFRA 2025 finds that the global annual net loss of forest area has declined from about 10.7 million ha (1990s) to ~4.12 million ha (2015–2025), largely because Asia recorded net gains led by China and India.
    

Key highlights of GFRA 2025

• Global: Forest area ≈ 4.14 billion ha; annual net forest loss has more than halved over the multi-decadal comparison. Asia is the only region that recorded a net increase in forest area between 1990 and 2025.
• Top performers (annual gain 2015–2025): China leads with ~1.69 million ha/year, Russia ~942,000 ha/year, India ~191,000 ha/year (3rd globally), followed by Turkiye, Australia, France, Indonesia, South Africa, Canada and Vietnam.
• India numbers: GFRA places India at ~72.7 million hectares of “forest area” in the GFRA accounting and confirms India’s 3rd rank for annual net gain.
  

Why does India’s improved ranking matter?

• Climate mitigation: More forest area supports India’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) by increasing carbon sinks and contributes to India’s stated target of enhancing sinks (e.g., Green India Mission targets).
• Biodiversity & ecosystem services: Forest expansion can strengthen biodiversity corridors, watershed protection, soil conservation and reduce vulnerability to extreme weather.
• Rural livelihoods & social outcomes: Community forestry, Joint Forest Management and livelihood programmes (non-timber forest products, Van Dhan, eco-development) create employment and strengthen forest stewardship.
• Global diplomacy & credibility: Improved performance strengthens India’s negotiating position in multilateral processes (UNFCCC, CBD), and provides a counter-narrative to criticisms about land-use impacts of development projects.
• SDG progress: Positive movement supports progress towards SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 15 (Life on Land) and related indicators.
  

Shortcomings of the GFRA Report’s  

Certain measurement & definitional issues has been highlighted in the report:

• Different metrics: FAO’s GFRA uses country-reported definitions and methodologies to compile “forest area.” 
• India’s India State of Forest Report (ISFR) (Forest Survey of India) reports Forest and Tree Cover using national satellite-based methodology and includes categories like Recorded Forest Area, Tree Cover outside recorded forest, mangroves, etc. 

Hence, GFRA’s 72.7 Mha and ISFR’s national totals (reported at different times) are not strictly interchangeable — differences arise from definitions (what counts as forest), cut-off canopy density, and whether ‘tree cover’ is included.

Steps and programmes that contributed to India’s forest growth 

• National Mission for a Green India (Green India Mission — GIM): Strategic afforestation and restoration targets, with integration into NAPCC commitments and carbon sink goals. 
  • GIM supports ecological restoration on degraded forest/non-forest lands.
• Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAMPA & CAF Act, 2016): Funds collected from diversion of forest land for non-forest uses are channeled to afforestation, restoration and community-based tasks; states prepare Annual Plans of Operation to utilize CAMPA funds.
• National Afforestation Programme & State schemes: Long-running programmes for plantation, protection, and eco-restoration; state missions (e.g., Tamil Nadu’s Green Tamil Nadu Mission palmyra drive) complement central schemes.
• Community participation & Joint Forest Management (JFM): In many states villages/forest protection committees manage and protect forests — reducing encroachment and improving regeneration.
• Legal & institutional measures: Forest Rights Act (recognition of traditional rights), stricter canopy for diversion (Forest Conservation Act enforcement), and improved monitoring (satellite-based ISFR) support governance.

Challenges and caveats 

• Quality vs quantity: Area increase could include plantations or tree cover that are monocultures or low-biodiversity plantations which deliver fewer ecosystem services than natural forest.
• Data lags and definitional mismatch: Satellite detection of young plantations or scattered tree cover may differ from ecological recovery; GFRA and ISFR use different thresholds and reporting cycles.
• Encroachment, mining and infrastructure: Forest loss continues in pockets due to agricultural expansion, mining, mining-related road networks and urbanisation. Globally, agricultural expansion remains the leading driver of deforestation.
• Forest fires & climate stress: Increasing extreme heat and drought raise risks of fire; fires can quickly negate gains in forest area and carbon sequestration.
• Fund utilisation & governance: CAMPA and other funds have sometimes been under-utilised or poorly targeted; ecological planning and post-plantation care remain weak in parts of the country.
  

State-wise forest cover of India 

(ISFR 2023 — cites area in square kilometres)

• Top states by forest cover (area-wise):
  • Madhya Pradesh: ≈ 77,073 km² (largest forest cover).
  • Arunachal Pradesh: ≈ 65,882 km².
  • Chhattisgarh: ≈ 55,812 km².
  • Odisha, Maharashtra also among the larger holders of forest area.
• Top by forest & tree cover (combined area): Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Maharashtra (figures differ if tree cover included).
• Highest percentage forest cover (w.r.t. geographical area): Lakshadweep (~91%), Mizoram (~85%), Andaman & Nicobar (~81%).
• States showing maximum increase (ISFR 2023): Chhattisgarh (≈684 km² increase in forest & tree cover), Uttar Pradesh (≈559 km²), Odisha (≈559 km²), Rajasthan (≈394 km²).
• States with local losses: Some states saw decreases in forest and tree cover (e.g., Madhya Pradesh recorded notable decrease in some categories even while holding the largest area overall).

Way forward 

• Prioritise ecological quality: Move beyond area targets to measure forest quality, species composition, native regeneration, and long-term survival (survival rates, basal area, biodiversity indices).
• Integrated land-use planning: Prevent perverse trade-offs between agriculture/industry and forests; apply landscape-level planning with corridor connectivity.
• Strengthen community rights & incentives: Scale up proven community forestry models; ensure benefit-sharing (NTFP value chains, eco-tourism, PES schemes) so locals protect forests.
• Improve governance & transparency of funds: Timely, ecologically-sound utilisation of CAMPA and state afforestation funds with independent audits and outcome measurement.
• Restore degraded forests & peat/mangrove protection: Prioritise mangrove and wetland restoration (high carbon density ecosystems) and protect peatlands.
• Disaster risk & fire management: Invest in early warning, community fire brigades and fuel-management to reduce losses from fires.
• Monitor with better metrics: Harmonise national reporting with international frameworks while retaining ecologically meaningful local indicators (canopy density classes, growing stock, carbon stock).
• Sustainable finance: Mobilise public and private long-term finance (green bonds, forest-positive investments) and international support for tropical forest financing.
  

Conclusion 

GFRA 2025’s finding that India is 9th in total forest area and 3rd in annual forest gain is a welcome signal — one that reflects years of national programmes, community action and policy instruments. However, the headline must be read with nuance: area gains need to be backed by improvements in ecological quality, social justice, and durable governance. For India to convert this ranking into lasting climate, biodiversity and livelihood benefits, it must pursue integrated, science-based restoration coupled with community empowerment and better fund utilisation.

Mains-style questions

1. “India’s forest cover has increased in recent years according to global and national assessments. CriticallyXU examine the drivers, achievements and challenges of this change.”

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