India's Forest Cover Hits 25.17%, Govt Tells UN

Environment

India’s Forest and Tree Cover Reaches 25.17%, Govt Highlights Afforestation at UN

bypari rathore
02 August, 2025

India's forest and tree cover has reached 25.17% of its geographical area, as reported in the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023. This achievement was highlighted by the Indian government at the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) held in New York from May 5–9, 2025.

🌳 Breakdown of Green Cover

Total Green Cover: 827,357 sq km (25.17% of India's land area)

Forest Cover: 715,343 sq km (21.76%)

Tree Cover: 112,014 sq km (3.41%)

Increase Since 2021: 1,445 sq km

Forest Cover: +156 sq km

Tree Cover: +1,289 sq km

🌱 Key Initiatives Driving Growth

The government attributes this growth to several national programs:

Green India Mission: Afforestation of over 1.55 lakh hectares.

Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam Campaign: Plantation of 1.4 billion seedlings.

Aravalli Green Wall Project: Restoration of degraded land.

Mangrove Conservation: 7.86% increase in mangrove cover over the past decade.

🌍 International Commitments

India has committed to creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030, as part of its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. As of 2023, India has achieved an additional carbon sink of 2.29 billion tonnes compared to 2005 levels.

⚠️ Challenges and Criticisms

Despite the positive developments, experts have raised concerns:

Data Accuracy: The broad definition of 'forest cover' includes plantations and orchards, which may not accurately reflect natural forest ecosystems.

Biodiversity Loss: Eco-sensitive regions like the Western Ghats and Northeastern states have witnessed a decline in forest cover.

Survivability of Plantations: Reports indicate that the survivability rate of mass plantations is often less than 20%, raising questions about the effectiveness of such initiatives.