India Showcases Achievements In Sustainable Forest Management At UNFF

India showcased its impressive record in sustainably managing its forests at the recently concluded 19th Session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF). It asserted that these achievements led to significant growth of forest cover in the country between 2010 and 2020. 

Underscoring the importance, it accords to biodiversity and wildlife conservation, India pointed to the expansion of its network of protected areas to over a thousand wildlife sanctuaries, national parks, tiger reserves, biosphere reserves, and other wildlife habitats. 

India recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger and the 30th anniversary of Project Elephant, which highlights the country's commitment to conserving species and protecting their habitats. India also emphasised its role in the establishment of the International Big Cat Alliance, which aims to protect and preserve the seven big cat species worldwide by encouraging international collaboration.

Further, India alluded to the steps it has initiated to strengthen climate action, such as the ‘Green Credit Programme’, which incentivises entities to take up tree plantations and restore degraded forest lands. 

In October 2023, at the Country Led Initiative under UNFF in Dehradun, India hosted representatives from 40 countries and 20 international organisations to discuss forest fire management and certification. Recommendations from this initiative, too, were tabled at the UNFF 19.

The Ministry hosted a side event on 'Principles and Strategies for Landscape Integrated Fire Management through Collaborative Governance' in partnership with Portugal, Korea and ITTO, demonstrating its commitment to collaborative forest management. UNFF 19 concluded with a declaration to halt deforestation and forest degradation and prevent land degradation. The Indian delegation was led by Shri Jitendra Kumar of the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, Government of India.