Source: World Environment Day 2025 | How India pushes for ecological restoration; Indian Express, June 7, 2025
The planet is currently undergoing a profound ecological crisis, marked by rapid biodiversity loss and widespread degradation of natural ecosystems. As this decline jeopardises both environmental stability and human welfare, nations across the globe are increasingly focusing on ecological restoration. This approach emphasises not just conservation but the proactive recovery of degraded landscapes and habitats.
Accelerating Biodiversity Loss And Its Global Impacts
- Alarming Extinction Rates: Present extinction rates are estimated to be 10 to 100 times greater than natural background levels, reflecting a sharp global biodiversity crisis.
- Threatened Tree Species: According to the IUCN, more than one-third of all tree species worldwide face the threat of extinction.
- Land Degradation and Human Impact: Roughly 40% of the global population is negatively affected by land degradation, contributing to reduced agricultural productivity and social instability.
- Pollinator Decline and Crop Loss: Annual agricultural losses of up to $577 billion are linked to the diminishing populations of pollinators, essential to global food security.
- Threat to Sustainable Development Goals: As per IPBES, ongoing ecological degradation undermines SDGs related to poverty alleviation, food security, public health, and water accessibility.
- Social and Regional Disparities: The deterioration of rivers, wetlands, forests, and coastal zones exacerbates ecological inequalities, particularly in developing nations including India.
India’s Strategic Response To Ecosystem Degradation
- Extent of Degradation: Approximately 30% of India’s total land is already degraded, with 25% experiencing active desertification, posing a direct challenge to sustainable development.
- Forest Cover Concerns: Despite the National Forest Policy’s goal of 33% forest cover, India currently has only 24.62% forest cover, indicating the urgency for restoration.
- Legislative Measures: Key environmental laws include the Wildlife Protection Act (1972), Forest Conservation Act (1980), Biological Diversity Act (2002), and Water Act (1974), all aimed at conserving and rehabilitating ecosystems.
- Watershed and Afforestation Initiatives: Programs like the National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas (1990-91), the National Afforestation Programme (2000), and the Green India Mission (2014) promote ecological restoration through enhanced green cover.
- CAMPA Act Implementation: The 2016 Compensatory Afforestation Act ensures reforestation of land diverted for non-forest purposes, promoting ecosystem regeneration.
- Recent National Initiatives: The National Action Plan to Combat Desertification (2022) targets the rehabilitation of 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030 through forest-based interventions.
- Aquatic Restoration Projects: Programmes such as Namami Gange, Yamuna Action Plan, and the National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems aim to revitalise freshwater and wetland ecosystems.
- Legal Mandate for Restoration: The polluter pays principle underpins environmental jurisprudence, requiring industrial polluters to finance ecological restoration efforts.
Europe’s Legislative Framework For Ecological Restoration
- Nature Restoration Law: Adopted on June 17, 2024, this EU law aims to reverse biodiversity decline while contributing to climate action, food security, and land degradation neutrality.
- Coverage and Targets: The law encompasses the restoration of terrestrial, freshwater, coastal, and marine ecosystems, including forests, wetlands, grasslands, rivers, and lakes.
- Pollinator Recovery Plan: The regulation seeks to halt pollinator decline, aiming to restore populations of bees, butterflies, and other essential species by 2030.
- Biodiversity in Agriculture: Measures include enhancing grassland butterfly populations and integrating diverse landscape features to foster biodiversity in farmlands.
- Afforestation and Urban Green Spaces: Member States are mandated to plant three billion trees by 2030 and to prevent net loss of urban green areas.
- Restoration Planning and Oversight: EU nations must submit National Restoration Plans by September 1, 2026, with progress monitored by the European Commission until 2050.
Global Mechanisms And The Path Towards Unified Action
- Foundational Institutions: The IUCN, established in 1948, remains central to global conservation efforts, especially through the Red List of Threatened Species maintained since 1964.
- Major International Treaties: Agreements like the Ramsar Convention, CITES, UNCCD, and the CBD form the backbone of global biodiversity governance and restoration efforts.
- Earth Charter Principles: The 2000 Earth Charter stresses the moral obligation to protect and restore ecosystem integrity, with special emphasis on biodiversity.
- Global Restoration Targets: The Aichi Biodiversity Target called for restoring 15% of degraded ecosystems by 2020, a goal later expanded to 30% by 2030 in the Kunming-Montreal Framework adopted at COP15 in 2022.
- UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration: The 2021–2030 initiative aims to mobilise coordinated action worldwide for restoring degraded ecosystems at scale.
- Persistent Challenges: Despite progress, the lack of a binding, enforceable global legal framework hinders the creation of a cohesive international restoration strategy.
The Way Forward for India And The Global Community
- Need for a Paradigm Shift: Traditional conservation strategies must evolve into comprehensive restoration models that actively regenerate degraded ecosystems.
- Towards a National Framework: India requires an integrated legal and policy framework on restoration, grounded in ecological baselines and enforced across all tiers of government.
- Community-Centric Approach: Restoration efforts should involve local communities to incorporate socio-economic and cultural dimensions into ecological interventions.
- Global Blueprint and Legal Reform: A treaty-based legal model with binding obligations, financial mechanisms, and shared platforms for knowledge dissemination is essential to guide international restoration.
- Embracing Biocentrism: While restoration yields clear socio-economic advantages, it must also reflect the intrinsic worth of nature and uphold the principle that all life holds moral value.
India’s Achievements in Land Restoration Initiatives
Afforestation Initiatives
- 0.55 Mha increase in forest cover between 2017 and 2021
- Increase of 26,287 hectares from 17 states
- Forest quality improved over 102,096 hectares (target: 53,377–166,656 ha)
- 0.57 Mha increase in tree cover outside forests since 2019
Bonn Challenge Commitment
- 26 Mha pledged for restoration
- 9.8 Mha restored between 2011 and 2017; restoration ongoing
Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas
- Developed by ISRO to identify restoration areas
- 30% of land classified as degraded or desertified
Nagar Van Yojana
- 600 urban forests and 400 urban gardens planned
- Substantial progress in many states on degraded lands
National Agroforestry Policy
- Encourages agroforestry on 10 Mha
- Supports biodiversity and soil health restoration
Green Credit Rules (2023)
- Introduced a voluntary market for green credits
- Incentivizes biodiversity, tree plantations, and restoration
Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP)
- Restored over 6 Mha of degraded land
- Improved water availability, productivity, and incomes
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)
- Enhanced irrigation for degraded agricultural land
- Water conservation achieved on over 2 Mha
Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)
- Promoted organic farming with financial support
- Created 38,043 clusters covering 0.84 Mha
- Aims to cover 0.6 Mha more between 2023–2026
Soil Health Management Scheme
- Issued over 25 million soil health cards
- Encouraged sustainable practices and better productivity
National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF)
- Promotes chemical-free farming on 1 Mha
- Improved soil biodiversity and crop resilience
PM-PRANAM (2023–24)
- Encourages balanced fertilizer use
- Aims to enhance soil fertility and reduce pollution
India’s Achievements in Biodiversity Conservation
Project Tiger
• 42.3% increase in tiger population (2014–2022)
• Guinness World Record for the largest camera-trap wildlife survey (2018–19)
Project Elephant
• Development of an ATLAS of Elephant Reserves
• Population increased from 27,669–27,719 (2007) to 29,964 (2017)
• 33 reserves notified, covering 8.08 million hectares
Biological Diversity Act, 2002
• Biodiversity Boards and Councils established across States and UTs
• 47 Biodiversity Heritage Sites notified
• 2.77 lakh Biodiversity Management Committees formed
Amrit Dharohar Initiative
• Focuses on Ramsar Sites to conserve ecology, promote eco-tourism, and ensure sustainable wetland management
Protected Areas Network
• 998 sites notified, covering 5.3% of India’s land
• Includes 104 National Parks and 566 Wildlife Sanctuaries
• 18% increase in wildlife corridors to reduce habitat fragmentation
Eco-Development Committees (EDCs)
• About 2,000 EDCs established to engage local communities in conservation
Wetland Conservation
• 0.64 million hectares added; 18,810 new wetlands identified
• 7% increase in wetland area since 2010 (0.5 Mha)
• Coral reef area expanded by 2,784 hectares (1.9%)
Ramsar Sites
• Increased from 26 in 2014 to 91 in 2025 (highest in Asia)
• Total coverage: ~1.35 million hectares
• New sites in 2025: Khichan, Menar (Rajasthan); Sakkarakottai, Therthangal (Tamil Nadu); Khecheopalri (Sikkim); Udhwa Lake (Jharkhand)
• Tamil Nadu leads with 20 Ramsar Sites, followed by Uttar Pradesh (10)
Key Highlights of India’s Achievements in Biodiversity & Land Restoration
Megadiversity Ranking: India ranks 12th among the world’s 17 megadiverse countries, housing about 8% of the global species diversity.
Species Diversity: Home to approximately 45,000 plant and 91,000 animal species, despite covering only 2.4% of the world’s land area.
Forest Cover: Total forest cover stands at 21.71% of India’s geographical area, with a target to reach 30% as per the Kunming Montreal GBDF.
Biodiversity Hotspots: Contains 4 out of 36 global biodiversity hotspots, which host over 30% of the country’s plant and animal species.
Biosphere Reserves: India has 18 Biosphere Reserves covering about 5% of the total land area, with 12 included in UNESCO’s World Network.
Forest Growth: Forest and tree cover has consistently increased, with 21,000 sq. km added in the last decade, reflecting a growth rate of 2.91%.
Tiger Population: Achieved a 42.3% increase in the tiger population from 2014 to 2022.
Wildlife Corridors: Developed 104 wildlife corridors to mitigate habitat fragmentation, marking an 18% increase over the last decade.
Mangrove Restoration: Expanded mangrove cover to 4,992 sq. km, indicating a significant increase of 7% (or 462 sq. km) since 2010.
Marine Protected Areas: 1.07% of India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is designated as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), representing a 114% increase over the past decade.
Protected Areas: Established 998 protected areas, covering 5.3% of the total land area.
Restoration Initiatives: 19 Mha (73%) of the 26 Mha target under the Bonn Challenge have already been restored.
Ramsar Sites: Increased Ramsar sites from 26 in 2014 to 91 in 2025.
Community Involvement: A total of 47 BHs have been declared, showcasing local community involvement and indigenous knowledge in biodiversity protection. Functioning 2,000 Eco-Development Committees (EDCs) for community-led conservation, showing a 300% increase over the last decade. In 8,000 Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMC) managing 22 Mha of degraded forestlands.