India's Tree Cover Decline: Global Forest Watch Data

• 13 Apr 2024

According to the latest data released on April 2024 by Global Forest Watch, India has lost 2.33 million hectares of tree cover since 2000, amounting to a six percent decrease.

Key Points

• Carbon Emissions: Forests emitted 51 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually between 2001 and 2022, while absorbing 141 million tons, resulting in a net carbon sink of 89.9 million tons yearly.
• Drivers of Loss: Tree cover loss encompasses human-caused and natural disturbances, including logging, fire, disease, and storms, impacting climate change dynamics.
• Regional Trends: 95 per cent of tree cover loss from 2013 to 2023 occurred within natural forests, with five states—Assam, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Manipur—contributing to 60 per cent of loss.
• Cautionary Notes: Comparisons of old and new data are cautioned due to algorithm adjustments and improved satellite data, especially pre/post 2015.
• Deforestation Concerns: India's deforestation rate, averaging 668,000 hectares annually from 2015 to 2020, ranks second globally, per the Food and Agriculture Organisation.
• Fire Impacts: India lost 35,900 hectares of tree cover to fires from 2002 to 2022, with Odisha recording the highest average loss per year.
• Data Interpretation: While tree cover serves as a vital metric for forest monitoring, its presence doesn't always signify forests, and loss/gain doesn't directly translate to deforestation/restoration, emphasizing the need for nuanced analysis.