India Among Top 9 in the Global Forest Assessment 2025

India has been ranked among the Top 9 countries globally in the Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA) 2025, released by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.
 The report highlights India’s continued commitment to forest conservation, afforestation, and sustainable forest management, recognizing it as one of the few nations showing consistent forest cover growth.

About the Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA)

• The FAO’s Global Forest Resources Assessment is conducted every five years to evaluate the state of the world’s forests.
• The 2025 edition provides updated data on forest area, biodiversity, carbon stocks, and forest management practices across 236 countries and territories.
• The assessment serves as a critical input for global climate action, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable development indicators (SDG 13 & SDG 15).

India’s Performance in FRA 2025

• India is placed in the Top 9 countries worldwide for forest resource management and expansion.
• The country has recorded a net increase in forest area, aligning with its National Forest Policy (1988) target of maintaining 33% of total land area under forest and tree cover.
• India’s forest and tree cover currently stands at around 24.6%, with consistent improvements due to afforestation drives and community-based forest management.
• Mangrove cover and carbon stock have also shown positive trends, reinforcing India’s contribution to global carbon sequestration.

Key Findings from the Global Report

• The world lost over 10 million hectares of forest annually between 2015–2024, though the rate of loss has slowed compared to previous decades.
• The Top 10 countries account for more than 66% of global forest area, led by Russia, Brazil, Canada, the U.S., China, and India.
• India stands out for its sustained reforestation programs, particularly under the Green India Mission and Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA).

Major Indian Initiatives for Forest Conservation

• Green India Mission (GIM): Part of the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), it aims to increase forest and tree cover on 5 million hectares of land.
• National Afforestation Programme (NAP): Focuses on degraded forest restoration through participatory management.
• CAMPA Funds: Used for compensatory afforestation and forest regeneration in lieu of diverted forest land.
• Eco-Task Forces and Joint Forest Management (JFM): Engage local communities and ex-servicemen in forest protection and sustainable resource use.

Significance of the Achievement

• Reinforces India’s position as a global leader in forest conservation and climate action.
• Supports India’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, especially in carbon sequestration and land restoration.
• Demonstrates the effectiveness of India’s decentralized forest governance involving states, panchayats, and local communities.
• Strengthens India’s credibility in global environmental platforms like the UNFCCC, CBD, and UNCCD.

About FAO

• The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized UN agency established in 1945, headquartered in Rome, Italy.
• Its mission is to achieve food security for all and ensure the sustainable management of the planet’s natural resources.
• India is a founding member of the FAO and maintains close collaboration on forestry, agriculture, and nutrition initiatives.

Conclusion

India’s inclusion among the Top 9 countries in the Global Forest Assessment 2025 underscores its balanced approach to development and ecology, proving that economic growth and environmental conservation can progress together.