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India has restored 22,561 hectares of degraded mangroves across 13 states and Union Territories under the Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes (MISHTI), the government informed the Lok Sabha on Monday.
Launched on June 5, 2024, the initiative aims to strengthen coastal ecosystems and enhance climate resilience. In a written reply, Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh said: "Approximately 22,561 Hectares of Degraded Mangroves have been restored in 13 States/UTs and Rs 17.96 Crore released for the restoration of 3,836 Hectares in 6 States/UTs" MISHTI is a crucial step towards restoring India's mangrove cover, which serves as a natural barrier against coastal erosion and climate change impacts, he stated. The government also highlighted progress on other environmental schemes, including the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), which targets a 40 per cent reduction in particulate matter by 2025-26, and the Mission Life campaign promoting sustainable lifestyles. Under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' (#Plant4Mother) initiative, 109 crore saplings have been planted as of January 2025, with a goal of 140 crores by March, the minister said. India now has 89 Ramsar-designated wetlands, making it the largest network in Asia, he added. With ongoing afforestation efforts, the country's forest and tree cover has risen to 25.17 per cent of its total geographical area, the government told Parliament, the Minister said. A Ramsar site is a wetland recognized under the Ramsar Convention, an international treaty established in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran, to promote wetland conservation and sustainable use. India's climate action is driven by its updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and a long-term strategy to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070. The National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) provides a structured framework across key sectors like solar energy, sustainable agriculture, and water conservation. India has successfully decoupled economic growth from greenhouse gas emissions, Singh noted. Between 2005 and 2020, India reduced its emission intensity of GDP by 36 per cent. As of October 2024, 46.52 per cent of the country installed electricity generation capacity comes from non-fossil sources. The total installed renewable energy capacity, including large hydropower, has reached 203.22 GW, a 4.5-fold increase since 2014. With an additional carbon sink of 2.29 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent created from 2005 to 2021, the Ministry of Environment said India continues to balance development with climate commitments. (ANI)
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