India committed to create additional carbon sink of 3 billion tonnes by 2030: Bhupender Yadav

Sharm El-sheikh: Union Minister for Environment Forest and Climate Change  Bhupender Yadav said that India has committed to creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.

“Creating new carbon sink from mangrove afforestation and reducing emissions from mangrove deforestation are two feasible ways for countries to meet their NDC targets and achieve carbon neutrality,” he said at the launch of the Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC) on the sidelines of the ongoing COP 27 at Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.

The Minister said India is committed to the conservation and restoration of natural ecosystems; and has strong commitments to the conservation and management of mangroves.

He added that India has demonstrated expertise in mangrove restoration activities for nearly five decades and restored different types of mangrove ecosystems both on its east and west coasts.

Bhupender Yadav said that, “India can contribute to the global knowledge base due to its extensive experience in mangrove restoration, studies on ecosystem valuation, and carbon sequestration and also benefit from associating with other nations regarding cutting-edge solutions and generating appropriate financial instruments for mangrove conservation and restoration”.

“Studies have shown that mangrove forests can absorb four to five times more carbon emissions than landed tropical forests” he added.

It has also been revealed that mangroves can act as buffers for Ocean acidification and act as sink for microplastics.

Mangroves are one of the most productive ecosystems in the world.  This tidal forest serves as a nursery ground for several organisms, protects the coastal erosion, sequestering the carbon, and provides the livelihood for millions of people besides harboring an array of faunal elements in its habitat. 

Mangroves are distributed in the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world and are found in 123 countries and are among the most carbon-rich forests in the tropics. They account for 3% of carbon sequestered by the world’s tropical forests.

Congratulating the leaders on the launch of the Mangrove Alliance for Climate for the conservation of mangroves to meet the intentional climate goals, the Minister said, “We also feel that Integration of mangroves into the national REDD+, Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation programs are the need of the hour”.