The case for a nature restoration law in India
Overview:
The article – “The case for a nature restoration law in India“, discusses about India’s environmental crisis and how its land is getting affected by degradation. It also talks about the possible measures especially to frame a nature restoration law much like the European Union’s Nature Restoration Law (NRL).
Relevance:
GS03 (Conservation)
Dimensions of the Article:
- About land degradation
- India’s Environmental and Economic Case
- Suggested Measures
1. About land degradation:
- It is a process in which the value of a biophysical or biochemical environment is affected by a combination of natural or human-induced processes acting upon the land.
- In simple terms, it is a negative trend in land condition that is caused by either direct or indirect human-induced processes including anthropogenic climate change, which results in long-term reduction or loss of at least one of the following: biological productivity, ecological integrity or value to humans.
- It is a is a global problem.
- In India, 29.7% of its land (97.85 million hectares) is classified as degraded by 2019 and is still worsening in states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Rajasthan.
2. India’s Environmental and Economic Case
- India’s key economic sectors like Agriculture, services, industry, renewable energy, etc depend on healthy ecosystems for its functioning.
- Agriculture, which covers most of India’s landscape is more vulnerable.
- Land degradation results in less productivity and acts as a threat to National food security.
- India’s water bodies, especially major rivers like the Ganga and Yamuna, are suffering from pollution and obstruction. Urban spaces, too, are losing their green cover, exacerbating heat islands and declining air quality in cities like Delhi and Bengaluru.
- Restoring degraded lands can generate millions of jobs, boost agricultural productivity, and improve water security.
- Moreover, restoring ecosystems will help India meet its climate commitments under the Paris Agreement, as healthy ecosystems act as effective carbon sinks.
3. Suggested Measures
- India should work on framing and implementing nature restoration laws like the one in EU.
- Alongside implementing this law, India could also set a target to restore 20% of its degraded land by 2030, aiming for full ecosystem recovery by 2050.
- The focus should be on restoring forests, wetlands, agricultural lands, rivers, and urban green spaces.
- Wetlands such as the Sundarbans and Chilika Lake, which play a crucial role in biodiversity and carbon sequestration, should receive special attention.
- Similarly, restoring major rivers and promoting sustainable agricultural practices would go a long way in reversing ecosystem degradation.
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