Latest data from the Global Forest Watch (GFW) reveals that the Northeastern states accounted for 60% of the total 2.3 million hectares of tree cover loss in India between 2001 and 2023.
Assam led the list with 324,000 hectares lost, followed by Mizoram (312,000 hectares), Arunachal Pradesh (262,000 hectares), Nagaland (259,000 hectares), and Manipur (240,000 hectares).
The report clarifies that tree cover loss includes both human-caused removal of forests (deforestation) and natural disturbances.
Notably, four of the five Northeastern states – Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Assam, and Meghalaya – experienced losses due to fire incidents.
India experienced significant tree cover loss in specific years, with the highest loss of 189,000 hectares in 2017.
In 2016 and 2023, the country lost 175,000 hectares and 144,000 hectares of tree cover, respectively.
Moreover, the report highlights that India lost 414,000 hectares of humid primary forest from 2002 to 2023, accounting for 18% of its total tree cover loss during the same period.
In response to environmental concerns, the Forest Conservation Amendment Act, 2023, permitted the diversion of forests for development projects within 100 km of India’s international borders without forest clearance.
However, in February, the Supreme Court directed states and Union Territories to follow the definition of “forest” established in a 1996 judgment.
This ensures protection for areas resembling forests, even if not officially classified as such in government records, aiming to prevent commercial exploitation or diversion.
The data also reveals that Indian forests emitted 51 million tons of carbon dioxide annually but absorbed 141 million tons annually between 2001 and 2022.
This suggests they were a net carbon sink, absorbing 89.9 million tons yearly.
On average, 51.0 million tons of carbon dioxide were released into the atmosphere each year due to tree cover loss, totalling 1.12 gigatons during this period.
These alarming statistics stress on the urgent need for robust conservation efforts and stringent measures to protect India’s diminishing tree cover, particularly in ecologically sensitive regions of the Northeast.
