Indian Forests Greening but Carbon Uptake Efficiency Declining

India's forests have been increasing in greenness, contributing roughly 7 per cent to global carbon sinks despite covering only 2 per cent of global forest area, but their ability to translate that greenness into actual carbon uptake has declined between 2000 and 2019 due to falling ecosystem photosynthetic efficiency, according to analysis published in the State of India's Environment 2026 report. Only 16 per cent of Indian forests maintain high ecological integrity, compared to a global average of 40 per cent.

India is the second largest contributor to global greening, with 86.5 per cent of that greening driven by croplands through improved irrigation and land management. Forest Survey of India data show forest cover increased from 21.71 per cent in 2021 to 21.76 per cent in 2023, an addition of approximately 156 km2. Both FSI and global plantation data indicate growth of tree or forest cover by 14.5 million hectares between 2001 and 2020. However, India also lost approximately 12.1 million hectares of forest to non-forest conversion in the same two decades, with Global Forest Watch estimating 2.43 million hectares of tree loss.

The decline in ecosystem photosynthetic efficiency is most pronounced in the pristine forests of the eastern Himalaya and Western Ghats, where enhanced moisture stress, rising aridity and increased wildfires are impeding the conversion of greenness into carbon uptake. The analysis shows that from 2015 to 2019, India lost around 18 km2 of forest for every 1 km2 gained. Carbon uptake by Indian ecosystems is projected to decline further under future climate change scenarios, meaning the country's current role as a net carbon sink may erode unless forest quality is actively preserved.

The analysis identifies West Bengal and Tamil Nadu as the states contributing nearly 50 per cent of total forest loss, while Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Rajasthan account for half of forest gains. The author, Jayanarayanan Kuttippurath of IIT Kharagpur, calls for preservation of indigenous forests, sustainable use of forest resources, improved forest management practices, scientific afforestation programmes, and substantial reductions in carbon emissions. India's net-zero target of 2070 relies on forest carbon sinks that are currently losing photosynthetic effectiveness in some of the country's most biodiverse regions.

Key figure — Only 16% of Indian forests maintain high ecological integrity vs. 40% global average