India’s forest and tree cover increased by 1,445 sq km from 2021 to 2023: Govt report

NEW DELHI: India’s total forest and tree cover has increased by 1,445 sq km since 2021, reaching 25.17 per cent of the total geographical area in 2023, according to the latest government data.

The India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023, released on Saturday, also said that India has achieved an additional carbon sink of 2.29 billion tonnes compared to 2005 levels.

As part of its climate plans or Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to meet the Paris Agreement goals, the country has committed to creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.