Syllabus: GS3/ Environment
Context
- India needs a comprehensive nature restoration law, inspired by the European Union (EU) Nature Restoration Law, to address its growing environmental crises and land degradation.
Nature Restoration Law
- The law aims to repair the 80% of European habitats that are in poor condition by 2050.
- There will be legally binding targets for every Member State.
- The aim is to cover at least 20% of the EU’s land and sea areas by 2030 with nature restoration measures, and eventually extend these to all ecosystems in need of restoration by 2050.
Need for Restoration Law in India
- Land Degradation: According to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)’s Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas, nearly 97.85 million hectares (29.7%) of India’s total geographical area underwent land degradation in 2018-19.
- Global Commitments: India has committed to restoring 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030 as part of the Bonn Challenge and the UN’s Land Degradation Neutrality goals.
- Climate Change Vulnerability: Degraded land exacerbates the impacts of climate change, making regions more prone to droughts, floods, and other climate-related disasters.
Benefits of restoration
- According to the World Economic Forum, nature restoration could globally generate economic returns of up to $10 trillion annually by 2030.
- In India, restoring degraded lands would enhance agricultural productivity, improve water security, and create millions of jobs, particularly in rural areas.
- SDG Goal 15: The law could also help India meet its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Goal 15, which calls for the sustainable management of forests and combating desertification.
- Climate resilience: Restoring ecosystems can also mitigate the effects of climate change, which exacerbates land degradation. Degraded land loses its capacity to absorb carbon dioxide, further contributing to global warming.
- International agreements: By restoring its ecosystems, India can enhance its carbon sinks and meet its commitments under the Paris Agreement.
Initiatives taken by India
- Green India Mission: It aims to increase forest and tree cover by 5 million hectares and improve the quality of forest cover in another 5 million hectares.
- Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana: It aims to improve irrigation coverage and enhance water use efficiency in agriculture.
- It focuses on “more crop per drop,” through measures like rainwater harvesting, watershed management, and micro-irrigation
- Integrated Watershed Management Programme: It is the second-largest watershed programme in the world. It seeks to restore ecological balance by harnessing, conserving, and developing degraded natural resources like soil, vegetation, and water.
- National Afforestation Programme: It supports the afforestation, reforestation, and eco-restoration of degraded forests and non-forest lands.
Way Ahead
- Restoration targets: India should aim to restore 20% of its degraded land by 2030, with a goal of restoring all ecosystems by 2050. This includes forests, wetlands, rivers, agricultural lands, and urban green spaces.
- Wetland restoration: Critical wetlands such as the Sundarbans and Chilika Lake support biodiversity and carbon sequestration. A law could target restoring 30% of degraded wetlands by 2030.
- Biodiversity in agriculture: Promoting agroforestry and sustainable practices could restore farmlands. Indicators such as the butterfly or bird index used in the EU, could track progress.
- Urban green spaces: India should ensure no net loss of green spaces, promoting urban forests in cities such as Bengaluru and Delhi, which face heat islands and declining air quality.
Concluding remark
- The EU’s Nature Restoration Law sets an important precedent for countries worldwide.
- Given the alarming levels of land degradation and biodiversity loss in India, such a law would not only help India restore its degraded ecosystems but also contribute to its socio-economic development and climate resilience.
Source: TH