The Green India Mission (GIM), also famously known as the National Mission for a Green India is one of the eight missions under the NAPCC, which stands for the National Action Plan on Climate Change. This mission was created after taking cognizance of the drastic impact of climate change, not only on our country, but the whole world. If not taken care of urgently, climate change has the capacity to change the trajectory of human life right now. The “Green” in the name of the mission stands for promoting forest greenery and reducing carbon footprint.
Objectives of the mission
- The first and main objective is to increase the forest area. This can be done either on forest or non-forest lands.
- Improving the quality of ecosystems will ultimately improve biodiversity, the hydrological cycle and reduce carbon emissions.
- Increase and encourage livelihood based on forest-related activities.
Important elements of the mission
- The mission will not only aim at the generation of new greenery. The “greening” process will also include reviving old ecosystems that were not being taken care of properly. It is important to focus on already existing ecosystems as they will facilitate the growth of new ones. All ecosystems, including wetlands, forests, grasslands, and more will be looked after under this new mission.
- ‘Vulnerability’ and ‘potential’ are two main eligibility criteria that will be looked at before any decisions are made about changes in an ecosystem. Vulnerability refers to how vulnerable an ecosystem is to climate change and how it will react to the same.
- Another key element is the role that local communities will have to play in the success of this mission. District and village-level governments such as Gram Panchayat will be given the responsibility to look after the implementation measures under this mission. This will also strengthen local communities and their leaders since they will have a sense of autonomy in the decisions being made for their environment.
The importance of “greening”
- An increase in forest area is the most important way in which climate change can be controlled. We have seen that recent sustainability and conservation policies have led to a decrease in the carbon present in the forests.
- Forests provide food security to pretty much everyone in this world either directly or indirectly. It is necessary for forests to exist as they control most agricultural processes. The organic matter that is produced by the forest is what makes the agricultural soil fertile.
- Forests are also extremely essential when it comes to maintaining a hydrological cycle. From maintaining the flow of many water bodies to recharging groundwater, forests are responsible for it all. Many of us view water bodies and forests as two separate ecosystems, but it is impossible for water bodies to exist without being regulated by forests.
- For many local communities, forests are their main source of earning. They are directly dependent on forests for their livelihood. Around 27% of the total population of India earns their livelihood through forests. Of this 27%, 89 million people are those who belong to tribal groups and form some of the poorest communities in the country. Forests are the only way through which they can survive.
Sub-missions under Green India Mission
Under the National Mission of Green India, certain sub-missions also exist. These sub-missions were created so that the task of implementation becomes easier. The submissions are as follows-
- Improving the quality of already existing forest cover and enhancing the services of existing ecosystems.
- Increasing forest cover, while also focusing on the restoration of vulnerable ecosystems.
- Promoting forestation in urban and semi-urban areas. This is an extremely important step as urbanisation and industrialisation are a huge reason why deforestation happens in the first place.
- Emphasis on Social Forestry and Agroforestry is also an important and necessary step under this mission.
- Improving the quality of existing wetlands.
Organisational levels of the Green India Mission
This mission is vast and cannot be carried out by the central government alone. The task of organising and implementing the mission has been divided into several levels of the government.
- National level: An Autonomous Society under the chairmanship of the Minister for Environment and Forests with an inclusive Governing council; the mission is to develop systems for the highest degree of accountability
- State Level: Revamped State Forest Development Agency (SFDA)
- District Level: Revamped District FDA linked to District Planning Committee
- Village level: Gram Sabha and its Committees; In Schedule VI area, the Village Councils and Traditional Village Institutions
- In Urban Areas: Ward-level Committees /RWAs with support from Municipal organisations and the Forest Departments.
Challenges to the Green India Mission
However, certain loopholes and drawbacks also exist that are halting the successful growth of this project. Protection of greenery will create a lot of gaps in the supply and demand chains, especially for things, such as fuel, Forder, wood, medicinal plants, and more. This will create pressure on other sources and the price of these resources will ultimately rise. A sudden change in the already existing patterns within an ecosystem will also damage the vulnerable ones. Livelihoods that are dependent on forests may also have a negative impact.
Conclusion
Regardless of all the challenges, the Green India mission was a necessary step. Human beings are unaware of the evils that climate change can bring. We are already seeing evidence of how harsh climate change can be with the drastic rise in temperatures all around India. If not controlled in time, climate change has the capacity to destroy life on Earth completely. As the citizens of India, it is our duty to protect our country and make it a safe place for future generations to live in. By increasing forest cover, taking care of our surroundings, restoring vulnerable ecosystems and wetlands, we will be able to ensure a green India
