What Happened
Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Bhupender Yadav announced that India restored 21.76 million hectares of land between 2011 and 2020. This effort generated approximately 1.22 billion person-days of employment. The Minister made these statements at a side event organized by the IUCN during the 17th Conference of the Parties (CoP 17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Shri Yadav emphasized that land restoration is an established national priority for India, integral to sustainable land management, biodiversity conservation, climate action, and rural development.
Key Facts
- India restored 21.76 million hectares of land from 2011 to 2020.
- This restoration generated approximately 1.22 billion person-days of employment.
- Shri Bhupender Yadav presented these figures at UNCCD COP17 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
- India committed in 2015 to restore 26 million hectares of degraded and deforested land by 2030 under the Bonn Challenge.
- Current initiatives include the Green India Mission, Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority, and Nagar Van Yojana.
- India is undertaking its next reporting cycle for 2021-2025, focusing on area restored, financial flows, and employment generated.
Why It Matters
These figures indicate that India's land restoration efforts are delivering both environmental and socio-economic outcomes by addressing degraded landscapes and creating employment. The reporting process has also highlighted the need to strengthen systems for monitoring restoration outcomes, financial flows, and livelihood impacts.
What To Watch
Watch for India's next reporting cycle for 2021-2025, which will focus on area restored, financial flows, and employment generated, while strengthening the national evidence base for restoration. Further developments will include innovative financing mechanisms and regional and international partnerships to advance restoration efforts.
