Environmental Accounting on Forest 2025 ( UPSC Prelims)

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News Context

The 2025 Environmental Accounting on Forest Report was published by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).

About Environmental Accounting on Forest 2025

     ○ This marks the 8th consecutive issue concerning environmental accounts.
      ○ It is the first dedicated publication on forest accounting, utilizing the UN System of Environmental Economic Accounts (SEEA) Framework.
    ● SEEA is an international statistical standard that merges economic and environmental data to evaluate the environment's contribution to the economy and the economy's impact on the environment.  
        ○ Developed by the UN, European Commission, and Food and Agriculture Organization in 2012.
        ○ First adopted by the MoSPI in 2018.
 Status of Indian Forests according to the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023 (a biennial publication by the Forest Survey of India):
  ● Total forest and tree cover has increased to 25.17% of the geographical area, up from the 2021 assessment of 24.62%.  
        ○ This includes 21.76% forest cover and 3.41% tree cover.
        ○ The maximum increase was observed in Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, and Rajasthan.
  ● Forest Cover: 19 states/UTs have forest cover exceeding 33% of their area.  
        ○ 8 states/UTs have forest cover above 75%: Mizoram, Lakshadweep, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Manipur.
        ○ Top 3 states by area: Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh.
        ○ Top 3 states by percentage: Lakshadweep (91.33%), Mizoram, Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
  ● Total Mangrove cover stands at 4,992 km², a decrease of 7.43 km² compared to 2021.  
    ● Gujarat experienced a decrease, while Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra saw an increase.  
  ● Target under NDC: The carbon stock has reached 30.43 Bt of CO2 equivalent, showing that India has achieved an additional carbon sink of 2.29 Bt (compared to 2005), against a target of 2.5 to 3.0 Bt by 2030.  

Key Terms

 ● Forest area: This refers to the land designated as forest in official government documents, also known as the "Recorded Forest Area."  
  ● Forest Cover: This includes all lands that are at least 1 hectare in size with a tree canopy density of 10% or more, regardless of who owns the land or its legal classification. It also encompasses orchards, bamboo, and palm.  
  ● Tree cover: This consists of all tree patches that are outside the designated forest area and are smaller than 1 hectare. It includes scattered trees found in both rural and urban environments that are not accounted for in forest cover assessments.  
  ● Carbon Stock: This term refers to the carbon present in all forms of living and non-living biomass, which includes Above Ground Biomass, Below Ground Biomass, deadwood, litter, and soil carbon.  
  ● Protected Forests: These are areas designated under the Indian Forest Act or other State Forest Acts that offer a limited level of protection. All activities are allowed unless specifically prohibited.