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According to the latest 2024 data by Global Forest Watch (GFW) and the University of Maryland, India lost 18,200 hectares of primary forest in 2024, a slight increase from 17,700 hectares in 2023.

Primary forests are mature, humid tropical forests that have not been entirely cleared or regrown in recent history.

Key Highlights:

Globally, 6.7 million hectares of tropical primary forest were lost in 2024—almost double the loss in 2023.

For the first time in over two decades, wildfires surpassed agriculture as the leading driver of tropical forest loss, accounting for nearly 50% of the global total. This spike is largely attributed to climate change and El Niño, which intensified heatwaves and droughts.

Major Global Trends (2024)

• Brazil: Accounted for 42% of global tropical forest loss.
• Bolivia: Recorded a 200% rise in forest loss, overtaking the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• Fires: Emerged as the dominant cause of forest destruction globally.

India: Forest Cover Trends and Data (2001–2024)

• India lost 2.31 million hectares of tree cover since 2001—equivalent to a 7.1% decrease and 1.29 gigatonnes of CO? equivalent emissions.
• Humid primary forest loss between 2002 and 2024 stood at 3,48,000 hectares (5.4%), accounting for 15% of the total tree cover loss.
• Annual primary forest loss (in hectares):
  • 2024: 18,200
  • 2023: 17,700
  • 2022: 16,900
  • 2021: 18,300
  • 2020: 17,000
  • 2019: 14,500

2024 Indian Forest Loss Patterns

• Overall Tree Cover Loss: Decreased by 6.9% compared to 2023.
• Humid Primary Forest Loss: Rose by 5.9% in 2024.
• Fire-Induced Forest Loss: Increased to 950 hectares (a 158% rise from 2023).
• Regional Hotspots: Northeastern states such as Assam, Nagaland, and Mizoram, driven by shifting cultivation, logging, and agricultural expansion.

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), India had the second-highest rate of deforestation globally from 2015 to 2020, with an annual forest loss of 6.68 lakh hectares.

India’s Forest Conservation Measures

Policy and Legal Framework

• Forest Conservation Act, 1980 (Amended 2023): Regulates diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes. Amendments aim to streamline processes while raising concerns about potential dilution of protections.
• National Forest Policy, 1988: Advocates maintaining 33% of geographical area under forest/tree cover.
• Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act (CAMPA), 2016: Ensures reforestation and eco-restoration using funds from forest land diversion.

Afforestation and Reforestation

• Green India Mission: Under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC); focuses on increasing forest cover and ecosystem resilience.
• State Initiatives: Example – Uttar Pradesh plans to plant 35 crore saplings in 2025.

Community Participation

• Joint Forest Management (JFM): Encourages community–forest department collaboration.
• Forest Rights Act, 2006: Legally empowers forest-dwelling communities to manage and conserve forests.

Technological Tools

• Satellite Monitoring: Real-time surveillance of forest cover and illegal activities.
• Mobile Apps: Tools like ‘My Plants’ facilitate public engagement in plantation efforts.

International Partnerships

• Forest-PLUS 3.0: A joint initiative with the United States, promoting sustainable forestry and climate resilience.

About Global Forest Watch (GFW)

• A project by the World Resources Institute (WRI), established in 1997.
• An open-access platform offering near real-time forest monitoring data.
• Users: Governments, NGOs, academia, journalists, and the public.
• Technology: Uses Landsat satellite imagery and region-specific algorithms to track forest change.