India's Green Cover: A Vital Carbon Sink Under Threat

A study by IISER Bhopal reveals India's green cover has been a significant carbon sink over the past decade. However, this rate of sequestration declines during climate extremes like droughts, stressing the importance of vegetation in climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts.

India's lush green cover has acted as a significant carbon sink, absorbing more carbon than it emitted annually over the past decade, a recent study by the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Bhopal, has revealed. But this ecological advantage is under threat from extreme climate events like droughts, which reduce the rate of carbon sequestration.

Associate Professor Dhanyalekshmi Pillai highlighted that evergreen forests are particularly efficient at capturing CO2, whereas deciduous forests in central India contribute more to emissions due to higher rates of plant respiration. The study underscores the critical role of vegetation in both climate change mitigation and adaptation.

The research, conducted with international collaborators, employed innovative, technology-driven approaches to quantify vegetation's carbon sequestration potential. The findings urge the creation of effective climate policies and ecosystem management strategies to bolster carbon capture amid increasing climate extremes.