India's Forests Among Top Global Carbon Sinks, Says FAO Report

India has been listed among the world's top 10 countries for forest carbon sinks, sequestering about 150 million tonnes of CO2 annually from 2021 to 2025. The FAO report highlights global forests' role in removing 0.8 billion tonnes of CO2 per year during this period, despite significant emissions from deforestation.

In a recent report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), India has been recognized among the world's top 10 countries with significant forest carbon sinks, absorbing approximately 150 million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year between 2021 and 2025.

The FAO's report emphasizes that globally, forests acted as net carbon sinks during this period, removing around 0.8 billion tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere annually. However, these gains were somewhat nullified by emissions from deforestation, contributing to substantial emissions.

The report also highlights that Europe's forests consistently functioned as carbon sinks, while deforestation in the Americas and Africa led to significant emissions, making them the largest contributors to CO2 emissions during the study period.

(With inputs from agencies.)