India's Forest Losses: A Closer Look at the Alarming Trends Revealed by Global Forest Watch

Significant Forest Losses in India

New Delhi: Recent findings from Global Forest Watch (GFW) indicate that India experienced a loss of 18,200 hectares of primary forest in 2024, a slight increase from the 17,700 hectares lost in 2023. This data is part of a broader analysis involving over 100 organizations worldwide.

The GFW report highlights that from 2002 to 2024, India has lost approximately 348,000 hectares of humid primary forest, which constitutes about 5.4% of the nation's total humid primary forest. This figure represents 15% of the overall tree cover loss in India during the same timeframe.

In the period from 2019 to 2024, the country saw a reduction of 103,000 hectares (1.6%) of humid primary forest, accounting for 14% of the total tree cover loss during those years.

The data reveals that India lost 16,900 hectares of humid primary forest in 2022, 18,300 hectares in 2021, 17,000 hectares in 2020, and 14,500 hectares in 2019.

GFW defines primary forests as "mature natural humid tropical forests that have not been entirely cleared and regrown in recent history." These forests are monitored using Landsat satellite imagery and specialized algorithms tailored for different regions.

Since 2001, India has seen a total loss of 2.31 million hectares of tree cover, translating to a 7.1% decline in tree cover and resulting in emissions of 1.29 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.

However, between 2000 and 2020, India also gained 1.78 million hectares of tree cover, which represents about 1.4% of the global increase during that period.

From 2001 to 2024, Assam experienced the most significant tree cover loss, totaling 340,000 hectares, far exceeding the national average loss of 67,900 hectares. Other states like Mizoram, Nagaland, Manipur, and Meghalaya also reported substantial losses.

During this timeframe, 1.39 million hectares of tree cover were lost due to shifting cultivation practices. Permanent agriculture accounted for another 620,000 hectares of loss, while logging contributed to a loss of 182,000 hectares. Natural disturbances led to a loss of 35,100 hectares, and settlements and infrastructure development caused a further 30,600 hectares of tree cover loss.

The GFW emphasizes that its tree cover loss data is derived from the most reliable satellite information available, but it may evolve as algorithms improve. Users are cautioned against directly comparing older and newer data, particularly before and after 2015.

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, India ranked second globally in deforestation rates between 2015 and 2020, losing approximately 668,000 hectares of forest annually.