Daily Mains Question – GS 3 – 5th July 2025
- TPP
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
Welcome to your daily Mains Model Answer — designed to navigate critical intersections of environmental governance and sustainable development, a key concern under GS Paper 3 (Environment, Conservation, and Climate Change). Today’s answer delves into the urgent need to transition from monoculture afforestation to diverse ecosystem restoration under the Green India Mission (GIM)—a topic deeply relevant to India’s climate commitments and ecological resilience.
This theme intersects with national climate action strategies, forest governance, and biodiversity conservation. While the Green India Mission, launched under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), aimed to expand green cover and enhance carbon sinks, its early reliance on large-scale monoculture plantations has drawn criticism for failing to deliver sustainable ecological and community benefits. The current climate reality—marked by erratic weather patterns, biodiversity loss, and ecosystem degradation—demands a shift towards integrated, community-driven forest landscape restoration.
Grasping this shift not only equips you to engage critically with India’s environmental policy landscape but also provides insight into how inclusive, biodiversity-rich strategies can bridge the gap between conservation goals and local livelihoods—making development truly sustainable.
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QUESTION
Discuss the need for a shift from large-scale monoculture afforestation to diverse ecosystem restoration under the Green India Mission.
Answer: The National Mission for a Green India (GIM), launched in 2014 under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), aims to enhance ecosystem services such as biodiversity, hydrological balance, and carbon sequestration. While the mission has contributed to a notable increase in tree cover, its initial approach has been criticized for relying heavily on monoculture plantations, which often fail to deliver the long-term ecological benefits that diverse ecosystem restoration can provide.
In the context of increasing climate risks, biodiversity loss, and land degradation, there is a growing need to transition from monoculture afforestation to ecologically integrated, community-inclusive forest landscape restoration.
Why Monoculture Afforestation Falls Short
1. Poor Biodiversity Outcomes
Monoculture plantations, often consisting of fast-growing exotic species like eucalyptus or acacia, offer limited support to native flora and fauna.
These species disrupt local ecosystems, reduce soil fertility, and in some cases, deplete groundwater (e.g., eucalyptus).
2. Vulnerability to Pests, Fires, and Climate Change
Uniform species compositions are more susceptible to disease, pest outbreaks, and wildfires.
Climate variability further reduces their resilience due to lack of genetic and species diversity.
3. Displacement of Local Communities
In many cases, monoculture plantations have been carried out without considering the rights or needs of forest-dependent communities.
These efforts can disrupt livelihoods and lead to conflict over land use, undermining the mission’s objectives of livelihood security.
Case for Ecosystem Restoration
1. Holistic Environmental Benefits
Restoration of native and diverse ecosystems supports biodiversity, improves water retention, soil quality, and microclimate regulation.
Natural forests are more effective carbon sinks than monoculture plantations.
2. Regional Ecological Challenges
Western Ghats: Degradation from illegal mining, tree felling, and tourism has increased landslide and flood risk. The 2023 Wayanad landslip highlighted the consequences of poor ecological planning.
Aravalli Hills: Rampant deforestation and illegal quarrying have accelerated desertification, bringing the Thar Desert closer to the National Capital Region, intensifying dust and pollution.
Himalayan Region: Facing glacial retreat, erratic rainfall, and deforestation, threatening both ecological and human security.
3. Alignment with Climate Commitments
India’s NDC under the Paris Agreement aims to create an additional 2.5–3 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent carbon sink by 2030.
Diverse ecosystem restoration is scientifically proven to be a more sustainable method to achieve this target compared to monoculture plantations.
4. Addressing the Environment-Development Dichotomy
Several ecological restoration plans, such as the Western Ghats Ecological Expert Panel recommendations, remain under-implemented due to development pressures.
A shift to people-centric, livelihood-linked ecosystem restoration can help bridge the gap between conservation and economic needs.
Revised Green India Mission: A Step in the Right Direction
The recent update to the GIM focuses on:
Micro-climatic zone identification and adoption of regionally suitable best practices.
Emphasis on community participation and income generation for ecosystem-dependent populations.
Convergence with other schemes (e.g., MGNREGS, CAMPA funds, Jal Shakti Abhiyan) to strengthen ecological and social outcomes.
However, effective implementation depends on:
Decentralized planning and capacity building at local levels
Strict monitoring and compliance with ecological impact assessments
Legal enforcement against illegal encroachments and mining activities
The shift from large-scale monoculture afforestation to diverse, community-led ecosystem restoration under the Green India Mission is both ecologically imperative and strategically sound. It aligns with India’s goals on climate action, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable development. Strengthening this transition requires institutional coordination, scientific planning, and active stakeholder engagement to ensure both environmental integrity and community resilience in the face of climate change.
Way Forward
Promote native species afforestation with ecological restoration principles.
Develop eco-restoration zones with community rights-based governance.
Institutionalize ecosystem valuation in planning and policy appraisal.
Strengthen policy synergy between forest, water, and climate-related missions.
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