Sustainable Forest Management is a Challenge: Jairam Ramesh

Minister of State for Environment and Forests Shri Jairam Ramesh said to stop deforestation is a challenge and sustainable forest management is part of this challenge. Releasing The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity here today, Shri Ramesh explained the role of forests as carbon sink .Discussing density of forest cover of the country ,Shri Jairam said he does not foresee expansion in area of forest cover, but the migration of low density to medium density forest cover and higher density forest cover will be achieved. Talking about RED and Red+ proposals, he argued that countries like India and China should be awarded to increase green cover. The importance of ‘green carbon’ is increasingly acknowledge as a key agenda item for negotiation in the UNFCCC, specifically in relation to forests carbon and mechanisms such as REDD and afforestation, REDD- Plus, or others.

Referring to the types of carbon, the minister said we need these typology and each of them have importance. Apart from green carbon which is stored in forests ,the report describes brown carbon, black carbon and blue carbon. The carbon stored in terrestrial ecosystems, e.g. plant biomass and soils in natural forests and plantation, agricultural lands, wetlands and pasture has been referred to as ‘green carbon’ . Climate change has driven increased understanding of atmospheric CO2 as the main GHG ( greenhouse gas), and how CO2 emissions from human energy used and industry affect the climate.This has been refered to as ‘brown carbon’.The carbon stored in mangroves, marshes, sea grasses, coral reefs and macro- algae in the sea has been dubbed ‘blue carbon’. Black carbon is formed through incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and is found in the form of soot.

The Minister assured the entire spectrum of carbon, not just one colour will be part of negotiating process. Dr.Ashok Khosla, President, IUCN-India and Chairman, Development Alternatives delivered keynote address. The TEEB Report has been hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme and supported by the European Commission, the German Environment ministry and the U K government’s Department for environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

KP