India’s Green Transformation: 12-Year Overview

Source: PIB
GS III: Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment.

Overview

1. News in Brief
2. India’s Sustainable Environmental Transformation
3. Key Achievements

Why in the News?

The Press Information Bureau highlighted India’s 12 years of Environmental Progress and Sustainable Development.

News in Brief

• Over the past 12 years, India has pursued a sustainable environmental transformation.
• It was guided by the principles of ‘Vishwaas (Trust and Governance), Nirman (Infrastructure and Nation Building), and Jan Kalyaan (Public Welfare)’.
• India recognised that ecological security is crucial for economic growth, public welfare, and long-term national resilience.

Three Pillars of India’s Sustainable Environmental Transformation

• Pillar 1 – Increasing ecological capability and biodiversity for resilient India.
• Pillar 2 – Expanding national capacity for sustainable transformation.
• Pillar 3 – Strengthening global credibility through leadership and diplomacy.

Key Achievements

Reviving Forest Landscapes

• Green India Mission (GIM) – launched in FY 2015-16.
  • To strengthen ecological resilience and climate action.
  • To improve forest quality and enhance carbon sequestration
  • According to the India State of Forest Report (ISFR), India’s forest and tree cover reached 8.27 lakh sq.km, covering 25.17% of the geographical area.
  • Forests store 30.43 billion tons of carbon stock – India’s most significant natural assets for climate mitigation and ecological security.
• Other Initiatives include;
  • CAMPA  (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Fund Authority) – funded over 3.2 lakh hectares of compensatory afforestation.
  • Nagar Van Yojana – Rupees 557.62 crore released for 626 urban forests.
  • Aravalli Green Wall Initiative – aims to restore 6.31 million hectares of degraded landscapes.
• Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam – Launched in 2024.
  • Over 262.4 crore saplings planted by December 2025.
  • Plantation activities tracked through the Meri LiFE portal.

Restoring River Ecosystems

• Namami Gange Programme – launched in 2014, a flagship river rejuvenation mission.
  • 524 projects worth rupees 43,030 crore sanctioned.
  • 355 projects were completed.
  • 218 sewage infrastructure projects undertaken.
  • Industrial pollution reduced significantly.
• Project Dolphin -launched in 2020.
  • First-ever nationwide dolphin population assessment completed.
  • Supports conservation of Gangetic, Indus, and Irrawaddy dolphins.

Wetland Conservation 

• National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA)
  • Promotes conservation and restoration of wetlands.
  • Expanded from 148 wetlands (2018) to 165 wetlands (2023).
• Ramsar Sites
  • Increased from 26 sites in 2014 to 100 sites by June 2026.

Mangrove Ecosystem Conservation

• MISHTI scheme – Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes.
  • Promotes mangrove restoration.
  • Mangrove cover increased from 4,628 sq km (2013) to 4,992 sq km (2023).

Conservation of the Maritime Frontier

• Include beaches, estuaries, sand dunes, coral ecosystems, and coastal waters.
• National Coastal Mission plays a key role in coastal area protection.
  • Focus on sustainable coastal management.
  • Cleanliness, environmental management, safety standards, and sustainable tourism.
• Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ)
  • Ecologically sensitive areas near the coastal belt will be protected.
  • Safeguard coastal communities that depend on the coastal region for their livelihood

Integrated Wildlife Conservation for Endangered Species

• Project Cheetah
  • The World’s First Intercontinental Translocation of a large wild carnivore.
  • 29 Cheetahs were brought from Namibia, South Africa, and Botswana.
  • India’s Cheetah population reached 53.
• Rhino Conservation
  • Increased from around 1,500 in the 1980s to over 4,000 by 2024.
• Project Tiger
  • Increased from 2,226 in 2014 to 3,682 in 2022.

Circular Economy and Waste Management

• Promotes reuse, repair, recycle, and resource recovery.
• Dumpsite Remediation Accelerator Programme
  • 877 lakh metric tons of waste processed.
  • 7,646 acres of land reclaimed.
• Recycling Ecosystem
  • Recycling of wastes includes: plastic waste, tyre waste, battery waste and e-waste.

Environmental Education and Green Skill Development

• Environmental Education, Awareness and Training (EEAT)
  • Facilitated over 1 lakh eco-clubs.
  • Implemented across 21 states and 1 Union Territory.
  • Around 5.5 lakh students engaged in environmental activities.
• Green Credit Programme (2023)
  • It incentivises voluntary environmental action.
  • 4,391 hectares of degraded forest land were identified for restoration across 12 states.

Organizations

• Continues to implement its commitments under the Paris Agreement.
• Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) to strengthen climate- resilient infrastructure.
• Supports biodiversity conservation efforts under the Convention on Biological Diversity ( CBD).
• Led global mass movement Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), encouraging sustainable lifestyles.
• Collaborates with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and other international institutions on environmental sustainability initiatives.

Solid Waste Management

• Solid waste processing capacity surged from 17 per cent in 2014 to over 77 per cent by 2024.
• Achieved Through
  • Material Recovery Facilities
  • Bio-methanation plants
  • Waste-to-energy units
• Urban region today processes 1,29,206 TPD out of 1,59,109 TPD
• Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026 mandate four-stream source segregation: wet, dry, sanitary, and special care waste.

Environmental Education, Awareness and Training (EEAT) Scheme

• Implemented across 21 States and 1 Union Territory
• The scheme facilitated over 1 lakh eco-clubs and engaged around 5.5 lakh students through environmental campaigns and awareness activities.
• Promotes environmental literacy, sustainable practices, and green workforce development.

Green Credit Programme (GCP)

• GCP, launched through the Green Credit Rules, 2023.
• The programme incentivises voluntary environmental actions by individuals, communities, and businesses.
• Seeks to
  • Increase green cover
  • Enhance carbon sequestration
  • Restore degraded landscapes
  • Reduce environmental footprints
• 4,391 hectares of degraded forest land across 12 States had been identified for eco-restoration under the programme till March 2026.

Nationally Determined Contribution

• Climate action commitments submitted by countries under the Paris Agreement of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
• What is the focus of the program?
  • Aims Clean Energy
  • Emissions intensity reduction
  • Non-fossil energy capacity
  • Carbon sink creation
  • protecting natural ecosystems
• Reducing emissions intensity by 33–35 per cent from 2005 levels, eleven years ahead of schedule.
• The target of achieving 40 per cent non-fossil electricity capacity by 2030 was met nine years early.

International Solar Alliance (ISA), 2015

• International Solar Alliance (ISA), jointly by India and France at the COP21 climate summit in Paris.
• An intergovernmental organisation to harness solar energy among solar-resource-rich countries
• Alliance has 112 member countries.
• Strengthened India’s image as a champion of inclusive, climate-resilient growth
• Working model
  • Focus on coordinated research
  • Affordable financing
  • Large-scale deployment of solar technologies.

India’s Green Transformation: 12-Year Overview: Conclusion

• Over the past decade, India has witnessed a significant green transformation, transitioning from a climate policy follower to an agenda setter in global efforts towards climate mitigation, clean energy adoption, and environmental conservation.
• India’s green transformation is ultimately a story of Vishwaas, Nirman, and Jan Kalyaan.
• With large-scale conservation, stronger institutions, technological innovation, and global leadership, India has built a robust foundation for long-term environmental security and sustainable growth.

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