India needs a comprehensive law inspired by the European Union (EU) Nature Restoration Law to tackle its environmental crisis and land degradation. The degradation of natural ecosystems is a serious global issue at present and India, With its vast geographical and ecological diversity, is no exception.About 30% of India’s total geographical area is affected by land degradation. Hence, it is important for India to adopt a comprehensive Nature Restoration Law. The EU Nature Restoration Law can be a model in this context.
EU Nature Restoration Law
- The European Union adopted the Nature Restoration Law on 17 June 2024. It sets legally binding targets for ecosystem restoration across Europe.
- More than 80% of Europe’s habitats are not in a suitable condition, leading to rapid loss of biodiversity.
- It is part of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for the year 2030 and the European Green Deal.
Restoration goals
- Restore 20% of degraded land and marine areas by 2030.
- Achieve full restoration of all ecosystems in need by 2050
- These include forests, wetlands, rivers, agricultural lands and urban green spaces.
Key specific targets
- Restore 25,000 km of rivers to their natural, free-flowing state
- Plant 3 billion trees across the continent by 2030
Environmental challenges facing India
- According to the Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), about 97.85 million hectares (29.7%) of India’s total geographical area was affected by land degradation in 2018-19.
- This is up from 94.53 million hectares in 2003-05.
- Land degradation is high in major states like Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Rajasthan. These states together account for 23.79% of India’s desertified land area.
- Major rivers like Ganga and Yamuna are facing severe water quality problems and disruptions. In fact, both water scarcity and pollution have increased.
Existing Programmes and Initiatives
- Green India Mission
- Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana
- Integrated Watershed Management Programme (World’s second largest watershed programme)
National Afforestation Programme
- However, despite these efforts, a comprehensive, nationwide and legally binding framework is needed to bring about systematic changes in the scale and pace of degradation.
Benefits of Restoration
- According to the World Economic Forum, nature restoration can bring economic benefits of up to $10 trillion annually globally by 2030.
Economic benefits
- Increased agricultural productivity: Restoring soil health and water resources will improve crop production, ensuring better food security.
- Job creation: Ecosystem restoration can create millions of jobs, especially in rural areas where large-scale restoration efforts will require manual labour, technical expertise and monitoring.
- Promoting sustainable development: Contributing directly to SDG 15 (Life on Land), which focuses on managing forests, combating desertification and preventing land degradation.
Social benefits
- Restoration efforts improve water security
- Reduce the impact of floods and droughts
- Potential for increased resilience to climate change
- Boost local livelihoods
- This will especially benefit rural communities dependent on agriculture, forestry and fishing.
Climate change mitigation
- Restoration of ecosystems, especially forests and wetlands, will increase carbon absorption. This will help India meet its climate goals under the Paris Agreement.
- Degraded lands currently emit more carbon than they absorb. Hence, restoring these lands will increase the carbon sink, contributing to climate resilience.
- Suggestions for possible nature restoration legislation for India
- Taking inspiration from the EU’s NRL, a similar legislation in India can be structured to address the country’s environmental challenges, ensuring long-term ecosystem restoration.
Restoration goals
- India should aim to restore 20% of its degraded lands by 2030.
- The long-term goal should be to fully restore all degraded ecosystems across the country by 2050.
- This includes critical ecosystems such as forests, wetlands, rivers, agricultural lands and urban green spaces.
Wetland restoration
- Wetlands, especially the Sundarbans and Chilika lake, are important for biodiversity and serve as effective carbon sinks.
- The goal could be to restore 30% of degraded wetlands by 2030 to preserve water quality, promote biodiversity and support local livelihoods.
Agricultural landscapes and biodiversity
- Agriculture plays a central role in India’s economy. Agricultural lands can be restored by promoting agroforestry and sustainable practices.
- Indicators such as the Butterfly or Bird Index, used in the EU, can track progress.
- The Grassland Butterfly Index and the Common Bird Index are used to monitor changes in species richness in Europe.