Deforestation in India

Deforestation is a growing problem in India. It has destroyed livelihoods, the environment and degraded the country’s soil.

The UN defines deforestation as converting forested land to another use that reduces tree canopy cover to under 10 percent.¹

Here is a quick overview of deforestation in India.

What are the causes of deforestation in India?

Forest land in India is being cut down for many reasons.

Farming, mining projects, and illegal logging of trees for timber are the main reasons it is happening. Moreover, clearing land for hydroelectric projects and roads is another key reason for deforestation. The land is also cleared for agriculture and building housing, as the population grows rapidly.

All of these factors have led to growing deforestation across the country.²

Which companies cause deforestation in India?

In 2020, India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, announced that 40 new coalfields, among India’s most ecologically sensitive forests, were being opened up.³ Coal mines, along with other forms of mineral mining, are a major cause of deforestation and land degradation in India.⁴ Among those bidding for the coal mines are some of the richest in India – including the Adani group. Its owner, Guatam Adani, is close to the Prime Minister.⁵

Around 25,000 hectares of forests are razed every year for “non-forestry activities”, including defense projects, dams, mining, power plants, industries, and roads.⁶

After the economic slowdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are fears that the Indian government will boost the economy through more mining projects.

Why is deforestation happening in India?

Of the 1.4 million hectares of forest cleared since 1990, the largest proportion of land went to mining, followed by defense projects and hydroelectric dam projects. Over the last 30 years, the country has lost large forests to 23,716 mining projects.⁷

The annual Forestry Survey of India, produced by the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, underlines this problem. It has chronicled how mining projects and government activity have been the key driver of deforestation in India.⁸

How does overpopulation cause deforestation in India?

Overpopulation is a major driver of deforestation in India in several ways. When it gained independence in 1947, its population stood at an estimated 342 million people. Since then, it has grown by almost an additional one billion people.⁹

A growing population requires more food and, therefore, more land used for farming. People in rural areas frequently need to cut down forests to feed their families.¹⁰

Moreover, as more people need food, and forests are cut down, the soil degrades – especially if the land is intensively farmed. India has a growing problem of soil degradation and desertification. That leads to even more forest land being cut down to feed people and to preserve household incomes.¹¹

1. Environment, U.N. (n.d.). Forests. [online] UNEP – UN Environment Programme. Available at: https://www.unenvironment.org/explore-topics/forests [Accessed 29 Jan. 2021]
2. Global Forest Watch Content. (2020). What’s Happening In India’s Forests? | Data and Research | Global Forest Watch Blog. [online] Available at: https://blog.globalforestwatch.org/data-and-research/whats-happening-in-india-forests/
3. the Guardian. (2020). India plans to fell ancient forests to create 40 new coalfields. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/08/india-prime-minister-narendra-modi-plans-to-fell-ancient-forest-to-create-40-new-coal-fields [Accessed 17 Dec. 2020].
4. Jain, N. (n.d.). Why land degradation in India has increased – and how to deal with it. [online] Scroll.in. Available at:https://scroll.in/article/896881/why-land-degradation-in-india-has-increased-and-how-to-deal-with-it
5. the Guardian. (2020). India plans to fell ancient forests to create 40 new coalfields. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/08/india-prime-minister-narendra-modi-plans-to-fell-ancient-forest-to-create-40-new-coal-fields [Accessed 17 Dec. 2020].
6. Ghosh, H. (2016). In just 30 years, India has lost large forests to 23,716 industrial projects. [online] Scroll.in. Available at: https://scroll.in/article/809286/in-just-30-years-india-has-lost-large-forests-to-23716-industrial-projects.
7. Ghosh, H. (2016). In just 30 years, India has lost large forests to 23,716 industrial projects. [online] Scroll.in. Available at: https://scroll.in/article/809286/in-just-30-years-india-has-lost-large-forests-to-23716-industrial-projects.
8. fsi.nic.in. (n.d.). Welcome To Forest Survey of India. [online] Available at: https://fsi.nic.in [Accessed 29 Jan. 2021].
9. Swarthmore.edu. (2013). The Environmental Effects of India’s Overpopulation. [online] Available at: http://fubini.swarthmore.edu/~ENVS2/colin/Overpopulation_Essay.html
10. Kumari, R., Banerjee, A., Kumar, R., Kumar, A., Saikia, P. and Latif Khan, M. (2019). Deforestation in India: Consequences and Sustainable Solutions. Deforestation Around the World [Working Title]. [online] Available at: https://www.intechopen.com/online-first/deforestation-in-india-consequences-and-sustainable-solutions.
11. Jain, N. (n.d.). Why land degradation in India has increased – and how to deal with it. [online] Scroll.in. Available at: https://scroll.in/article/896881/why-land-degradation-in-india-has-increased-and-how-to-deal-with-it.