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U.S. and India team up to fight climate crisis [1]
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Date: 2024-07-01 14:27:43+00:00
Did you know that nearly a quarter of India is forest? These vital ecosystems provide a wealth of benefits, but they also face significant threats.
Deforestation and forest degradation from unsustainable use, agricultural expansion and infrastructure development is eroding India’s forests. Losing these forests threatens the local communities and wildlife that depend on them and deepens the climate crisis by releasing millions of tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
To protect India’s forests and environment, India’s Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is partnering with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to create Forest-PLUS 3.0, a set of new land management tools to restore forests, help farmers and support conservationists.
Efforts to preserve India’s forests are “inspiring,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, speaking generally at a March 2024 event celebrating forest guards. Forest guards “are at the forefront of conservation efforts” and are “bravely protecting our forests and wildlife.”
Providing localized data
The tools, developed as part of the ongoing Forest-PLUS initiative, aim to reverse deforestation and forest degradation and protect biodiversity.
Systems such as the Van data management tool, which provides localized data to forest officers across the country, are central to this initiative.
“We used to store and record data manually into logs, which was a long, tedious and time-consuming task,” explained Vishnu S Kumar, a deputy range forest officer with the State Forest Department in Kerala, in an interview with the U.S. Embassy. “With the Van System, we now have a database that includes pre-loaded formats on information on villages, households, rare species, cultural and ecotourism details, weeds and invasive species, among others.”
Other Forest-PLUS tools allow authorities to more accurately trace the origins of timber to stop illegal logging and help farmers determine what kind of agroforestry is best suited for their land.
We should all “pledge to work towards solutions that restore and enrich our planet’s biodiversity,” MoEFCC Minister Bhupender Yadav said on X May 22.
Building on success
The latest version of the Forest-PLUS initiative, 3.0, strengthens sustainable forestry practices, enhancing climate resilience and mitigation.
Under Forest-PLUS 3.0, forest officials will use an expanded and upgraded Van mobile app to collect data and build detailed, data-driven forest management plans which in turn will help forests absorb carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas, and help mitigate the effects of climate change.
At the same time, by training local communities to use the Forest-PLUS 3.0 tools, the program will encourage people to participate actively in conservation efforts.
A united front
Forest-PLUS 3.0 is a significant step, but it’s only one tool in addressing the climate crisis. Collaboration across sectors, like renewable energy and green technology, is crucial for long-term success.
“Both our countries are committed to combating climate change,” said U.S. Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti in an April 1 social media post. “Beyond government action, each one of us can also contribute to a greener future with everyday eco-friendly practices.”
This U.S.-India forestry partnership shows how nations can work together to protect our planet. It offers hope for a future where healthy forests, empowered communities and a stable climate thrive.
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[1] Url:
https://share.america.gov/us-india-protect-forests-fight-climate-crisis/
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