Green Credit Rules May Damage Forests: Say Experts

Context: 

The Green Credit Rules have raised concerns from experts due to their potential adverse impact on forest ecology. 

Green Credit Rules 2023

• Green Credit Rules 2023, issued by the Union Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), instruct state forest departments to identify land parcels categorized as degraded.
• • These areas are then used for planting trees to make more green spaces in India and earn green credits.

Reasons For Criticism of Green Credit Rules

• Unscientific Approach: The rules use vague terms like “degraded land” to identify areas for tree plantation.
• Neglecting Ecological Value: The rules fail to recognize the ecological importance of certain areas.
  • For instance, grasslands, often labeled as “wastelands,” play a crucial role in conserving unique biodiversity and sequestering carbon.
• Potential Soil Degradation: Large-scale plantations can alter soil quality, affecting nutrient cycles and water retention. This could lead to long-term soil degradation.
• Biodiversity Loss: Replacing native vegetation with monoculture plantations can reduce biodiversity. Native species adapted to local conditions may be replaced by non-native species.
• Ecosystem Services Disruption: Industrial plantations may disrupt ecosystem services such as pollination, water purification, and soil fertility.
• Ignoring Local Communities: The rules should consider the needs and knowledge of local communities who depend on these ecosystems for their livelihoods.

What Is a Green Credit Programme?

• Launched by: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in October 2023.
• Administered by: The Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE).
• Green Credit is a reward given to individuals and organizations involved in activities benefiting the environment.
• It’s a voluntary program by the government to motivate different stakeholders to help preserve the environment and adopt sustainable practices.
• This initiative is under the larger ‘LiFE’ campaign (Lifestyle for Environment). 
  • It  promotes and acknowledges voluntary environmentally-friendly actions.

Objectives of Green Credit Programme

• Incentivizing Environmental Actions: The green credit program seeks to motivate positive environmental behaviors through a market-based mechanism.
• Generation and Tradable Nature of Green Credits: Green credits are generated from undertaking environmental activities specified in sub-rule (2) of rule 4.
• • These credits are tradable and can be exchanged on a domestic market platform.
• Incentivizing Compliance: The program encourages industries, companies, and other entities to meet their existing legal obligations.
  • It also promotes adherence to other obligations under current laws.
• Promoting Voluntary Environmental Measures: Additionally, the program encourages individuals and entities to undertake voluntary environmental actions outlined in rule 4.
  • This participation can be facilitated through the generation or purchase of green credits.

News Source: Downtoearth

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