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Green India Mission 2024: How GIM Aims to Combat Climate Change: Current Affairs & Competitive Exam Prep

India’s revamped Green India Mission (GIM) sharpens its focus on restoring critical ecosystems like the Aravallis and Himalayas to fight climate change. This revised roadmap integrates forest conservation, carbon sinks, and community livelihoods to meet national climate commitments.

Green India Mission: Key Insights
The Core Framework
The Green India Mission (GIM), launched in 2014, is one of eight flagship missions under India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). Its revised 2024 strategy prioritizes:
Ecological restoration of degraded forests (target: 5 million hectares).
Landscape-specific interventions in the Aravalli ranges, Western Ghats, Himalayas, and mangroves.
Carbon sequestration to create an additional 2.5–3 billion tonne CO2 sink by 2030.

Why the Revision Matters
The update responds to on-ground climate impacts and feedback from states. Key shifts include:
Saturation of vulnerable landscapes using region-specific best practices.
Synergy with the Aravalli Green Wall Project to halt desertification.
Urban greening strategies to complement rural afforestation.

Progress & Challenges
Achievements (2015–2021): Afforestation across 11.22 million hectares.
Funding (2019–2024): ₹624.71 crore released to 18 states (₹575.55 crore utilized).
Hurdles: Ground implementation gaps and need for stronger convergence with:
MGNREGS (labour for restoration).
CAMPA (funds for compensatory afforestation).

Strategic Importance
Combat Land Degradation: 97.85 million hectares of India’s land is degraded (ISRO, 2019).
Ecosystem Services: Focus on hydrology (water security), biodiversity conservation, and carbon capture.
Climate Targets: GIM could enable a 3.39 billion tonne CO2 sink by 2030 (Forest Survey of India).

Sample Q&A for Exam Aspirants
Q1: How does GIM align with India’s NAPCC?
A1: GIM is one of NAPCC’s eight core missions, directly addressing climate adaptation through forest cover expansion and ecosystem restoration.
Q2: What role does carbon sequestration play in GIM’s revised strategy?
A2: Restoring degraded forests can sequester 1.89 billion tonnes of CO2 across 15 million hectares – critical for India’s 2030 carbon sink target.
Q3: Why is convergence between GIM, MGNREGS, and CAMPA essential?
A3: MGNREGS provides manpower, CAMPA funds restoration, and GIM coordinates strategy – synergizing resources avoids duplication and scales impact.
Q4: How does urban greening under GIM support rural efforts?
A4: Urban tree cover reduces heat islands and air pollution, while rural afforestation boosts biodiversity – creating interconnected climate-resilient zones.
Q5: What makes the Aravalli restoration a priority for GIM?
A5: The Aravallis act as a natural barrier against Thar Desert expansion; their degradation threatens water security and ecological stability in North India.