- India highlighted its significant achievement in forest and landscape restoration and reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable forest management, climate action and resilient forest landscapes at the Twenty-eighth Session of the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) Committee on Forestry (COFO 28), being held in Rome from 28th September to 2nd October 2026.
India highlighted the consistent progress made in enhancing its forest resources:
- The country’s forest and tree cover stands at 82.74 million hectares, constituting 25.17% of its geographical area.
- The FAO Global Forest Resources Assessment 2025 ranks India 9th globally in forest area and 3rd in net annual forest area gain. Forests and trees also remain central to India’s climate commitments.
- India has created an additional carbon sink of 2.29 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent by 2021 and has enhanced its ambition to create an additional carbon sink of 3.5–4.0 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent by 2035, compared with 2005 levels.
- The Statement further highlighted its commitment under the Bonn Challenge to restore 26 million hectares of degraded and deforested land by 2030, of which 21.76 million hectares have already been brought under restoration. Further, major landscape restoration initiatives being undertaken were showcased.
- Under the Aravalli Green Wall, approximately 6.45 million hectares of degraded land have been identified for restoration.
- In coastal landscapes, the MISHTI initiative is advancing mangrove restoration while strengthening climate resilience and supporting local livelihoods. India also highlighted that the number of Ramsar Sites in the country has reached 101.