India strengthens measures to address climate change and environmental challenges

The union government has ramped up its efforts to combat environmental issues and climate change through a series of legislative, regulatory, and administrative measures to conserve, control pollution and increase sustainability.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is implementing key policies and programs to increase India’s green cover and protect the environment.

Expansion of protected areas
India has grown its protected areas significantly from 745 in 2014 to 1,022 in 2025 covering 5.43% of its total geographical area. The number of community reserves has increased from 43 in 2014 to 220.

Wetland conservation
India has added 59 wetlands to the list of Ramsar sites since 2014 bringing the total to 89 and covering an area of 1.35 million hectares.

Ramsar sites refer to sites listed on the List of Wetlands of International Importance. India boasts the largest Ramsar site network in Asia and ranks third globally by the number of sites.

Recently, Udaipur and Indore were added to the Wetland Accredited Cities list under the Ramsar Convention’s Wetland City Accreditation Scheme.

Initiative of tree plantation
The Prime Minister introduced the campaign ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’, one of the significant initiatives launched on World Environment Day, celebrated on June 5, 2024, encouraging people to plant trees as a tribute to their mothers and to Mother Earth.

MoEFCC in collaboration with central and state governments, institutions, and organizations will plant 140 crore trees by March 2025, with 109 crore saplings already planted by January 2025.

Tiger population and conservation efforts
According to the All India Tiger Estimation 2022 report, India’s tiger population stands at 3,682, accounting for 70% of the world’s wild tiger population. The total area under the tiger reserve network is now 82,836.45 square kilometers, or about 2.5% of India’s total geographical area.

Climate action measures
India's climate efforts are driven by its updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and a long-term goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2070.

The National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) provides a structure for various missions focused on solar energy, energy efficiency, sustainable habitats, water conservation, the Himalayan ecosystem, sustainable farming, human health, and climate knowledge.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has also introduced important initiatives like the Climate Change Action Program (CCAP) and the National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC) to boost climate resilience.

Progress in Renewable Energy and Emission Reduction
As a result of these actions, India has reduced the emission intensity of its GDP by 36% from 2005 to 2020. By October 2024, non-fossil fuel sources made up 46.52% of the country's total installed electricity capacity.

The total renewable energy capacity, including large hydropower, has reached 203.22 gigawatts, with renewable energy alone growing by 4.5 times from 35 gigawatts in March 2014 to 156.25 gigawatts.

India's forest and tree cover has also grown, now covering 25.17% of the country's geographical area, acting as an additional carbon sink, absorbing 2.29 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent between 2005 and 2021.

India's Global Climate Commitment
Though its historical emissions are low, India has taken active steps to comply with the principles of equity and the common but differentiated responsibilities under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement.