India's Forests: Climate Change Boosts Carbon Storage

A new study from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, reveals that India's forests are projected to significantly increase their carbon storage in living vegetation throughout the 21st century.

Despite rising global temperatures, the carbon stored in India's forests is expected to rise from 7.74 kg/sqm historically to potentially 13.67 kg/sqm by late century under high emissions scenarios, representing a near 97% increase. These gains are anticipated across most forest regions, with notable increases projected for Desert, Semi-Arid, Trans-Himalaya, Indo-Gangetic, and Deccan Peninsula zones.

The research highlights that rainfall variability plays a more crucial role nationally than temperature in influencing forest carbon dynamics. These effects manifest over several years, with lags of approximately two to four years depending on emission pathways.

While increased carbon storage appears positive, scientists warn that these gains could mask deeper forest stresses. There are concerns about the stability of current dense forests and the risk of large carbon releases, which could accelerate emissions and diminish long-term environmental resilience.

Future forest management strategies must be tailored to specific regions and climate-aware, prioritizing risk prevention. The study emphasizes that while temperature is influential regionally, especially with higher emissions, rainfall's broader impact on forest carbon necessitates careful consideration in planning.