Digital Tools Essential for India's Carbon Sink Goal, Minister Stresses

The minister underscored that achieving India's ambitious carbon sink target—capturing 3.5 to 4 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent by 2035—requires robust institutional capacity, effective policies, community involvement and, crucially, technology innovation. He highlighted the role of wetlands as vital ecosystems for biodiversity and ecological balance, urging a balanced approach to managing wetlands, forests and grasslands. Yadav emphasized that integrating modern technology with indigenous solutions will improve the accuracy of forest data, support the preparation of the India State of Forest Report, and provide a solid foundation for sustainable forest management.