NEW DELHI, May 22: India lost 18,200 hectares of primary forest in 2024, marking an increase from the 17,700 hectares lost in 2023, according to new data released by Global Forest Watch (GFW), a global collaboration of over 100 organisations tracking forest changes worldwide.
The data revealed that from 2002 to 2024, India lost a total of 3,48,000 hectares of humid primary forest — representing approximately 5.4 per cent of the country’s total humid primary forest. This accounts for 15 per cent of India’s total tree cover loss during the same period.
Between 2019 and 2024 alone, India lost 1,03,000 hectares (1.6 per cent) of its humid primary forests, which formed 14 per cent of the total tree cover loss over those six years. Annual figures showed 16,900 hectares of loss in 2022, 18,300 hectares in 2021, 17,000 hectares in 2020, and 14,500 hectares in 2019.
Primary forests, as defined by GFW, are “mature natural humid tropical forests that have not been completely cleared and regrown in recent history.” These forests are identified using Landsat satellite imagery and specially designed regional algorithms.
Since 2001, India has lost 2.31 million hectares of tree cover — equivalent to a 7.1 per cent decrease — resulting in emissions of approximately 1.29 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. However, during the two decades between 2000 and 2020, India also saw a gain of 1.78 million hectares of tree cover, amounting to about 1.4 per cent of the global total tree cover gain.
Among Indian states, Assam recorded the highest tree cover loss between 2001 and 2024, with 3,40,000 hectares — significantly higher than the national average of 67,900 hectares. Mizoram followed with 3,34,000 hectares lost, then Nagaland with 2,69,000 hectares, Manipur with 2,55,000 hectares, and Meghalaya with 2,43,000 hectares.
The report also provided insights into the drivers behind the deforestation. Shifting cultivation was the leading cause, accounting for 1.39 million hectares of loss. Permanent agriculture led to the loss of another 6,20,000 hectares, logging to 1,82,000 hectares, and natural disturbances to 35,100 hectares. Additionally, settlements and infrastructure development caused the loss of 30,600 hectares of tree cover.
Global Forest Watch noted that the data is derived from the best available satellite imagery and may evolve over time as algorithms and detection techniques improve. Therefore, users are cautioned against directly comparing older and newer datasets, especially those spanning before and after 2015.
According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, India ranked second globally in deforestation between 2015 and 2020, losing approximately 6,68,000 hectares of forest each year during that period.
