Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change addressed questions regarding Blue Carbon projects under the National Mission for Clean Ganga and Coastal Restoration programmes. The response details afforestation efforts along the Ganga, funding for mangrove restoration, the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme, and the integration of Traditional Ecological Knowledge. While specific Blue Carbon project guidelines are absent, restoration efforts are underway, involving local communities.
Key Points / Main Content:
Namami Gange Programme and Afforestation:
* The Namami Gange Programme supports blue carbon sequestration indirectly through various activities.
* Scientific afforestation along the Ganga is based on a Detailed Project Report (DPR) by the Forest Research Institute (FRI), Dehradun.
* From 2016-17 to 2022-23, 33,024 hectares of plantation were carried out in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal.
Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Mangrove Restoration:
* India's NDCs emphasize increasing forest and tree cover to create an additional carbon sink.
* The protection and restoration of blue carbon ecosystems support India's broader climate goals.
* INR 220.43 lakhs sanctioned to Tamil Nadu from 2017-18 to 2022-23 for mangrove restoration, including Pichavaram.
* The Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats Tangible Incomes (MISHTI) was launched on June 5th, 2023, to enhance mangrove ecosystems.
* MISHTI is implemented through convergence with State CAMPA, MGNREGS, and other state schemes. Tamil Nadu has not yet sought funding under MISHTI.
Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS):
* The Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) was notified on June 28th, 2023, under the Energy Conservation Amendment Act, 2022.
* The CCTS has two mechanisms: compliance and offset.
* No technical assistance under CCTS has been given to Tamil Nadu or any other states.
Blue Carbon Project Guidelines and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK):
* The Ministry lacks explicit guidelines or a dedicated implementation framework for Blue Carbon projects.
* Restoration efforts targeting mangroves, seagrasses, and salt marshes involve local communities, leveraging their Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK).
Impact Analysis:
State Forest Departments of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal:
* Impact: Responsible for implementing afforestation projects along the Ganga River.
* Action Required: Continue plantation efforts as per the DPR and funding from NMCG.
State of Tamil Nadu:
* Impact: Received funding for mangrove restoration activities and potential beneficiary of MISHTI.
* Action Required: Consider submitting a plan to seek funding under MISHTI for mangrove conservation.
Local Communities:
* Impact: Involved in restoration efforts, providing Traditional Ecological Knowledge.
* Action Required: Continue to participate in restoration projects, sharing knowledge and expertise.
Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) and the National Steering Committee for the Indian Carbon Market (NSCICM):
* Impact: Responsible for providing technical assistance to states for developing carbon credit mechanisms.
* Action Required: Continue to develop carbon credit mechanisms and provide technical assistance to states.
Key Entities Referenced
National Mission for Clean Ganga: A comprehensive river rejuvenation initiative focused on the Ganga River, including afforestation, wetland and biodiversity conservation.
Tamil Nadu: A state in India where mangrove restoration activities, carbon credit mechanisms and integration of Traditional Ecological Knowledge are mentioned in the context of blue carbon projects.
Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats Tangible Incomes MISHTI: An initiative launched to enhance mangrove ecosystems for their high carbon storage capacity and role as coastal bioshields.
Nationally Determined Contributions NDCs: India's commitments under the Paris Agreement to increase forest and tree cover to create an additional carbon sink.
Carbon Credit Trading Scheme CCTS: A scheme notified by the Government of India under the Energy Conservation Amendment Act, 2022, with compliance and offset mechanisms.
Namami Gange Programme: A river rejuvenation initiative by Ministry of Jal Shakti that supports blue carbon sequestration indirectly.
Forest Research Institute FRI, Dehradun: An institution that prepared a Detailed Project Report for scientific afforestation along the Ganga River.
Energy Conservation Amendment Act, 2022: Act under which Carbon Credit Trading Scheme CCTS was notified.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2403
TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.08.2025
Blue Carbon Project
2403. SHRI S JAGATHRATCHAKAN:
Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to
state:
(a) the details regarding the total number of blue carbon ecosystem restoration projects under
the National Mission for Clean Ganga and Coastal Restoration programmes during the years
2023-24 and 2024-25, State and project-wise;
(b) the quantum of Union Government funding allocated specifically for mangrove restoration
in Gulf of Mannar, Marine National Park and Pichavaram wetlands under the Nationally
Determined Contributions framework;
(c) the technical assistance provided by the Government for developing carbon credit
mechanisms from Tamil Nadu's coastal restoration initiatives and revenue potential
assessed; and
(d) the integration of Traditional Ecological Knowledge from Tamil Nadu fishing communities
in the Government's blue carbon project guidelines and implementation frameworks?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE
CHANGE
(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)
(a) Blue carbon ecosystems such as mangroves, seagrass meadows, and salt marshes are
coastal and marine habitats that naturally capture and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
As informed by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, the Namami Gange Programme (National Mission for
Clean Ganga - NMCG) is a comprehensive river rejuvenation initiative. While it mainly focuses
on sewage treatment, riverfront development, afforestation, wetland and biodiversity
conservation, and public awareness, some of which indirectly support blue carbon sequestration.
Under this programme, scientific afforestation along the Ganga has been undertaken based on a
Detailed Project Report (DPR) by the Forest Research Institute (FRI), Dehradun. Since 2016–17,
NMCG has funded State Forest Departments of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand,
and West Bengal for plantations along the river. So far, a total of 33,024 hectares of plantation
has been carried out under the programme. Details are as follows:
State wise plantation data (Year 2016-17 to 2022-23)
Achievement
State
(Area in ha.)
Uttarakhand 12306
Uttar Pradesh 9166Bihar 8554
Jharkhand 884
West Bengal 2115
Total 33024
(b) India’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement do not
specifically mention "blue carbon ecosystems" as a separate target. However, they emphasize
increasing forest and tree cover to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of
CO₂ equivalent by 2030. While not directly stated, the protection and restoration of blue carbon
ecosystems like mangroves, seagrasses, and salt marshes support India’s broader climate goals of
mitigation and adaptation.
The Ministry has sanctioned a total amount of ₹ 220.43 lakhs to the State of Tamil Nadu for
mangrove restoration activities, including those at Pichavaram, during the period from 2017–
2018 to 2022–2023, under the “Conservation and Management of Mangroves and Coral Reefs”
component of the National Coastal Mission.
Recently, to promote mangrove conservation, the Union Budget 2023–24 announced the
Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (MISHTI). Launched by the
Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change on 5th June 2023 (World Environment Day),
MISHTI aims to enhance mangrove ecosystems for their high carbon storage capacity and role as
coastal bio-shields. The initiative is being implemented through convergence with State
CAMPA, MGNREGS, and other state schemes, with gap-funding from National CAMPA. The
State of Tamil Nadu has not yet submitted a plan to seek funding under MISHTI.
(c) Government of India has notified the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) on 28th
June 2023 under Energy Conservation (Amendment) Act, 2022. CCTS has two mechanisms
namely, compliance mechanism and offset mechanism. The Indian government provides
technical assistance to states for developing carbon credit mechanisms through various initiatives
and bodies, including the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) and the National Steering
Committee for the Indian Carbon Market (NSCICM). However, under CCTS no technical
assistance have been given to Tamil Nadu or any other states.
(d) The Ministry currently does not have explicit guidelines or a dedicated implementation
framework for Blue Carbon projects. However, restoration efforts targeting key Blue Carbon
ecosystems—namely mangroves, seagrasses, and salt marshes—have been undertaken across all
coastal States and Union Territories. These initiatives have actively involved local communities,
leveraging their Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) to enhance the effectiveness and
sustainability of restoration outcomes.
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