26 July 2020.
Introduction:
Global Forest Resources Assessment report 2020 has been released by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). India has ranked third among the 10 countries where forest cover has increased in the last 10 years.
Highlights:
- The report by FAO is brought out once in every five years.
- The report assesses the condition of the forests among the member countries, their conditions and management.
- As per the report the following ten countries have gained forest area between 2010 and 2020.
- China
- Australia
- India
- Chile
- Vietnam
- Turkey
- United States
- France
- Italy
- Romania
Key Findings of the report with reference to India:
- India accounts for 2% of the total global forest area.
- India has accounted to 0.38% (i.e. 266,000 hectares of forest cover)of annual gain in forest cover.
- The forest cover managed by local, indigenous communities and tribal in India in 1990 was zero and it increased to 25 million hectares in 2015.
- Out of 12.5 million people employed in forestry sector all over the world, India accounts for 6.23 million.
- This is almost 50% of the forestry employment.
- Asia has shown the highest gain in forest area between 2010- 2020.