Problems: Forest Footprint
Assessing India’s Forest Footprint
Ecological footprint measures people’s demand on nature and compares human consumption of natural resources with the Earth’s ecological capacity to regenerate them.
India’s ecological footprint is likely to grow faster and its implications on forest resources are a matter of concern. The programme has identified timber, paper and pulp, palm oil and soy as potential sectors for assessing India’s footprint.
The rising demand for forest based products and resultant deforestation and encroachment has led to a severe loss of natural resources and destruction of habitat.
Conversion of forests for cultivating oil palm and soy
Conversion of forests for cultivating oil palm and soy has been identified as a major threat to forest conservation and biodiversity in the tropics. The global demand for palm oil is projected to increase from the current level of 22 million tones to 40 million tones by 2020. This increase in demand is likely to force the producing countries to establish new plantations, by converting high conservation value forests.
India is the fourth largest edible oil economy in the world . The nation is also the world’s largest importer of palm oil, followed by EU and China. The key players in the oil palm sector in India can reduce India’s “ecological foot print” related to oil palm production in SE Asia if they commit themselves to socially and environmentally friendly purchasing decisions and engage in the international process for more sustainable palm oil world wide, including the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).
Presently, the participation of India in RSPO is inadequate. Accordingly, a step wise approach has been initiated to engaging Business and Industry in India to promote sustainable palm oil started this year.
India is the fourth largest edible oil economy in the world . The nation is also the world’s largest importer of palm oil, followed by EU and China. The key players in the oil palm sector in India can reduce India’s “ecological foot print” related to oil palm production in SE Asia if they commit themselves to socially and environmentally friendly purchasing decisions and engage in the international process for more sustainable palm oil world wide, including the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).
Presently, the participation of India in RSPO is inadequate. Accordingly, a step wise approach has been initiated to engaging Business and Industry in India to promote sustainable palm oil started this year.
Conversion of forest to palm oil production