New Delhi: The Supreme Court has sought response from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC) over its new Green Credit Rules (GCR), a system allowing companies to earn tradable credits for tree planting.
Environmentalists, led by Goa-based Rainbow Warriors (RW) and People for Aravallis, argued the rules threaten India’s forest conservation efforts and Indigenous rights.
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The GCR allows companies to offset forest land diversion by planting trees elsewhere, earning credits they can trade. However, petitioners argue the system encourages “plant and forget” practices, with no guarantee of sapling survival.
“Companies can get credit just for putting saplings in the ground with absolutely no responsibility for keeping them alive. That’s not conservation – it’s an ecological threat,” said Abhijit Prabhudesai, general secretary of Rainbow Warriors.
The petition, filed in early March 2025, cites Comptroller and Auditor General reports indicating survival rates of planted trees range from a mere 6-30% across India.
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It also warns the rules could damage vital ecosystems like savanna grasslands by mandating tree planting in naturally treeless areas.
“Planting trees in naturally treeless ecosystems is ecological malpractice,” stated Wildlife Biologist Malaika Mathew Chawla, highlighting the threat to endangered species like the Great Indian Bustard.
Further, concerns were raised about potential violations of the Forest Rights Act, jeopardizing the rights of over 117,000 Indigenous communities.
“We’re asking that companies be held responsible for tree survival over time, not just planting them. We want the arbitrary requirement of 1,100 trees per hectare reconsidered, plantations prohibited in sensitive ecosystems, and assurance that forest rights won’t be compromised,” said Neelam Ahluwalia, Founder Member of People for Aravallis.
The Court, acknowledging the “legitimate ecological concerns,” has demanded a response from the MoEFCC, which has requested additional time to file a detailed reply.
The GCR, implemented to incentivize environmental conservation, has sparked debate over balancing afforestation goals with ecological sustainability. Experts warn the Supreme Court’s ruling could significantly impact India’s environmental policies.
“This isn’t just about trees. It’s about whether environmental policy will be guided by ecological science or merely by numbers on paper. The difference will determine the future not just of Goa’s Western Ghats, but of India’s natural heritage as a whole,” said Prabhudesai.