Environment & Ecology·Environmental Laws
Carbon Sequestration — Environmental Laws
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Version 1Updated 9 Mar 2026
| Entry | Year | Description | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023 | 2023 | This amendment to the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, aims to clarify the applicability of the Act to various lands, exempt certain categories of land from its purview (e.g., land within 100 km of international borders for national security projects), and promote afforestation on non-forest lands. It also encourages the establishment of zoos, safaris, and eco-tourism facilities in forest areas. The amendment seeks to streamline the process of forest land diversion while also emphasizing the creation of new forest and tree cover. | The amendment's impact on carbon sequestration is two-fold: it could potentially ease diversion of certain forest lands, but it also explicitly promotes afforestation on non-forest lands and compensatory afforestation, which could lead to an overall increase in tree cover and carbon sinks. The focus on 'tree cover' beyond 'forest land' broadens the scope for carbon sequestration efforts, aligning with India's NDC targets. |
| Energy Conservation (Amendment) Act, 2022 | 2022 | This amendment to the Energy Conservation Act, 2001, empowers the central government to specify a carbon credit trading scheme. It mandates the use of non-fossil sources of energy and establishes a framework for carbon markets in India. The Act aims to promote energy efficiency and decarbonization across various sectors, including industries and buildings. | By establishing a legal framework for a domestic carbon market, this amendment indirectly but significantly impacts carbon sequestration. It creates a mechanism for monetizing carbon reductions and removals, thereby incentivizing projects that sequester carbon, such as afforestation, reforestation, and potentially CCS projects, through the generation and trading of carbon credits. This can drive private investment into carbon sequestration initiatives. |