In News:

In a first, the Chhattisgarh state has introduced an innovative plan that connects the ecosystem services of its forests with the Green Gross Domestic Product (Green GDP).

Key Highlights:

Chhattisgarh's Green GDP Initiative:

• First State in India to link forest ecosystem services with Green GDP.
• Forests cover 44% of Chhattisgarh's land area, playing a vital role in climate change mitigation.
• Key forest products (tendu leaves, lac, honey, medicinal plants) contribute significantly to the rural economy.

Green GDP:

• Definition: An adjustment of traditional GDP that accounts for environmental costs like resource depletion and ecosystem degradation.
• Formula:
  • Green GDP = Net Domestic Product (NDP) − (Cost of Resource Depletion + Ecosystem Degradation)
  • NDP = GDP − Depreciation of Produced Assets.

Importance of Green GDP:

• Traditional GDP overlooks the environmental cost, treating activities like deforestation as economic gains.
• Green GDP adjusts for sustainability, ensuring long-term economic growth aligns with environmental preservation.

Global Context & Initiatives:

• SEEA (System of Environmental-Economic Accounting): Developed by the UN to track economic-environment relationships.
• WAVES: World Bank initiative integrating natural capital into national economic accounts.
• Bhutan’s GNH: Emphasizes ecological sustainability in development.

Benefits of Green GDP for Chhattisgarh:

• Promotes sustainable development by integrating economic and environmental goals.
• Climate Change Mitigation: Forests help absorb CO2, playing a key role in carbon sequestration.
• Biodiversity Conservation: Supports sustainable use of resources, preserving ecosystems.
• Cultural Integration: Acknowledges forests' cultural and spiritual importance to local tribal communities (e.g., sacred groves).

Key Features of the Initiative:

• Valuing Ecosystem Services: Includes clean air (CO? absorption), water conservation, and biodiversity.
• Eco-tourism Promotion: Developing jungle safaris and national parks, boosting local employment.
• Scientific Assessments: Employing experts to quantify forest contributions to the economy.

Challenges of Green GDP Framework:

• Valuation Complexity: Difficult to assign monetary value to non-market environmental benefits like biodiversity.
• Data Gaps: Lack of comprehensive data on environmental degradation and resource usage.
• Implementation: Requires significant changes in accounting systems and policymaking.
• Forest Definition: Plantations like oil palm may be counted as forests, misleading environmental assessments.
• Political Resistance: States may manipulate data to secure funding, prioritizing plantations over natural forests.
• Local Integration: Difficulties in involving local bodies like Panchayats due to literacy and awareness gaps.

Future of Green GDP:

• Sustainable Resource Use: Encourages responsible consumption and production, aligning with SDG 12.
• Climate Action: Contributes to the reduction of fossil fuel reliance and promotes renewable energy, aligning with SDG 13.
• Green Investments: Stimulates green technologies and industries, fostering sustainable economic growth (SDG 8).

Why is it in the News?

Amidst escalating global temperatures, a pioneering study spearheaded by the University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia, sheds light on an unexpected threat posed by Lianas.

What are Lianas?

• Lianas are long-stemmed, woody vines that have their roots in the ground but use the trunks and branches of trees to climb their way up toward the canopy in order to reach sunlight.
• The term “liana” applies more to this type of lifestyle than to any specific family of plants, as lianas come from a variety of different taxonomic groups.
• They are found in tropical forests all over the world.
• These plants have developed a unique climbing strategy to reach the forest canopy and maximize their access to sunlight for photosynthesis.
• Their flexible stems, adventitious roots, and specialized structures such as tendrils and hooks allow them to twist, twine, and ascend the trunks and branches of trees.

How do Lianas Impact the Forest Ecosystem?

• Lianas can have both positive and negative influences on forest ecosystems, depending on their abundance and the specific environmental context.

Positive Impacts of Lianas on Forests:

• Biodiversity: Lianas enhance forest biodiversity by creating additional habitats, providing food resources, and supporting the life cycles of numerous organisms.
  • Insects, birds, mammals, and even some epiphytic plants rely on lianas for food, shelter, and reproductive sites.
• Nutrient Cycling: Lianas play a crucial role in nutrient cycling within forests. By absorbing nutrients from the forest floor and transferring them to the canopy through their stems, lianas facilitate nutrient exchange between different vertical layers of the forest.

Negative Impacts of Lianas on Forests:

• Competition for Resources: High densities of lianas can lead to competition with trees for essential resources like light, water, and nutrients.
  • This competition may impede tree growth, reduce seedling establishment, and hinder forest regeneration.
• Impact on Forest Structure and Stability: By increasing the likelihood of tree fall during storms or strong winds, lianas can negatively affect forest structure and composition.
  • When lianas grow on tree crowns, they increase the weight and wind resistance of trees, making them more susceptible to uprooting.
• Economic Implications: Lianas can also impact the growth and reproduction of commercially valuable tree species, which has economic implications for forest management and timber production.
  • Moreover, liana-infested trees often have reduced timber quality due to distortions in the tree trunk and branches.
• Low Carbon Sequestration: Their lower carbon sequestering capacity compared to trees further exacerbates the threat to carbon storage.