India has made bold commitments to restore 26 million hectares of deforested and degraded land and sequester 2.5 to 3 billion tons of CO2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover…

India overview

Why India

India has made bold commitments to restore 26 million hectares of deforested and degraded land (under the Bonn Challenge) and sequester an additional 2.5 to 3 billion tons of CO2 equivalent through increased forest and tree cover by 2030 (as part of its Nationally Determined Contribution to the Paris Agreement). This restoration is critical to mitigate the effects of climate change, water scarcity and loss of topsoil that are threatening the livelihoods of India’s 700 million rural inhabitants who depend on forests and agriculture.

Our Focus

Drawing upon the work of the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders and Global Shapers communities, 1t.org is committed to facilitating a multi-stakeholder dialogue in India with a focus on encouraging ecopreneurship, spotlighting and scaling promising innovations and solutions, engaging the Indian private sector to commit resources and know-how for forest restoration and reforestation in India, and facilitating public-private dialogue.

White Paper Consultation Draft: Unlocking Private Sector Investment into Natural Climate Solutions in India

This white paper (consultation draft), a collaborative effort by the World Economic Forum, the Confederation of Indian Industry, and IORA Ecological Solutions, focuses on the evolving landscape of Natural Climate Solutions (NCS) investments among Indian corporations.

Surveying a sample of the country’s largest companies, the findings highlight a robust commitment to sustainability, with 89% having dedicated strategies and nearly half adopting net-zero goals investing in afforestation and ecosystem restoration. Despite this, a projected $161.9 billion funding gap for forestry sector alone by 2030 signals a need for increased private sector funding. The Green Credit Program and regulatory carbon market offer opportunities, with 79% of respondents indicating that clear guidelines would influence increased NCS investments.

This paper, part of 1t.org's efforts in India, aims to provide guidance on existing and upcoming policies and foster public-private partnerships for forest landscape conservation and restoration, offering insights, opportunities, and recommendations for a sustainable future.

India: How we work