India lost nearly 2 million hectares of tree cover between 2001 and 2020
This represents an overall decrease of nearly 5% tree cover over the last two decades. During times of rapid urbanisation, burgeoning population, and a very stretched urban infrastructure, it is critical to add and maintain urban forest cover in cities.
India will have nearly 814 million urban dwellers by 2050, compared to approximately 471 million in 2019.
Increasing extreme climate events, artificial flooding, air pollution, and water scarcity, make it imperative to ensure we have a first line of defence in the form of urban forests.