The Aravalli Green Wall Project, an ambitious initiative by the Indian government, was recently highlighted on World Environment Day by the Prime Minister. This project aims to establish a vast green belt across the Aravalli Range, primarily to combat desertification and enhance ecological stability.
Project Overview
Inspired by Africa’s Great Green Wall, the Aravalli Green Wall Project was first conceptualized at COP16 of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Riyadh and officially launched in 2019.
- Scope: The project envisions a 1,500 km long and 5 km wide green corridor.
- Geographic Span: It covers 29 districts across four states/regions: Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Delhi.
- Coordination: It’s a centrally coordinated initiative involving various stakeholders, including central and state governments, forest departments, research institutions, civil society organizations, private entities, and local communities.
- Nodal Ministry: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is the leading ministry.
- Timeline: Phase I is set to run until 2027, with a broader vision for long-term landscape restoration.
Core Objectives
The project has several key objectives:
- Combat Desertification: To halt the eastward spread of the Thar Desert.
- Environmental Barrier: To create a natural barrier against dust storms and air pollution.
- Ecological Restoration: To revive biodiversity, improve groundwater replenishment, and strengthen climate resilience in the region.
Key Features and Activities
The project’s implementation involves a multi-pronged approach:
- Afforestation: Extensive planting of native trees and shrubs in degraded and barren areas.
- Nursery Development: Establishment of approximately 1,000 nurseries to support ongoing tree-planting efforts.
- Ecosystem Restoration: Removal of invasive plant species and rejuvenation of surface water bodies like ponds and streams.
- Wildlife and Eco-tourism: Creation of wildlife corridors and development of eco-tourism infrastructure, such as safaris, trekking routes, and nature parks.
- Campaign Integration: Extension of the existing ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ (A Tree in Mother’s Name) campaign.
Alignment with Global Commitments
The Aravalli Green Wall Project underscores India’s commitment to international environmental agreements:
- It supports India’s obligations under the UNCCD (United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification), CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity), and UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change).1
- It aligns with the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030).
- The project draws inspiration from the EU’s Nature Restoration Law (2024), which sets a target of 30% ecosystem restoration by 2030.
About the Aravalli Range
The Aravalli Range is an ancient geological formation with significant ecological importance:
- Geological Significance: One of the world’s oldest fold mountains, now existing as residual mountains with elevations ranging from 300m to 900m.
- Geography: It extends in a southwest direction from Delhi to Gujarat.
- Highest Point: Guru Shikhar Peak on Mount Abu (1,722 m) is the highest point in the range.
- Terrain: Characterized by diverse terrain, from gentle undulations to steep hills.
- Biodiversity Hotspot: Home to 22 wildlife sanctuaries, including four tiger reserves (like Ranthambore) and numerous bird parks.
- River Source: It is the source of important rivers, including the Chambal.
- Historical Significance: It hosts the only primary forest in the National Capital Region, where archaeological findings, including tools from the Lower Paleolithic period (3.3 million to 300,000 years ago) and ancient cave art, have been discovered.