Himachal Pradesh forest bio-resources valued at Rs 22,600 crore annually, report highlights carbon sink potential

A new report from the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department and Bharti Institute of Public Policy values the state's primary forest bio-resources at Rs 22,600 crore per year. The report notes that forests cover about 68% of the state's geographical area and store an estimated 258 million tons of carbon, making Himachal a significant contributor to India's terrestrial carbon sink. The study used field data from over 500 forest guards and 200,000 geo-tagged observations, combined with satellite imagery and AI models, to map species and estimate biomass. It highlights initiatives like biochar from pine needles and invasive lantana as ways to convert problematic biomass into industrial feedstocks while meeting India's NDC targets. The report calls for more rigorous carbon accounting, including species-level inventories and spatially explicit monitoring, to build a credible foundation for a climate-positive forest economy. This positions Himachal as a potential model for other states looking to monetize natural capital while advancing climate goals.