Karnataka's Western Ghats Carbon Credit Corporation Proposal: Monetizing Carbon Sinks and Linking to Global Markets

Karnataka's Western Ghats Conservation Task Force Committee has submitted a proposal to the state government to create a Western Ghats Carbon Credit Corporation. The plan aims to turn existing carbon sinks, including farmland and estate land, into a non-tax revenue stream through carbon credits. The committee is asking for Rs 25 crore in seed capital to fund LiDAR mapping and biomass surveys to support the project. The proposal seeks to integrate with the Global Carbon Market under Article 6 of the Paris Accord and India's Green Credit Programme. If approved, Karnataka would become the first Indian state to set up such a corporation. The committee chair says the IISc research on ecological value and carbon credit scores is limited to research, while this proposal focuses on practical implementation. The next step is state government approval and allocation of funds.