Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav highlighted India’s approach towards financing land restoration, climate adaptation and drought resilience during a ministerial dialogue at the UNCCD CoP17 held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Speaking at the session on “Innovative Financial Mechanisms for Healthy Land and Drought Resilience”, Yadav said that land restoration should be viewed as an investment in food security, water resources, biodiversity, livelihoods and long-term environmental resilience. He emphasised that tackling desertification, land degradation and drought on a large scale requires predictable and sustained financial resources beyond traditional government budgets.
The minister highlighted the importance of combining public funding with private sector participation through innovative green-finance models.
Editorial Insight
Key Highlights
Important points readers should notice.
Event: UNCCD CoP17
Location: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Speaker: Bhupender Yadav
Focus Areas: Land restoration, drought resilience, green finance
Key Initiatives: Green Credit Programme, Sovereign Green Bonds
India’s Green Finance Framework
Bhupender Yadav highlighted India’s blended green-finance framework, which supports climate adaptation, sustainable land use, forestry, agriculture, afforestation and biodiversity conservation. He also pointed towards Sovereign Green Bonds as an important mechanism to mobilise capital for environmental and climate-related projects.
According to the minister, such financial instruments can help create long-term funding support for restoration projects and climate resilience programmes.
Editorial Analysis
Why This Matters
Climate change, land degradation and water stress are directly linked with food security and livelihoods. Financing remains one of the biggest challenges in achieving large-scale environmental restoration. India’s focus on green finance models reflects an attempt to create long-term funding mechanisms where government resources, private investment and community participation work together.
Green Credit Programme
The minister also highlighted India’s Green Credit Programme, which enables individuals, organisations and institutions to contribute towards restoration of degraded forest land.
Under the programme, credits are issued after five years of restoration work and achieving at least 40 per cent canopy density. These credits can be used for purposes including compensatory afforestation, statutory plantation requirements and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) obligations.
