Environment News

India’s Open Natural Ecosystems

September 3 , 2026 7 hrs 0 min 84 0

India launched its first Guide to Grasslands and Other Open Natural Ecosystems of India at the 17th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
The guide recognises grasslands, savannas, deserts, scrublands, ravines and rocky plateaus as important ecosystems instead of “wastelands”.
It covers ecosystems such as the Thar Desert, Banni grasslands, Deccan savannas, Aravalli scrublands, Yamuna-Chambal ravines and Tamil Nadu’s Theri Kaadu.
It was developed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) with institutions including the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
The guide highlights biodiversity, soil carbon, hydrology and pastoral livelihoods, including communities such as Raikas, Dhangars, Gujjars and Bakarwals.
It stresses that tree planting is not always suitable, as species such as the Great Indian Bustard and Blackbuck depend on open habitats, which also store significant below-ground carbon.