Fri Dec 05 00:30:00 UTC 2025: ## News Article: India’s Grasslands: Undervalued Ecosystems Hold Key to Climate Goals
New Delhi – December 5, 2025: For decades, India’s biodiverse semi-arid grasslands and savannas have been dismissed as “wastelands.” However, groundbreaking research is highlighting their critical role in carbon sequestration and the livelihoods they support. A recent study in Maharashtra’s Malshiras forest range, detailed in The Hindu’s “View From India,” demonstrates that restoring degraded grasslands can significantly increase soil organic carbon (SOC), with restored sites showing up to 50% greater SOC than untreated areas within three years.
Another study in Gujarat’s Banni Grassland, once the largest tropical grassland in Asia, reveals the remarkable carbon sequestration potential of community-led restoration efforts. After removing invasive mesquite and allowing native grasses to regenerate, restored grassland patches in Banni were found to be among the most carbon-rich arid ecosystems globally.
These findings underscore the importance of shifting away from policies that undervalue grasslands and towards prioritizing their conservation and restoration. Experts at the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) emphasize that participatory, community-led management is key to unlocking the climate resilience potential of these ecosystems.
As the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reminds us, soils hold twice as much carbon as the atmosphere and all living biomass combined. On World Soil Day 2025, these studies serve as a crucial reminder that India’s climate-resilient future depends on recognizing and restoring the vital role of its grasslands.
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