MP Tops in implementing the Centre’s Green Credit Programme (GCP)

Utkarsh Classes Last Updated 17-04-2024

MP Tops in implementing the Centre’s Green Credit Programme (GCP)

Madhya Pradesh 4 min read

Madhya Pradesh is leading in implementing the Green Credit Programme (GCP) of the Centre. The GCP has approved the plantation of trees in over 500 land parcels, covering 4,980 hectares across 10 states in the past two months.

MP reported the highest area of approved degraded forest land for plantation or greening exercises, followed by Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, and Assam.
The other states where such land parcels have been approved are Bihar, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Odisha.
More than 10,000 hectares of land have been identified for the GCP across these states. Fourteen public sector undertakings and other entities have been registered to undertake plantations on degraded forest lands and earn green credits.
Individuals, industries, philanthropies, and local bodies can also participate voluntarily in the GCP.
The GCP aims to encourage non-carbon environmental positive actions that benefit local soil, water, and ecosystems. It is not just about carbon sequestration and emphasizes the selection of tree species that promote assisted natural regeneration and indigenous species.
The relevant forest department, the entity that has selected the land and the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) will select tree species based on the biodiversity of each degraded forest land block.

Green Credit Programme (GCP)

The Green Credit Programme (GCP) is a new market-based mechanism that aims to encourage voluntary environmental actions across various sectors.
This programme incentivizes individuals, communities, private sector industries, and companies to take part in environmental activities such as water conservation and afforestation.
To ensure the programme's effectiveness, the GCP has a governance framework supported by an inter-ministerial Steering Committee, and the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) is the GCP Administrator, responsible for monitoring, managing, and operating the programme.
To participate in the GCP, individuals and entities must register their activities through the central government's dedicated app/website www.moefcc-gcp.in.
The GCP has developed draft methodologies to set benchmarks for each activity/process, ensuring environmental impact and fungibility across sectors. Once verified, the Administrator will issue a Green Credit certificate that will be tradable on the green credit platform.
The Green Credit Registry and trading platform, being developed by ICFRE along with experts, will facilitate buying and selling of Green Credits.
The GCP prioritizes a user-friendly digital platform to streamline the processes for registration of projects, their verification, and issuance of Green Credits.
Small projects can be self-verified, while designated agencies will verify larger projects. By implementing these measures, the GCP aims to encourage environmental conservation and promote sustainable practices across diverse sectors of society.