How to obtain green credits from tree plantation in India
| Introduction |
|---|
| Green credit refers to the credits acquired through tree plantation activities, as defined in the Green Credit Rules, 2023. These credits are earned based on the quantity of trees planted and the area they cover. Green credits can be utilized to fulfill compensatory afforestation requirements in case of forest land diversion, offsetting carbon emissions, reporting under ESG and CSR, or traded on a marketplace. |
| Eligibility |
| Individuals, Companies, NGOs |
| Documents Required |
| Proposal for undertaking tree plantation for generation of Green Credit. [Land area =>5 ha] |
| Fees Structure |
| Project-to-project basis |
| Application Process |
| 1. Apply through MoEFCC; the online portal will soon be launched. 2. Upon application receipt, the administrator identifies degraded land parcels, such as open forest, scrub land, wasteland, and catchment areas, managed by the Forest Department, and assigns them to the applicant. 3. The Administrator issues a demand note, detailing tree plantation costs and administrative expenses, to be paid within a specified period. 4. The applicant pays the amount via bank draft or other means specified by the Administrator within the stipulated timeframe. 5. After payment, the Administrator instructs the Forest Department to conduct tree plantation in line with the management plan, to be completed within two years from payment date. 6. Upon tree plantation completion, the Forest Department provides a completion report and issues a certificate to the applicant. 7. The Administrator evaluates the plantation activity, based on the report and certification, and may generate and issue Green Credit to the applicant, as per the Rules1. |
Resources:
i) Notification on Methodology for calculation of green credit in respect of tree plantation – Gazette ID: CG-DL-E-26022024-252377
Page Credits: Rajdeep Pandey
Green credit is calculated at one credit per tree grown on the assigned land parcel, with a minimum density of 1100 trees per hectare, based on local conditions certified by the Forest Department.↩︎