The GIM was announced by the Prime Minister as one of the eight missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). The aims of the GIM include addressing climate change by enhancing carbon sinks in the sustainably managed forests and other ecosystems, adaptation of vulnerable species and ecosystems to the changing climate and adaptation of the forest dependant local communities in the face of climatic variability.

The targets set in the GIM also include the afforestation of 6 million hectares of degraded forest lands and expansion of the national forest cover proportion from 23 per cent to 33 per cent of the country’s total geographical area.

The GIM is part of the NAPCC which recognises that climate change phenomena will severely affect and alter the distribution, type and quality of the natural resources of the country and the associated livelihoods of the people.

The GIM aims at addressing climate change by enhancing carbon sinks in sustainably managed forests and other ecosystems, enhancing the resilience and ability of vulnerable species and ecosystems to adapt to the changing climate and enabling adaptation of forests and dependent communities in the face of climatic variability.

The three main objectives of the mission are to double the area to be taken up for afforestation and eco-restoration in Indian in the next 10 years to 20 million hectares, increase the GHG removals by India’s forests to 6.35 per cent of India’s annual total GHG emissions by the year 2020.

The Centre for Environment Education (CEE) has been commissioned to hold seven regional consultations across the nation to help finalise the draft. The Director General of Forests Dilip Kumar, Government officials, members of local bodies and researchers are among those slated to participate in the public consultation to be held at ICFRE in Dehradun on Tuesday.