India’s green vegetation plays a crucial role in mitigating climate change by sequestering CO? from the atmosphere. The decline in green cover due to natural as well as anthropogenic disturbances raises concerns about its long-term effectiveness in carbon sequestration. A novel study led by Dr Dhanyalekshmi Pillai and Dr Aparnna Ravi from the Greenhouse Modelling and Applications group in IISERB has developed an innovative approach using plant fluorescence detected by satellite radiance measurements along with physics-based models to quantify the carbon sequestration potential of Indian biomes. This methodological development and dissemination of application at a national level leverage recent high-resolution satellite techniques for the terrestrial carbon budget, which are of the first kind all over India. The findings reveal that while India’s ecosystems absorb more carbon than they emit—sequestering between 380 to 530 million tonnes annually—this trend is declining due to climate extremes. Central India's deciduous forests, for instance, act as carbon sources, releasing 210 million tonnes of carbon per year as respiration surpasses primary productivity. In contrast, evergreen forests remain highly efficient in CO? uptake, and croplands contribute significantly due to their vast coverage. This research is supported by the ongoing collaboration involving IISER Bhopal, Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry Germany, the University of Exeter United Kingdom, and India’s National Remote Sensing Centre. These insights are vital for shaping India’s emission reduction policies, supporting its 2070 net-zero goal, and strengthening climate resilience through effective ecosystem management and sustainable land-use strategies. More details at https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/2752-664X/adabed
