Western Ghats conservation efforts advance in Kerala and Karnataka

Efforts to manage and protect the Western Ghats are progressing through different administrative approaches in Kerala and Karnataka.

In Kerala, the state government is preparing a formal response to a central government proposal to designate ecologically sensitive areas (ESAs) within the mountain range. Kerala intends to submit objections by September 25, specifically seeking to exclude 33 settled villages, agricultural lands, and plantations from the protected zone to safeguard local livelihoods. The state aims to ensure that conservation efforts focus on forested areas while minimizing restrictions on inhabited regions.

Meanwhile, in Karnataka, the Western Ghats Conservation Task Force Committee (WGCTFC) has proposed the establishment of the Karnataka Western Ghats Carbon Credit Corporation. The proposal seeks to create a framework for ecological monetization and carbon credit integration, potentially turning the region's carbon sinks into a revenue stream for farmers and estate owners. If implemented, this would integrate the region with the Global Carbon Market and India’s Green Credit Programme. The committee has requested 25 crore rupees in seed capital to begin biomass surveys and high-precision mapping.