India is re-evaluating its grasslands, previously considered ‘wastelands’, recognizing them as vital ecosystems. This shift coincides with global climate talks pushing market-based land restoration, including carbon and biodiversity credit schemes.
However, concerns exist that these new schemes might adopt outdated plantation logic. Measuring soil carbon is difficult, and legal protections for common lands are weak. The primary challenge is ensuring pastoral communities retain control over their rangelands as these market-based approaches are designed and implemented.
Source: Down To Earth