Study Finds Underground Treasure Of Delhi’s Forests
New Delhi : In a city struggling with toxic air and rising temperatures, Delhi’s forests quietly hide an underground climate treasure. Researchers from Jawaharlal Nehru University and Delhi University found that urban forests in the national capital absorb large amounts of carbon from their trees and soils and have a production potential of over Rs 4 lakh per hectare through carbon credits.
The study said that one hectare of urban forest land within the JNU campus can store about 346.9 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent or about 3,46,900 kilograms. One hectare equals approximately 2.47 acres.
Researchers estimate the carbon credit value of this storage to be about $4,846, or more than Rs 4 lakh per hectare.
According to the research, the largest carbon storage occurs underground instead of in trees.
Soil organic carbon accounts for more than 43 percent of the total carbon stored in the ecosystem, the researchers said. The soil alone stored around 149.73 tonnes per hectare or around 1,49,730 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent, with an estimated carbon credit value of around US$ 2,096 or Rs 1.74 lakh per hectare.
Among the tree species, neem (Azadirachta indica) and babool (Acacia nilotica) emerged as the strongest carbon sinks in the forest ecosystem studied by the researchers.
The study found that neem trees store 55.10 tonnes per hectare or about 55,100 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent, with an estimated carbon credit value of over US$771 or Rs 64,000 crore. Babool trees stored 54.43 tonnes per hectare, or the equivalent of approximately 54,430 kilograms of carbon dioxide; this value is approximately US$762 or over Rs 63,000.
Researchers also found that litter, shrubs, plants, and belowground microbial activity on the forest floor contribute significantly to carbon storage; This showed that entire forest ecosystems, not just large trees, help absorb greenhouse gases.
Urban forests in Delhi, if properly protected and expanded, could become critical natural buffers against rising emissions and worsening climatic conditions in the city, researchers said.
The study noted that indigenous species such as neem and babool are particularly important in semi-arid urban conditions due to their high carbon storage potential and ability to survive in harsh climatic conditions.
Researchers also found that forests with more biodiversity and healthier soil store more carbon overall.
The findings come amid the Delhi government’s push to monetize pollution reduction through the Carbon Credit Monetization Framework approved by the Cabinet in January this year.
Under the framework, pollution reductions achieved through electric buses, plantation works, solar energy projects and waste management initiatives will be scientifically measured and converted into carbon credits that can be sold in national and international markets.
A carbon credit is essentially a tradable certificate representing one ton of carbon dioxide that has been removed or prevented from being released from the atmosphere. Governments and companies buy these credits to offset their emissions.
According to the statement made by the Prime Ministry, the Environment Department will appoint an expert institution through the tender process to identify projects suitable for carbon credits and register them under international standards.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the framework will help Delhi strengthen its climate action efforts while also providing additional revenue for development work.
For the study, researchers examined forest areas spread across the 1,019-acre JNU campus (about 412 hectares). They created five separate study areas and used stratified random sampling methods to record tree species, trunk diameter, tree height and biomass.
The researchers also collected soil samples to a depth of 30 centimeters and analyzed them in laboratories to measure organic carbon, nitrogen and microbial activity. The study recorded 11 dominant tree species with a total density of 826 trees per hectare.
