Chhattisgarh is doing something new and important: they're trying to include the value of their forests in their economy. This is called "Green GDP."
Here's a simple explanation:
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What is Green GDP?
o
Regular
GDP only measures how much money a country makes. Green GDP also takes into
account the cost to the environment of making that money. It looks at things
like pollution and using up natural resources.
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Why is Chhattisgarh doing this?
o
Chhattisgarh
has a lot of forests (44% of the state!). They want to show how important these
forests are to their economy, not just for timber, but for things like clean
air, clean water, and supporting local communities.
●
What are they measuring? They're trying to put a value on things
like:
o
Clean air: How much pollution the trees absorb.
o
Clean water: How the forests help provide clean water.
o
Biodiversity: How the forests support different plants
and animals.
o
Tourism: How forests support local jobs through things like
safaris.
●
Why is this important?
o
Better planning: By understanding the value of their
forests, the government can make better decisions about how to use them.
o
Sustainability: It helps them grow their economy without
destroying the environment.
o
Global trend: Other places like China, Bhutan, and the
European Union are also looking at Green GDP.
Challenges:
It's hard to put a monetary value on things like clean air and biodiversity.
Also, getting good data about environmental costs can be difficult.
In simple terms: Chhattisgarh wants to show that their forests are a valuable part
of their economy, not just for selling wood, but for providing important
services like clean air and water. They're trying to measure this value so they
can make better decisions for the future. This is part of a bigger global
effort to make sure we grow our economies in a way that doesn't harm the
planet.