Why in News?
India launched its first Guide to Grasslands and Other Open Natural Ecosystems (ONEs) at the 17th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
About
- The guide documents India's diverse grasslands, savannas, deserts and other open natural ecosystems.
- Major landscapes covered include: Himalayan and Terai grasslands, Thar and Banni landscapes, Deccan savannas, Rocky plateaus and ravines, Scrublands, Coastal ecosystems and Desert environments
- It provides information on their geography, ecology, biodiversity and associated communities and tribes.
- These ecosystems support biodiversity, soil and water processes, carbon storage and pastoral, livestock-based and agricultural livelihoods.
- The guide will support conservation, restoration and sustainable management of open natural ecosystems.
- It also contributes to India's efforts towards achieving Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) targets.
- The initiative highlights the need for scientific assessment, landscape-level planning and stronger conservation measures for ecosystems often undervalued due to the absence of trees.
