As India advances its economic and urban development agenda, sustainability has become a foundational priority for the real estate sector. Climate change, environmental degradation, and evolving regulatory expectations are increasingly influencing development models, investment decisions, and operational frameworks. In response, developers are embedding sustainability across the value chain, through green building practices, energy-efficient technologies, and ESG-aligned strategies, supporting India’s broader climate commitments, including net-zero emissions by 2070 and a 45% reduction in carbon intensity by 2030.
While reducing emissions is vital, restoring natural ecosystems is equally critical. Reforestation presents a strategic opportunity to enhance climate resilience, improve environmental quality, and ensure long-term urban sustainability. Given the sector’s influence on land use and expansion, integrating ecological restoration into planning can help safeguard natural buffers and strengthen the resilience of growth corridors. However, reforestation in India faces multiple challenges, including land ownership conflicts, lack of scientific planning, and inconsistent maintenance efforts—which often hinder long-term impact. Addressing these barriers is crucial to ensuring that restoration efforts deliver meaningful ecological value.
In this context, two of India’s most critical ecological zones, the Aravalli Hills and the Western Ghats (Sahyadri Hills), demand urgent and targeted restoration. The Aravallis, among the world’s oldest mountain ranges, act as a natural barrier against desertification, safeguard groundwater reserves, and support biodiversity across Northern India. Acknowledging their ecological significance, the government recently announced the ‘Green Wall’ project to restore degraded stretches and expand green cover. Similarly, the Western Ghats, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world’s eight major biodiversity hotspots—regulate monsoons, anchor rivers that support 245 million people, and host over 7,400 species, including 325 listed as globally endangered. However, forest cover in the region has dropped to just 16–18%, far below the recommended 33%, threatening its role in sustaining biodiversity, agriculture, and climate resilience. Both regions are under growing pressure from deforestation and unplanned development, making reforestation essential to preserving their ecological function and the wellbeing of millions who depend on them.
To complement national restoration efforts, it is imperative that the private sector plays an active and responsible role. Within the real estate industry, reforestation is increasingly viewed as a strategic contributor to climate resilience and sustainable development. As the representative voice of the sector, CREDAI is advancing a scientifically grounded, landscape-based approach to ecological restoration through the establishment of the CREDAI Green India Council. The initiative will commence in the Western Ghats region of Nashik, in collaboration with the Raah Foundation, where 25 villages have been identified under the Community Forest Rights (CFR) framework. In its initial phase, the effort will focus on the reforestation of approximately 9,000 acres of degraded forest land. With requisite approvals from relevant authorities, CREDAI is undertaking the regeneration of these landscapes, emphasizing not only the enhancement of green cover, but also the restoration of biodiversity, improvement of soil health, strengthening of water retention, and augmentation of community livelihoods. This initiative underscores the sector’s evolving commitment to embedding environmental stewardship within its broader development agenda.
Conclusion
Sustainability has evolved from a value-add to a strategic imperative across all real estate asset classes. Advancing this transition requires a cohesive ecosystem, driven by developer participation, supportive policy frameworks, streamlined green certifications, and rising consumer awareness.
With government focus shifting toward green infrastructure and homebuyers actively seeking environmentally responsible living, the sector is well-positioned to lead the change. By extending its commitment beyond buildings to include ecological restoration, the real estate industry can play a pivotal role in shaping a greener, more resilient India.
