Why in news?
At a climate conference in September 2025 experts argued that the transition to a green economy must be rooted in landscapes. Rather than focusing only on technology and carbon metrics, they advocated for place‑based approaches that restore ecosystems and ensure that economic growth benefits local communities.
What is a landscape‑based green economy?
A landscape‑based green economy recognises that economic activities take place within specific ecological and cultural settings. It emphasises the integrated management of land, water, biodiversity and human livelihoods across an entire region rather than within administrative boundaries. By aligning economic development with ecological restoration, it aims to reduce greenhouse‑gas emissions, conserve biodiversity and improve social equity.
Key principles
- Holistic planning: Assess the entire landscape, including forests, farms, wetlands and settlements, to understand how interventions in one area affect others.
- Community participation: Involve local people—especially indigenous groups, women and marginal farmers—in decision‑making. Their traditional knowledge can guide sustainable land use.
- Nature‑based solutions: Encourage reforestation, watershed protection, agro‑ecology and soil regeneration. Such measures enhance carbon sequestration and support livelihoods.
- Equitable benefit sharing: Ensure that profits from green businesses (such as ecotourism, renewable energy and sustainable agriculture) are shared with local residents. Avoid displacing communities or creating “green enclosures.”
Applications and examples
In India, landscape approaches are being piloted in degraded forest regions where joint forest management committees work with state agencies to restore tree cover and improve incomes through non‑timber forest products. Watershed development programmes integrate soil conservation with crop diversification, improving both yields and groundwater recharge. On the global stage, the Great Green Wall initiative in Africa and landscape restoration pledges under the Bonn Challenge show how countries are blending reforestation with sustainable agriculture.
Challenges and opportunities
Implementing landscape approaches requires coordination across ministries and districts, long‑term funding and flexible policies that accommodate local realities. Monitoring outcomes—such as carbon sequestration, biodiversity recovery and livelihood gains—can be complex. Nevertheless, embracing landscapes as the unit of planning can unlock synergies between climate action and rural development. It encourages people to see themselves as stewards of their environment rather than mere users of resources.