CM Yogi Flags UP's Forest Cover Gains, Cites Carbon Data
Synopsis
The Chief Minister's Office of Uttar Pradesh, citing CM Yogi Adityanath, announced on 12 July 2026 that the state's mass afforestation drive has increased forest cover and achieved absorption of over 6.37 crore tonnes of CO2, sequestration of 1.73 crore tonnes of carbon, and emission of 4.63 crore tonnes of oxygen.
Key Takeaways
The Chief Minister's Office of Uttar Pradesh announced on 12 July 2026 that the state's tree-plantation drive has expanded forest cover.
CM Yogi Adityanath's statement claims absorption of 6,37,74,130 tonnes of carbon dioxide as a result of the campaign.
The state also reports sequestration of 1,73,90,000 tonnes of carbon and emission of 4,63,90,130 tonnes of oxygen.
The Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign, launched in 2024, has been central to institutionalising citizen participation in afforestation.
UP's afforestation efforts align with India's national target of 33 percent forest and tree cover and the country's net-zero goal by 2070 .
Independent verification of the cited figures awaits the next India State of Forest Report from the Forest Survey of India.
The Chief Minister's Office of Uttar Pradesh, citing Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, announced on Sunday, 12 July 2026 that the state's mass afforestation campaign has measurably increased forest cover and yielded significant carbon absorption figures, framing tree-plantation as a people's movement.
Translating the post: 'उत्तर प्रदेश में हमने वृक्षारोपण के महाअभियान को जन-आंदोलन बनाया है।' ('In Uttar Pradesh, we have turned the mega tree-plantation campaign into a people's movement.') The statement attributed to CM Yogi Adityanath goes on to claim that, as a result, the state has achieved absorption of 6,37,74,130 tonnes of carbon dioxide, sequestration of 1,73,90,000 tonnes of carbon, and emission of 4,63,90,130 tonnes of oxygen.
Context
The post was shared under the hashtags #एक_पेड़_माँ_के_नाम ('One Tree in Mother's Name'), #PragatiBhiPrakritiBhi ('Both Progress and Nature'), and #GoGreen_UP, signalling the state government's effort to link environmental action with civic identity. The Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign was launched in 2024 to institutionalise citizen participation by encouraging residents to plant a tree as a tribute to their mothers.
The announcement comes amid the run-up to the monsoon season, when state governments across India traditionally organise large-scale plantation drives. Uttar Pradesh has positioned itself as a leading contributor to national green-cover targets through successive annual drives.
Policy Backdrop
Uttar Pradesh began its large-scale afforestation push as early as 2016-17, when the state recorded one of the country's single-day plantation milestones, planting over 10 crore saplings. Successive drives have been organised under the state forest department, with citizen volunteers, schoolchildren, and gram sabhas enrolled as participants.
The state's initiative aligns with India's national commitment under the National Action Plan on Climate Change to increase forest and tree cover to 33 percent of the country's geographical area, and the broader net-zero target by 2070. Carbon sequestration from state-level plantation programmes is counted toward India's Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement.
Stakeholders and Impact
The primary beneficiaries of expanded green cover are Uttar Pradesh's estimated 24 crore residents, who stand to gain from improved air quality, reduced heat-island effects in urban areas, and enhanced groundwater recharge. The state forest department oversees verification and maintenance of planted saplings.
The Forest Survey of India, the central government body that periodically publishes the India State of Forest Report, tracks state-wise changes in forest and tree cover. Independent assessment of the carbon figures cited by the Chief Minister's Office would require cross-referencing with the next edition of that report.
What's Next
Attention will now turn to the release of the next India State of Forest Report by the Forest Survey of India, which will offer an independent measure of how much Uttar Pradesh's forest and tree cover has changed. Any revised plantation targets announced in the 2026-27 Uttar Pradesh state budget will also indicate the government's forward commitment on this front.
With the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign now in its second year, the state government is expected to announce fresh targets for the current monsoon plantation season, potentially expanding the drive to urban local bodies and industrial corridors.
Point of View
Moving from optics of scale to claims of measurable climate impact. This positions CM Yogi Adityanath ahead of the next state forest report cycle, giving the government a narrative benchmark before independent data arrives. The 'people's movement' framing also serves a dual purpose: it distributes credit for outcomes to citizens while insulating the administration from scrutiny over sapling survival rates, a persistent challenge in mass plantation drives across India. Broader context suggests this is part of a pattern among large states seeking to demonstrate climate credibility ahead of India's next NDC review.
NationPress
12 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign in Uttar Pradesh?
The Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam ('One Tree in Mother's Name') campaign is a tree-plantation initiative launched by the Uttar Pradesh government in 2024, encouraging citizens to plant a sapling as a tribute to their mothers and to institutionalise public participation in afforestation.
How much carbon dioxide has UP's plantation drive absorbed according to the government?
According to the Chief Minister's Office of Uttar Pradesh, the state's afforestation campaign has resulted in the absorption of 6,37,74,130 tonnes of carbon dioxide, sequestration of 1,73,90,000 tonnes of carbon, and emission of 4,63,90,130 tonnes of oxygen.
When did Uttar Pradesh start its large-scale tree plantation drives?
Uttar Pradesh began large-scale plantation drives in 2016-17, when the state planted over 10 crore saplings in a single day, and has continued annual drives since, with the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign formalising citizen participation from 2024 onwards.
Which body independently verifies UP's forest cover claims?
The Forest Survey of India, a central government organisation, periodically publishes the India State of Forest Report, which provides independent state-wise data on changes in forest and tree cover and would be the primary reference for verifying the state government's claims.
How does UP's afforestation drive connect to India's climate targets?
Uttar Pradesh's plantation campaign aligns with India's national goal of increasing forest and tree cover to 33 percent of geographical area and the country's net-zero emissions target by 2070 under its commitments to the Paris Agreement.
