Determining the effectiveness of the forest load capacity factor in assisting decarbonization in India

The atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide (CO₂) has increased dramatically due to various human activities, with deforestation playing an important role. Forests act as carbon sinks and have the capacity to absorb CO₂ and other harmful emissions from the atmosphere. In particular, the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)-15 (Life on Land) addresses the importance of reforestation and forest management. Accordingly, this study analyzes the impact of the forest load capacity factor and renewable energy on CO₂ emissions in the context of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis. For this purpose, the study focuses on India from 1990 to 2021. The empirical results indicate that (i) the EKC hypothesis is valid; (ii) the forest load capacity factor has an inhibitory effect on CO₂ emissions; and (iii) renewable energy consumption has no significant effect on ecological degradation. This study points to the crucial role of forest load capacity for ecological sustainability. Moreover, renewable energy sources do not seem to be a viable option to achieve India's environmental goals. Therefore, the Indian government should focus on improving afforestation and forest conservation policies to improve ecological conditions.