By — Mani Meghana Godavarthi

Abstract

Kerala is considered the most sustainable state of India, and it has successfully taken steps to ensure that it protects its biodiversity. However, these intra-state measures are heavily negated by external factors and nationwide problems, which act as a counter to the state’s efforts. It is essential to learn from this state to conserve the environment aggressively and to counter the external challenges to prevent adverse socio-economic effects. This article discusses briefly the conservation steps taken by Kerala and the challenges faced by it. 

Introduction

Kerala is the 9th smallest state (excluding union territories, 14th smallest otherwise) in India and is approximately 1.3% of the total area of India. A narrow strip of land in the southwest corner of India is rich in its culture and heritage, and also geographically gifted with its rich biodiversity. Also known as God’s own country, it is full of serene landscapes, soothing backwaters, forests, and beaches, making it an ideal place for conservation and sustainability. Growing up, I have always heard about the breathtaking beauty of Kerala and how effective it is in conserving its environmental heritage. The Western Ghats, where Kerala is located, are considered one of the “hottest hotspots” of biological diversity and are ranked at the top of Niti Aayog’s SDG India Index for 2023-2024. 

Kerala is one of the most successful states when it comes to environmental conservation, at least for now. Rapid decline in environmental conditions paired with rapid urbanisation suggests that maybe the state can not hold on longer and will give in to the ecologically disruptive form of development that is widely prevalent. In this article, I aim to examine Kerala’s strengths and shortcomings when it comes to handling environmental challenges and conservation, and how increasing intractability is leading to dire social consequences.

Environmental Achievements

Conservation Efforts:

Kerala is rich in its biodiversity, with 25% of India’s plant species being stowed away carefully in its dense forests. With 6 national parks and 18 sanctuaries, Kerala hosts endemic animal species such as Asian Elephants. The state establishes Biodiversity management committees in all local self-government institutions. The Mankulam forest division started using AI-based technology for surveillance to identify poaching patterns and monitor wildlife movement, and helps in habitat preservation by helping the team customise their approaches to conservation. As more places are being brought under the jurisdiction of the Kerala Forest Act, 1961, and being turned into protected forests, such as the 364.93 hectares of land in Chinnakanal village. Non-profit organisations such as the Community Environmental Resource Centre (CERC) under the Ashoka Trust for Research and Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) have been front-runners in the conservation of the Vembanad wetland system, which is the largest tropical wetland ecosystem on the southwest coast of India. A student-led environmental initiative released endangered fish species into the river to protect the Periyar ecosystem.

Eco-Tourism:

Ecotourism is defined as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserve the environment, sustain the well-being of the local people, and involve interpretation and education.” Kerala is a frontrunner in this sector. India’s first planned ecotourism destination is Thenmala in Kerala, which was launched in 1999. The state quickly embraced its ecological system and promoted various initiatives, such as the Kumarakom Responsible Tourism Initiative and Wayanad’s eco-tourism projects, to promote low-impact tourism. The state is planning to declare more places as ‘Green Tourism Destinations’ to promote sustainable waste management and environmental conservation. They further aim to enhance the state’s infrastructural facilities to better accommodate such sustainable practices. Kerala was awarded the TOFTigers Sanctuary Asia Award for sustainable tourism in 2024. Likely, development does not match the rate at which ecotourism is growing. This, unfortunately, can lead to waste accumulation, over-commercialisation and habitat disturbance; however, recent steps taken by the state underscore their aims to enhance infrastructure to accommodate such sustainable practices shows their commitment towards conservation.

Government initiatives:

‘Haritha Keralam’ is a mission launched in 2016 with three sub-missions concerning water conservation, sanitation and waste management, and agriculture. The government, to achieve a garbage-free environment, started the ‘Malinya Muktha Nava Keralam’ campaign that began in October 2024 and will continue till March 2025. Among other things, this project focuses on green planning, too. Under this campaign, the government mobilised the local government to achieve the ‘green town’ tag, which can only be achieved by adhering to strict guidelines regarding waste segregation and management. Four districts other than Kasaragod are leading the campaign, with an average of 90% litter-free districts in Kerala. The government also began grading government offices based on their adherence to environmentally sustainable and hygiene practices, and this is extended to educational institutions as well. Most recently, the current forest minister of Kerala has urged towards people-led waste management in forest areas.

Environmental Challenges

Climate Change

On February 20, 2025, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a heatwave alert in Kerala as the predicted temperature was 2-3 degrees Celsius greater than the yearly average of the previous years. Parts of Kerala in January 2025, a winter month, recorded temperatures as high as 36 degrees. The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), categorised Kerala as extremely vulnerable to natural hazards induced by climate change. Kerala is especially flood-prone and is on its path to becoming even more flood-prone due to climate change. Erratic monsoon patterns have increased the risk of extreme weather events. Climate change-induced temperatures and weather irregularities harm the local flora and fauna heavily due to their dependence on the conditional environment in which they grow. 

Urbanisation

The Economic Review of 2024 projected a 96% urbanisation rate for Kerala by 2036. Kerala has a decentralised waste management system. However, due to rapid urbanisation and population growth paired with a lack of infrastructure or underutilised resources, the vegetative cover of the state has significantly decreased, and between 2001 and 2016, the state lost more than 22% of its original natural cover due to urbanisation, which affected the state’s biodiversity. 11% of the total geographic area is being desertified due to human activities such as the conversion of forest areas into plantations heavily impact biodiversity and also cause acute food and water shortages. This is not limited to Kerala, as the Western Ghats lost 40% of the original vegetation between 1920 and 1990. Surge in tourism and ancillary activities has also proven costly to the state, as it has aggravated the impact of natural disasters. Ecologist Madhav Gadgil had said that 85% of the quarries in Kerala are illegal. Illegal and uncontrolled activities have aggravated natural disasters like the most recent Wayanad landslide, and also played a role as the causes of these natural disasters.

Water Scarcity and Pollution  

Despite being a coastal state, Kerala faces severe drought as 2567 local body wards are water-stressed. Kasaragod is experiencing the highest water stress, with 24.74% of the district suffering from drought-like conditions. A survey focused on identifying panchayats that are water-stressed found that a lot of them fall on the poor to average spectrum in terms of water availability. Kerala is considered a hotspot for depleting groundwater reserves. A shortage of drinking water has been prevalent in the state since last year it does not look like it will be solved anytime soon. The Kallai river was deemed critically polluted by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) last year. The water quality of the Periyar River also does not meet the primary water quality criteria for outdoor bathing, as high faecal contamination was detected in the water sample drawn from this river between January 2022 and August 2024. Contaminated water has serious effects on the local biodiversity, especially on animals that are subject to drinking toxic waters that are extremely harmful and deadly. 

Opinion

Kerala’s environmental challenges are producing profound social consequences that threaten community stability and well-being. Climate vulnerability has directly contributed to population displacement. The 2018 floods and the Wayanad Floods of 2024 resulted in mass displacement and environmental degradation, which further exacerbated the economic vulnerabilities for those below the poverty line. It forced them to rebuild their entire life as a result of the disaster aftermath. Public health is also a serious issue that has to be considered in these situations, as implications include a rise in waterborne diseases. While Kerala has achieved remarkable conservation successes, its failure to fully address the social dimensions of environmental change threatens these gains, demonstrating the inseparability of environmental and social sustainability in addressing future challenges.

Conclusion

Kerala has made significant strides in environmental conservation, emerging as a model state for sustainability with its strong biodiversity conservation efforts, eco-tourism initiatives, and government-led green campaigns. However, climate change, rapid urbanisation, and resource mismanagement are leading to severe consequences, including habitat destruction, population displacement, and health hazards. There is a growing strain on natural resources, especially water. It is important to step up and counter the accelerating threats to protect the progress achieved by the state towards sustainability and balance out external factors. There should be well-defined policies, stronger governance, and community-driven conservation efforts to further the state’s future ecological resilience to manage the interconnectedness between ecological stability and social well-being and truly make it ‘God’s Own Country’.

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Author’s bio

Mani Meghana Godavarthi is a second-year BBA LLB student at Jindal Global Law School.

Image Source: Thenmala Eco-Tourism, Thenmala Kollam Kerala India | Digital Keralam