Consider the following paragraph and using the code given below identify the state referred to in the paragraph : The state has huge potential in carbon trading, thanks to its vast forest reserve. Nearly 88 per cent area of the state is covered by forest, against the national average of 33 per cent. In the North-East India, this is the first state to take initiative in carbon trading. Code :

The state referred to in the paragraph is Mizoram. According to the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2019, Mizoram has the highest percentage of forest cover in India at 85.41%, which closely aligns with the 'nearly 88 per cent' mentioned in the prompt. Other North-Eastern states like Arunachal Pradesh (79.63%) and Meghalaya (76.33%) have significantly lower percentages. Mizoram has been a pioneer in the North-East for carbon trading initiatives, leveraging its vast carbon sequestration potential. The state's Climate Change Action Plan and various forestry projects emphasize its role in carbon stock management. While Arunachal Pradesh holds the highest total carbon stock due to its larger size, Mizoram's exceptionally high forest-to-land ratio and early policy initiatives in carbon credit mechanisms distinguish it as the first in the region to actively pursue these market-based environmental strategies.

Sources

1. [1] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation and National Parks > Table 5.2 > p. 10