Female green tree monitors reportedly use termite mounds as nesting chambers, because they serve as perfect incubators. Termites regulate the mound's temperature, providing ideal conditions. The mounds also offer protection from predators.

A tree monitor's clutch size is typically three to seven eggs, which have an incubation period of 164 to 165 days. Multiple clutches have been occasionally reported with females in human care. The young grow rapidly, increasing their weight by up to 400 percent during the first three months of life, and their length by 150 to 200 percent. Both males and females reach reproductive maturity by age 2, although young males tend to grow faster than females and attain greater overall size.

Emerald tree monitors are protected under Indonesian law and likely occur in protected reserves within their native range. The species appears to be adaptable and can survive on plantations or in modified habitats, as long as some trees and prey items are available.

They have no significant threats in the wild and are present in the pet trade around the world where they appear to be well-managed through captive breeding programs. Wild populations of green tree monitors are not presently exploited by the pet-trade practice, and it is unlikely that the rate of future collection would pose a significant threat to the species.