national environmental policy of: india hari srinivas room: i-312 / 079-565-7406 international...

NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY OF:

INDIA

HARI SRINIVASROOM: I -312 / 079 -565-7406

International Environmental Policy

India and Japan

• Land Area: India is about 10 times the size of Japan, It takes three days and four nights to travel from the south of India to the north by train!

• Population: For every Japanese, there are 10 Indians

• GDP: India is still a developing country - Japan’s economy is three times bigger than India. One Japanese person produces the same GDP as four Indians!

Environmental Problems in India

Pollution. Deforestation. Wildlife trade. The aspirations and lifestyles of more than one billion people. These are some of the critical environmental issues that India grapples with every day.

Pollution: • Water• Air• Solid waste• Land/Soil• Greenhouse gas

emissions, including CO2

Population growth

Poor Environment

al quality

Environmental Problems

Environmental problems grew out of:

• Population growth

• Changes in Lifestyles

• Lack of awareness of negative impacts on the environment

… and not just due to

economic growth

Environmental Problems

Population size and growth

Need more land

Need more food

Need more

resources

Need more water

Produce more waste

Emit more GHGs

Create air

pollution

DEFORESTATION

INTENSIVEAGRICULTURE

MINING

GROUND WATER

EN

VIR

ON

ME

NTA

L D

EG

RA

DA

TIO

N

EN

VIR

ON

ME

NTA

L P

OL

LU

TIO

N

Causes of Environmental Problems

Environmental Problems

Agricultural Practices

Lifestyle Issues

Population growth

Economic Activity

FOOD SECURITY

URBANIZATION

POVERTYREDUCTIO

N

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Causes of degradation

The Underlying Causes of Environmental Degradation in India:

Social Factors Economic Factors Institutional Factors

Causes of degradation

Social Factors Economic Factors Institutional Factors

Population

Poverty

Urbanization

Causes of degradation

Social Factors Economic Factors Institutional Factors

• Poorly functioning markets for environmental goods and services

• Market distortions created by price controls and subsidies

• Manufacturing technology of industries

• Expansion of chemical based industry

• Growing transport activities, including expansion of port and harbour activities.

Causes of degradation

Social Factors Economic Factors Institutional Factors

• Lack of awareness and infrastructure makes implementation of most of the laws relating to environment, extremely difficult and ineffective.:

• Costs• Human resources• Curruption • Other issues

India’s Development Paths

Essential focus: economic growth and poverty alleviation

Pre – 1970 Asset Creation & Redistribution

1970s and 1980s Income and Employment Generation

1990s Liberalization and Globalization Environment Awareness and Integration

Post 2000 Towards Inclusive Growth Climate Awareness and Integration Green Economy

Environmental Policy Roots

Ancient India:

Lifestyle and behaviour

Colonial India:

Pollution of air, water and landWildlife trade

Modern India:

Pollution control,Conservation

strategies,Link to

development,Green economy

Environmental Policy Roots

The Water Act (1988) The Constitution of India (1976) The Air Act (1987)

The Environmental Protection Act of 1986 The Environmental Protection Rules of 1986 The Product Liability Insurance Act of 1991

Agenda 21 Precautionary Principle Polluter Pays Principle

UN Conference on Human Environment,

1972

Bhopal Gas Tragedy, 1984

Earth Summit, 1992

Environmental Policy

National Environment Policy

It is the first initiative in strategy-formulation for environmental protection in a comprehensive manner.

It undertakes a diagnosis of the causes of environmental degradation with a view to identifying solutions required.

It recognizes that economic and financial policies need to take account of their unintentional impacts on environmental degradation.

Environmental Action:

• Demo projects• Opening

markets• Partnerships• Monitoring• Education• Technology

development• …

Legislative Framework

Constitution:

Fundamental Rights, Principles

of State Policy, Fundamental

Duties

Legislative Framework:

• Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974

• Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act, 1977

• Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981

• Atomic Energy Act of 1982 • Motor Vehicles Act ,1988• The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 • The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 • Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (EPA) • The National Environment Appellate

Authority Act, 1997 • Public Liability Insurance Act (PLIA), 1991 • National Environment Tribunal Act, 1995

Institutional Framework

Central Government Ministry of Environment & Forests and its

regional officesCentral Pollution Control Board and its regional

offices

State Government: State Dept of EnvironmentState Pollution Control Board / State Pollution

Control Committee

Multistakeholder Participation

Government ministries at national and state level

High courts and the Supreme Court

NGO sector

Mass Media

Business and Indutry

Example: Judicial Process

The High Courts and Supreme Court of India have intervened a number of times to protext the environment:

Public Trust Precautionary Principle Polluter Pays Principle Liability Principle Sustainable Development

Courts have used these principles

to order the government to take action on

the environment

Economic Policies

Environmental “Protection”?

Economic policies

Environmental Policies

Environmental policies

Right now, economic policies and environmental policies are in “conflict”

Environmental issues need to be made a part of economic growth and development policies

Integrated Environmental

Management Policies

Policy Focus

Industrial Policies

Urbanization Policies

PolicyFocus

Inclusive Growth

and Green

Economy

Preserving the

Environment

Emerging Challenges for India

Pollution Control

Emerging Challenges for India

• Steering a Rapidly Developing Economy– Macro-economic Issues– Globalisation and International Trade

• Integrating Poor and Vulnerable Communities– Internal Security and Inclusive Growth– Migration and Trans-boundary Issues

• Reducing Ecosystems Damage and Climate Change

Emerging Challenges for India

POSITIVE STRENGTHs THAT COULD

LEAD TO A “GREEN INDIA”

Green Economy strategies

Global Image and brand nameStrong

democratic institutions

Aware and educated

professionals

India is an Enigma!

v/sPressures of economic growth and development

Very aware and democratic

society

How can India balance …

India is an Enigma!

v/sActive roles played by non-state actors, including legal courts

Government as a key policy

maker

How can India balance …

India is an Enigma!

v/sActive roles played by non-state actors, including legal courts

Government as a key policy

maker

How can India balance …

India is an Enigma!

v/s Pressure from huge population

Genuine efforts to protect the environment

How can India balance …

Contact me …

Prof. Hari SrinivasRoom: I-312

Tel: 079-565-7406Email: hari.srinivas@kwansei.ac.jp

Class website:

http://www.gdrc.info/iep