ENVIRONMENT IN INDIA: POLICIES, PROGRAMMES AND IMPLEMENTATION

ENVIRONMENT IN INDIA: POLICIES, PROGRAMMES AND IMPLEMENTATION

Administration

• Administered by Ministry of Environment and Forest
• Central Pollution Control Board established to assess and control water and air pollution
• Botanical Survery of India (BSI): established in 1980 for surveying and identifying plant resources
• Zoological Survey of India (ZSI): established in 1916 to survey endangered species and  undertake conservation efforts
• Forest Survey of India (FSI): established 1981, to survey forest resources

International environmental agreements that India is party to

Domain	Treaty	Enacted	Objectives	Highlights
Atmosphere	UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)	Rio de Janeiro, 1992 (Earth Summit)	Stablize greenhouse gases levels	National greenhouse gas inventories
Atmosphere	Kyoto Protocol (protocol to UNFCCC)	Kyoto, 1997	Combat global warming	Carbon credits Clean development mechanism U.S.A. only prominent country to not ratify
Atmosphere	Vienna Convention	Vienna, 1985	Protect ozone layer
Atmosphere	Montreal Protocol (protocol to Vienna Convention)	Montreal, 1987	Protect ozone layer	Ratified by all UN members
Hazardous substances	Basel Convention	Basel, 1989	Reduce movement of hazardous waste between nations	Does not cover radioactive waste Not ratified by USA
Hazardous substances	Rotterdam Convention	Rotterdam, 1998	Procedures for hazardous chemicals in international trade	Proper labeling of hazardous products
Hazardous substances	Stockholm Convention	Stockholm, 2001	Restrict the production and use of persistent organic pollutants	Bans DDT for agriculture, permits for mosquito control
Marine Environment	UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)	Jamaica, 1982	Regulations for national use of oceans	Set limits for territorial waters, exclusive economic zone etc Set economic and military rights in these zones
Marine environment	Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources	1982	Protect the ecosystem of the seas surrounding Antarctica
Marine environment	International Convention on the Regulation of Whaling	Washington DC, 1946	Protection from overhunting, regulation of whaling industry	Implemented by International Whaling Commissions
Nature conservation	Antarctic Treaty	Washington DC, 1959	Regulate international relations wrt Antarctica	Set aside Antarctica as scientific preserve Established freedom of scientific investigation Banned military activity
Nature conservation	Convention on Biological Diversity	Rio de Janeiro, 1992 (Earth Summit)	Conservation Sustainable use	Cartagena Protocol
Nature Conservation	Cartagena Protocol (supplement to CBD)	2000	Protect from risk posed by Living Modified Organisms	Procedures for handling and use of LMO Established Bio-safety Clearing House
Nature Conservation	Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora	Washington DC, 1973	Ensure trade in animals and plants does not threaten survival	Protects more than 33000 species Only one protected species (Spix’s Macaw) has become extinct
Nature Conservation	Convention on Wetlands of International Importance	Ramsar (Iran), 1971	Conservation and sustainable use of wetlands	Covers over 1.8 million sq km
Nature Conservation	UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)	Paris, 1994	Combat desertification Mitigate effect of drought	Only international framework to address desertification
Nuclear Safety	Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, In Outer Space and Underwater (PTBT/LTBT)	Moscow, 1963	Prohibits all test detonations of nuclear weapons except underground	Prominent non-signatories: France, China, North Korea
Nuclear Safety	Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage	Vienna, 1997	Defines financial liability for nuclear mishaps	Defines nuclear damage to include environment Liability not less than 300 million SDRs ($400m) Coastal states covered for damage during nuclear transport

Programmes

1. National River Conservation Plan
   • Prevent river pollution and improve water quality
     
   • Launched in 1985 with Ganges
   • Rivers covered: 37
   • Pollution load tackled: 3000 MLD
2. Ecomark Scheme of India
   • Label environment-friendly products
   • Launched in 1991
   • Follows a product from raw materials to manufacturing to disposal
   • Covers multiple product categories including soaps, paper, food items, lubricating oil etc
3. National Afforestation Programme
   • Objectives: ecological regeneration, development of water resources, employment generation
     
   • Implemented by Forest Development Agencies and Joint Forest Management Committees
4. National Action Programme to Combat Desertification
   • Implements provisions of UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
   • Improve quality of life of locals
   • Drought preparadness and mitigation
   • Assessment and mapping of land degradation
   • Overseen by Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur
   • India is host country for “Agro forestry and soil conservation in arid, semi arid and dry sub humid areas”