Environmentalism in the 21st century is likely to be characterized by various efforts to implement the sustainable development agenda. International organizations such as the United Nations and the World Bank will be integral in developing effective global environmental policy. Similarly, at the national level, some authorities develop such national standards for the country itself. In India, the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) developed a policy to protect the environment. In this article we will discuss this policy, its features and its importance in detail:
What is National Environment Policy, 2006?
The National Environment Policy, 2006 was issued in August by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) to lay down a set of rules for environmental protection. It was welcomed wholeheartedly by environmentalists as it was high time that such rules were in place for prevention. There is a dire need. environmental degradation. Some important facts about National Environment Policy, 2006 are
| National Environment Policy, 2006 | |
|---|---|
| Draft National Environment Policy | The draft was introduced in 2004 |
| concerned ministry | Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) |
| the final policy has arrived | 2006 |
| applicability | Bread India |
Objectives of National Environment Policy, 2006
The objectives of the National Environment Policy, 2006 are given below:
- Protecting and preserving ecosystems and natural resources
- Affirming equitable access to environmental resources and quality for all sections of society
- To ensure rational use of environmental resources to meet the needs and aspirations of present and future generations.
- Incorporating environmental concerns into policies, plans, programs and projects for economic and social development.
- Ensuring efficient use of environmental resources in the sense of reduction in their use per unit of economic output, in order to reduce adverse environmental impacts.
- To apply the principles of good governance in the management and regulation of the use of environmental resources.
Importance of National Environment Policy, 2006
The National Environment Policy, 2006 is a comprehensive document encompassing the provisions that were earlier separated by separate Acts such as the National Forest Policy, 1988, National Agriculture Policy, 2000, National Population Policy, 2000 and National Water Policy, 2002 etc. -Were governed separately. This Act has made the environmental provisions more comprehensive and clear. The points showing the relevance of the policy are
- Encourages partnership among stakeholders: The policy encourages participation of various stakeholders, i.e. public agencies, local communities, academic and scientific institutions, investment community and international development partners in using their respective resources and powers for environmental management. Also tries to.
- Concerns over Freshwater Resources: While dealing with freshwater resources, the NEP expresses concern over the wasteful and inefficient use of surface as well as groundwater and points out several steps to be taken for conservation. The policy also mentions levying reasonable user charges to reflect water
- Biodiversity Conservation: Adequate attention has been given to biodiversity conservation in the NEP. An important objective of the Biological Diversity Act of 2002 is to check theft of biological materials and traditional knowledge and enforce Intellectual Property Rights (IPRS) on them. The policy reiterates the letter and spirit of the Act.
- Increasing forest cover: MOEF is trying to explore ways and means to achieve the target of increasing forest cover to 33 percent by 2012. This task has been set by the Planning Commission under the Tenth Plan and approved by the National Development Council. , People’s participation—especially at the grassroots level—and involvement of agencies outside government will be important.
- Forest and Wildlife Conservation: Forest and wildlife conservation has been the specialty of the Ministry of Environment and Forests. The NEP broke new ground by advocating “legal recognition of the traditional rights of forest-dwelling tribes” to “redress grave historical injustices”.
- Participation in coastal and marine areas: The Government effectively encourages stakeholder participation in solving problems related to multi-user conflicts in coastal areas, taking into account integrated coastal zone management principles and philosophies.
- Information on air pollution: The Government has developed a registration program for all listed activities emitting specific air pollutants to assess their contribution to air pollution, which will lead to the development of an air emissions inventory in Trinidad and Tobago.
- Participation in Wetlands: The Government, using the National Environmental Policy, will promote public awareness and understanding of Trinidad and Tobago’s wetland resources and actively encourage the participation of landowners, non-governmental organizations and institutions in wetland conservation.
National Environment Policy, 2006 Strategies and Actions
The strategies adopted for conservation of environmental resources in India are given below.
Strategies to prevent land degradation
- Effective use of science and technology is promoted along with traditional sustainable land-use practices to prevent land degradation.
- Programs were implemented to provide training to relevant farmers on the adoption of new environmental technologies.
- Preventing and reducing land desertification
Strategies for protecting forests
- To formulate innovative strategies to increase the forest area from 23% to 33% by 2012.
- Afforestation of degraded forest land, barren land and tree cover on private and revenue lands.
- Multi-stakeholder partnership involving forest department, local communities and investors
Wildlife Conservation Strategies
- To promote and develop ecotourism at various wildlife sites.
- Encouraging multi-stakeholder partnerships for afforestation
- Captive breeding and implementation of safe measures to protect endangered wild species
Biodiversity Conservation Strategies
- Protection and conservation of biodiversity hotspots.
- Implementation of developmental projects targeted at biodiversity resources and natural heritage.
Strategies to protect wetlands
- Since wetlands provide many ecological benefits, strategies are adopted to protect them.
- Establishing a legal regulatory mechanism to identify valuable wetlands
- Taking a clear account of the impact of large developmental projects on wetlands
Strategies for conservation of man-made heritage
- Formulation and implementation of integrated regional development plans with active participation of the local community.
- Establishing ambient environmental standards with strict checks for specified inheritance
Download National Environment Policy Act Study Notes PDF
Therefore, this policy ensures fair access to environmental resources and good standard of living for all sections of the society, especially the poor communities who are most dependent on environmental resources for their livelihood. The policy outlines a number of strategies to achieve these objectives which aim to conserve existing environmental resources through regulatory reforms
Download National Environment Policy Act Study Notes PDF
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