Legislating For A Sustainable Future: Analysing Climate Change Policies And Laws In India
- Indian Journal of Law and Legal Research
- Mar 23
- 2 min read
Rajat Singhvi, Chanakya National Law University, Patna
ABSTRACT
Climate change is an emerging threat to the global sustainable development agenda where countries in the developing world like India are likely to be on the receiving end of the impacts of climate change. India today is one of the fastest-growing economies globally, and as a result, the country has a unique burden of sustaining growth while managing the increasing environmental risks. This article examines India's legislative and policy response to climate change and sustainable development.
A key consideration is India’s position in global greenhouse gas emissions and its vulnerabilities. It further looks into foreign policies specifying India’s NDCs with reference to the Paris Agreement that hinges on emission intensity reduction, increase in renewable power, and carbon stock enhancement. The article also includes an assessment of legislations from within the country including the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) and states’ policies to curb and respond to climate change impacts.
India has played a pivotal role in international forums such as COPs, emphasizing climate justice and equitable burden-sharing. The article also critically assesses the achievement of sustainable development objective by using the legal frameworks like the Environmental Protection Act, Energy Conservation Act and the Forest Conservation Act among others.
Thus, the article outlines the necessity of sound legislation, new ideas, and international collaboration toward establishing climate resilience for the future. Of course, problems such as enforcement deficits and fiscal stringency persist; affirmatively, however, they present India as a model of how economic development and environmental conservation can intersect. This article examines the fact that legislating for sustainability is not just the only right thing to do, but also to ensure that the current generation meets its needs without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs and continue to have a good quality of life.
Keywords: Climate Change, Sustainable development, Paris Agreement, National action plan on Climate change (NAPCC)
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