Environment and Conservation Days (India Focus)

Chilika Lake (Odisha) — Asia's largest coastal lagoon — and Keoladeo National Park (Bharatpur, Rajasthan) — a famous bird sanctuary — were India's first two Ramsar sites, designated in 1981. As of 2024, India has 75+ Ramsar sites — the highest number in Asia. The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (1971, Ramsar, Iran) is the intergovernmental treaty protecting wetlands globally.

India's National Forest Policy, 1988, sets a target of 33% forest cover (of the total geographical area) — 60% in hills and 20% in plains. India's actual forest and tree cover is approximately 21.76% (ISFR 2023). The Forest Survey of India (FSI) publishes the biennial State of Forest Report. India is one of the few countries where forest cover has been increasing — contributing to global carbon sequestration.

Namami Gange Programme (Integrated Ganga Conservation Mission), launched in 2014 with a budget of ₹20,000 crore, focuses on cleaning and rejuvenating the Ganga river. Key interventions include sewage treatment plants, riverfront development, village sanitation, plantation, and eliminating industrial discharge. The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) implements the programme. The Ganga Action Plan dates back to 1986.

India's updated NDC (2022) targets 500 GW of electricity generation capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030. India is already one of the world's largest producers of renewable energy. As of 2024, India's total renewable energy capacity exceeds 200 GW. India's solar energy target (one component) is 280 GW by 2030. India aims for 50% of cumulative electric power from non-fossil fuels by 2030.

PM Indira Gandhi represented India at the UN Conference on the Human Environment (Stockholm, 1972) and delivered a memorable speech connecting poverty and environmental degradation. The Stockholm Conference established the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Following the conference, India enacted the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.

The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) oversees India's ocean research and services through institutes like the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), and the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS). MoES also operates the Integrated Ocean Monitoring Network for tsunami early warning, fisheries advisories, and oil spill monitoring.

Corbett National Park and Tiger Reserve (Uttarakhand) recorded the highest number of tigers in the 2022 All India Tiger Estimation — with over 260 tigers. India's total tiger count was 3,167 in 2022, with Madhya Pradesh having the most tigers among all states (785). Project Tiger (1973) and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) have been instrumental in India's tiger recovery.

Karnataka has the highest elephant population in India (approximately 6,000+ elephants — about 25% of India's total). Assam, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and Uttarakhand also have significant populations. Project Elephant was launched in 1992 to protect elephants and their habitats. India has designated Elephant Reserves. The 'right of passage' (elephant corridors) is a major conservation challenge due to habitat fragmentation.

India's HCFC Phase-out Management Plan (HPMP), funded by the Multilateral Fund of the Montreal Protocol, facilitates the phase-out of HCFCs in India's refrigeration and air conditioning industry. India also adopted the Kigali Amendment (2016) to the Montreal Protocol, committing to phase down HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons) by 85% by 2047. The Ozone Cell under MoEFCC manages India's ODS phase-out.

The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (amended several times) has 6 schedules classifying wildlife by level of protection. Schedule I and II give the highest protection (penalties up to 7 years for violations). Schedule III–IV have lower protection levels. Schedule V lists vermin (that can be hunted). Schedule VI covers plants. The 2022 amendment consolidated schedules to 4 schedules with updated animal lists.

The Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), also known as the Bonn Convention (1979), coordinates global efforts to protect migratory animals — birds, mammals, reptiles, and fish. India is a signatory to CMS and also has bilateral agreements for migratory bird protection. India's 'National Action Plan for Vulture Conservation' (vultures migrate from Central Asia) is linked to CMS obligations.

The Green India Mission (GIM), one of eight missions under India's National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), aims to increase the quality and extent of forest cover on 5 million degraded forest lands and greening 5 million non-forest lands — a total of 10 million hectares. India has committed to creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5–3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2030 through afforestation.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) was established on October 18, 2010, under the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010. It is the world's third-largest specialised environmental court. The NGT handles civil cases related to environmental protection, conservation of forests and natural resources, and enforcement of legal rights related to the environment. Its principal bench is in New Delhi.

World Sparrow Day was initiated by Mohammed Dilawar and the Nature Forever Society (India) in collaboration with the Eco-Sys Action Foundation (France) in 2010. Mohammed Dilawar from Nashik won the Time magazine 'Hero of Environment' award for his sparrow conservation work. Delhi declared the House Sparrow as its State Bird in 2012 in response to its urban decline.

The Biological Diversity Act, 2002, established the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) at the national level, State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs) at the state level, and Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) at the local/panchayat level. The Act regulates access to India's biological resources and associated traditional knowledge, and ensures fair benefit-sharing — in line with the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD, 1992).

The Soil Health Card Scheme was launched on February 19, 2015, by PM Modi from Suratgarh, Rajasthan. It aims to issue soil health cards to all farmers every two years, indicating the nutrient status of their soil and recommending appropriate doses of nutrients for improving productivity. Over 22 crore soil health cards have been issued. This helps reduce excess fertiliser use and improve soil health.

The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), launched in January 2019, targets 20–30% reduction in particulate matter (PM 2.5 and PM 10) concentrations by 2026 (base year 2017) in 131 non-attainment cities (cities that consistently failed ambient air quality standards). Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Lucknow are among the most polluted cities. Industries, vehicles, crop burning, and construction are major sources.

The Kigali Amendment (2016, in force from 2019) to the Montreal Protocol targets HFCs (Hydrofluorocarbons) — widely used in refrigerators and air conditioners as CFC replacements, which are potent greenhouse gases with high Global Warming Potential (GWP). India ratified in 2021, committing to reduce HFC consumption by 85% by 2047. This could prevent up to 0.5°C of global warming by 2100.

The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is found in the trans-Himalayan regions of J&K, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. India has approximately 400–700 snow leopards (estimates vary). 'Project Snow Leopard' (2009) promotes conservation through community participation. India hosted the 'Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Programme' (GSLEP) partners meeting in 2023.

The Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) — one of the world's heaviest flying birds — is critically endangered, with fewer than 150 individuals remaining, mostly in Rajasthan (Desert National Park, Jaisalmer). The Supreme Court of India ordered the underground laying of high-tension power lines in GIB habitats to prevent collision deaths. Project GIB was launched by MoEFCC to prevent extinction through ex-situ conservation (captive breeding at BNHS).