ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES AND

PRACTICES
CLIMATE CHANGE AND GLOBAL WARMING

○ Climate is average weather of the globe over time.

○ Any change in average weather can be called as

Climate Change.

○ Change in temperature.
FACTORS AFFECTING CLIMATE

Natural Man made

Continental drift Green house gases

Ocean currents Deforestation

Volcano Ozone depletion

GLOBAL WARMING POTENTIAL

Lifetime Global warming potential, GWP

GWP values and lifetimes
(years) 20 years 100 years 500 years
21[2]
56[2] 25[4]

Methane CH 72[4] 28 / 34f[5] 6.5[2]

12.4[5]
4 84 / 86f[5] 32[7] 7.6[4]
96 [6] 39f (biogenic)[8]
40f (fossil) [8]

280[2] 310[2]
Nitrous oxide (N 170[2]
121.0[5] 289[4] 298[4]
2O) 153[4]
264 / 268f[5] 265 / 298f[5]
3710 /
HFC-134a (hydrofluorocarbon) 13.4[5] 1300 / 1550f[5] 435[4]
3790f[5]
6900 /
CFC-11 (chlorofluorocarbon) 45.0[5] 4660 / 5350f[5] 1620[4]
7020f[5]
Carbon tetrafluoride (CF4 / 4880 /
50,000[5] 6630 / 7350f[5] 11,200[4]
PFC-14) 4950f[5]
12,000[4] 14,800[4]
HFC-23 (hydrofluorocarbon) 222[5] 12,200[4]
10,800[5] 12,400[5]
Sulfur hexafluoride SF 16,300[4] 22,800[4]
3,200[5] 32,600[4]
6 17,500[5] 23,500[5]
GLOBAL WARMING

○ Rise in average global temperature

○ Recent warming can not be explained on basis of

natural causes

○ Green house gases, Water vapour, Aerosol

○ Ice cap reduction, deforestation

IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND GLOBAL
WARMING
○ Extremes of temperature - Political conflicts
○ Reduction in Ice caps - Migration
○ Rise in sea level - Livelihood
- Area reduction in islands ○ Biodiversity
○ Changing pattern of ○ - Destruction
rainfall ○ Coral Bleaching
- Floods ○ Forest Growth
- Draught ○ Sapling growth
○ Reduction in agriculture ○ Fish migration
- Decrease in yield ○ Wildlife diseases
- Failure of crops - Habitat Destruction
○ Increase in epidemics - Phenology changes
- Malaria
MITIGATION MEASURES TO COMBAT
CLIMATE CHANGE AND GLOBAL WARMING

○ Policy - Afforestation
- UNFCCC ○ Education
- IPCC - Awareness
- Green Tax - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
- Kyoto Protocol 1997
- Montreal Protocol 1987
- Paris Agreement
- Environment Protection
Act 1986
○ Science and technology
- Ecofriendly technology
- Euro I, II, III, IV, VI
OZONE LAYER DEPLETION
○ O3 layer (20-50 Km above the earth surface)

○ Health hazard at ground level

○ Protects from harmful sun rays (UV rays)

○ 1980s – thinning of ozone layer detected over

Antarctica

○ Caused by CFCs, HCFCs used in refrigerators

○ Montreal Protocol 1987

- To reduce and eliminate the use of CFCs
- Replace CFCs with better options
IMPACTS OF OZONE LAYER DEPLETION
○ Global warming

○ Increase in exposure to UV rays

○ Increase in temperature

○ Rise in pollutant Ozone

○ Health Risk- Cancer

ACID RAIN
○ Due to air pollution

○ Acid rain dissolves and washes away nutrients in the soil which
are needed by plants.

○ Acid rain can cause a mass killing to trees.

○ Area's can become very hazy and foggy due to acid rain.

○ Acid rain (which is linked with acid air pollution)has been linked
to breathing and lung problems in children, and people who have
asthma.

○ Even people in exceptional health could have their lungs damaged

by this acid air.

○ Stone buildings and monuments are targets of damage from acid

rain. For instance theParthenon in Greece and the Taj Mahal in
India have been affected by acid rain.
UN CONFERENCE OF ENVIRONMENT AND
DEVELOPMENT (UNCED), 1992
○ Earth Summit

○ Rio de Janerio, Brazil

○ 2nd meeting of world leader discussing

environment

○ 150 head of states

OUTCOMES OF UNCED
○ UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
- To reduce the threat of global warming

○ Convention on Biological Diversity

-To preserve Biodiversity

○ Rio Declaration
-include 27 principles to guide development and environment

○ the Forest Principles

-emphasize rights of state and advocating for sustainable forest management

○ Adopted Agenda 21
-Action plan to introduce sustainable development

○ Commission on Sustainable Development

- Monitor and report on implementation of sustainable development
UNFCCC
• The UNFCCC entered into force on 21 March 1994. Today, it
has near-universal membership. The 197 countries that have
ratified the Convention are called Parties to the Convention.
• Recognized that there was a problem.
• The ultimate objective of the Convention is to stabilize
greenhouse gas concentrations "at a level that would
prevent dangerous anthropogenic (human induced)
interference with the climate system.”
• It states that "such a level should be achieved within a time-
frame sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to
climate change, to ensure that food production is not
threatened, and to enable economic development to proceed
in a sustainable manner.”
• International Cooperation
• Fund and Science-technology sharing
• Global Environmental Facility
PARIS AGREEMENT
 GLASGOW (COP26): KEY OUTCOMES

○ Adaption of Glasgow Climate Pact

○ 2020s as decade of climate action

○ strengthened efforts to build resilience to climate

change, to curb greenhouse gas emissions and to
provide the necessary finance for both

○ the pledge of providing 100 billion dollars annually

from developed to developing countries.
 GLASGOW (COP26): KEY OUTCOMES

○ Limit the rise in the global average temperature

can be limited to 1.5 degrees

○ nations are called upon to phase down unabated

coal power and inefficient subsidies for fossil
fuels.

○ nations also completed the Paris Agreement’s

rulebook as it relates to market mechanisms and
non-market approaches and the transparent
reporting of climate actions and support provided
or received, including for loss and damage.
CITES - the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora

• Its aim is to ensure that international trade in

specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten
their survival.
• CITES works by subjecting international trade in
specimens of selected species to certain controls.
• All import, export, re-export and introduction from the
sea of species covered by the Convention has to be
authorized through a licensing system.
• Each Party to the Convention must designate one or
more Management Authorities in charge of
administering that licensing system and one or more
Scientific Authorities to advise them on the effects of
trade on the status of the species.
CITES APPENDIX
•The species covered by CITES are listed in three
Appendices, according to the degree of protection
they need.
•Appendix I includes species threatened with
extinction. Trade in specimens of these species is
permitted only in exceptional circumstances.
•Appendix II includes species not necessarily
threatened with extinction, but in which trade must
be controlled in order to avoid utilization
incompatible with their survival.
•Appendix III contains species that are protected in at
least one country, which has asked other CITES
Parties for assistance in controlling the trade.
CONVENTION BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

• The Convention was opened for signature on

5 June 1992 at the United Nations Conference
on Environment and Development (the Rio
"Earth Summit”).
• The Convention entered into force on 29
December 1993, which was 90 days after the
30th ratification.
• Strategic Plan for Biodiversity, including the
Aichi Biodiversity Targets, for the 2011-2020
period.
AICHI BIODIVERSITY TARGETS
NATIONAL ACTION PLAN ON CLIMATE
CHANGE
Chemical Weapon Convention, 1997
• The Convention aims to eliminate an entire category of
weapons of mass destruction by prohibiting the
development, production, acquisition, stockpiling,
retention, transfer or use of chemical weapons by States
Parties.
• States Parties have also agreed to create a verification
regime for certain toxic chemicals and their precursors
(listed in Schedules 1, 2 and 3 in the Annex on Chemicals)
in order to ensure that such chemicals are only used for
purposes not prohibited under the Convention.
• A unique feature of the Convention is its incorporation of
the ‘challenge inspection’, whereby any State Party in
doubt about another State Party’s compliance can request
a surprise inspection.
ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS
IN INDIA

Constitutional Provisions and

Statutes
CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS

○ Article 21- Right to Life

○ Article 48(A) DPSP, to protect environment,

forest and wildlife etc

○ Article 51 A(g) Fundamental Duty of Citizens to

protect environment, forest, wildlife etc.
 THE WILD LIFE (PROTECTION) ACT 1972

○ Statute to protect wild animals, plants and their habitat.

○ Prohibits hunting and poaching
○ Envisages establishment of Central Zoo Authority to
regulate the management and functioning of zoos.
○ Regulates the trade and commerce in wild animals and
derivatives.
○ Formation Wildlife Advisory Board by state and UT
governments
○ Legislation to create Protected Areas (National Parks and
Wildlife Sanctuaries)
○ List of Species of Conservation importance called
Schedules I, II, III, IV , V and VI
Used only for information purpose
WATER (PREVENTION AND CONTROL) ACT 1974
AIR (PREVENTION AND CONTROL) ACT 1981
○ Prevent the pollution of water by industrial, agricultural and
household wastewater

○ Controlling the point sources by monitoring the levels of different

pollutants is one way to prevent pollution, by punishing the
polluter.

○ CPCB and SPCBs – monitoring and identification of polluting

sources and take action against them

○ Water Parameters for monitoring - Heavy metals, DO, BOD, COD,

pH, TDS, TSS, Turbidity

○ Air Quality – SOx, NOx, O3, PM, SPM, CO2.

ENVIRONMENTAL (PROTECTION) ACT 1986
○ Enacted after Bhopal Gas Tragedy 1984
○ Umbrella act – Cover all aspects of environment
○ Rules and regulation to limit and control damage
to environment.
○ Environment Impact Assessment
○ Biomedical Waste (Regulation) Rules
○ Coastal Regulation Zones
○ Hazardous waste (Regulation) Rules
FOREST CONSERVATION ACT 1980
○ The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 an Act of
the Parliament of India to provide for the
conservation of forests.
○ It was further amended in 1988
○ Deforestation problem (1950 – 1980)
○ Protected reserves were created to protect the
forest resources
○ Creation of forest reserves lead to eviction of
tribals
RECOGNITION OF FOREST (TRIBAL RIGHTS)
ACT 2006
○ Identify rights of the forest dwellers
○ People who are completely dependent on the
forest for livelihood sustenance
○ Land ownership
○ Forest resource collection
○ Compensation and rehabilitation
○ Employment and basic facilities