It was launched in 2006 by Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) with the aim of mainstreaming environmental concerns into all developmental activities.
Broad Objectives of the Policy
Conservation of critical environmental resources
Intra-generational equity
Livelihood security for the poor
Inter-generational equity
Integration of environmental concerns in economic and social development
Efficiency in environmental resource use
Environmental governance
Enhancement of resources for environmental conservation
Important Concepts in the Policy
Polluter’s Pay: Impacts of acts of production and consumption of one party may be visited by third parties who do not have a direct economic nexus with the original act. Such impacts are termed “externalities”. The National Environment Policy promotes the internalization of environmental costs, including through the use of incentives based policy instruments, taking into account the approach that the polluter should, in principle, bear the cost of pollution, with due regard to the public interest, and without distorting international trade and investment.
The Doctrine of Public Trust: As per this doctrine, the State is not an absolute owner, but a trustee of all natural resources, which are by nature meant for public use and enjoyment, subject to reasonable conditions, necessary to protect the legitimate interest of a large number of people, or for matters of strategic national interest.
Apart from above, the policy also talks about important notions in environmental regulations like Environment Impact Assessment, Living Modified Organisms, Coastal Regulation Zones (CRZs), Eco Sensitive Zones (ESZs), etc.
The policy does not address the recent dynamics of Climate Change like Paris Climate Accord and hence, a new policy with specific guidelines is needed.
