RAJIV GANDHI NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF LAW

Topic:- Law and Anthropocene: Change in Laws Relating Anthropocene

Submitted by - Lokesh Dholpuria Submitted to - Mr. Sachin Sharma

Roll no - 16193
Group - 1

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Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 3
Why there is need of law in Anthropocene? .......................................................................................... 5
Implications of the Anthropocene for the Legal System ........................................................................ 6
The National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 ..................................................................................... 6
The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 ......................................................... 6
The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 .................................................... 7
Other Laws Relating to Environment ......................................................................................... 9
 The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 .......................................................................................... 9
 The Forest Conservation Act, 1980 ........................................................................................ 9
 Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991 ...................................................................................... 9
 The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 ........................................................................................ 9
 Coastal Regulation Zone Notification..................................................................................... 9
Environment Protection under Constitutional Framework of India ..................................................... 10
Conflict between Environment Protection and Citizen’s Rights ........................................................... 13
International Treaties and Conventions on Climate Change ................................................................ 16
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................. 17

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Introduction
The famous atmospheric chemist and Dutch Nobel Prize winner Paul Crutzen initially coined
the term anthropocene. The term has ancient Greek roots: anthropo meaning human and cene
meaning new. In 2000 Crutzen realised that we live in an age primarily shaped by people.
From their trawlers scraping the floors of the seas to their dams impounding sediment by the
gigatonne, from their stripping of forests to their irrigation of farms, from their mile-deep
mines to their melting of glaciers, humans were bringing about an age of planetary change.
Crutzen suggested this age be called Anthropocene – “the age of man”.1

The concept behind the Anthropocene Epoch is that human impairments of global biological,
physical, and chemical systems have become so substantial as to render the current geological
time period fundamentally different from its predecessors.2

In an age primarily shaped by people, the so-called Anthropecene, mankind is faced with
enormous challenges posed by the effects of climate change, de facto and de iure. There is a
vast exploration of the various intersections of law related to climate change. The discussion
of such intersections, suggesting an interdisciplinary approach to climate change, is
particularly important as there is no clearly demarcated field of climate change law. Without
doubt, the endless ramifications of climate change preclude any claim to exhaustiveness.
Intersections can be found between environmental law, human rights law, the law of the sea
and world trade law among others. It is argued here that more coherence in the intersections
of law and increased cooperative global climate governance should lead the way to cope with
the challenges ahead, i.e. the challenges in the Anthropocene.

The ‘diagnosis’ of planet earth seems rather clear in that constantly growing human and
industrial activities have caused dramatically increased emissions of greenhouse gases, which
in turn cause the global climate to change rapidly and probably irreversibly. The ‘symptoms’
of climate change are likely to cause more and more natural disasters, extreme weather events
and climate induced migration movements. All of these undesirable happenings can be
considered as a threat against all aspects of human security with a potential to cause national
and cross-boundary conflict and thus endanger global peace and security. The ‘therapy’
against the symptoms of climate change is much less clear. It is argued here that more
coherence in the intersections of law and increased cooperative global climate governance

1
Crutzen & Stoermer (2000); The Economist (2011).
2
Jan Zalasiewicz et al., Stratigraphy of the Anthropocene, 369 PHIL. TRANSACTIONS ROYAL Soc'y A
1036, 1041 (2011)

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should lead the way to cope with the challenges ahead, i.e. the challenges in the
Anthropocene.

Mankind has now inhabited or visited almost all places on earth; even set foot on the moon –
and the exploration continues. The expansion of mankind, both in numbers and per capita
exploitation of the earth’s resources, has been astounding. During the past three centuries the
world’s population increased tenfold to 7 billion, accompanied e.g. by a growth in cattle
population to 1,500 billion. Urbanisation has increased tenfold in the past century. In only a
little while we are deemed to exhaust the fossil fuels that were generated over millions of
years. Thirty to fifty per cent of the land surface has been transformed by human action, and
mankind uses more than half of all accessible fresh water. Considering these and many other
major and still growing impacts of human activities on earth and atmosphere, it has become
more than appropriate to emphasise the central role of mankind in geology, ecology and law
by proposing the term Anthropocene for the current historical epoch as we already know that
the impact of human activities has and will have severe consequences for present and future
generations.3

3
The Economist (2011).

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Why there is need of law in Anthropocene?
The most obvious and commonly understood example of human impairments of global
climate systems is the emission of greenhouse gases.
Emissions of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, have increased from 27 gigatons
(Gt) of C02 equivalent (C02eq) per year23 to 49 Gt over the past forty years, changing
atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide from between 270 and 280 parts per million
(ppm) before the Industrial Revolution to 398.5 ppm.24 If greenhouse gas emissions continue
growing at current trends, overall concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will
reach between 750 and 1300 ppm by 2100.4

Human mining of phosphorus for use as an agricultural fertilizer has dramatically increased
the levels of phosphorus available for marine and terrestrial ecosystems. About 8.5 to 9.5
million tons of phosphorus per year flow from freshwater systems into the ocean, compared
to a preindustrial flow of less than 1 million tons.

Human activities have doubled the amount of nitrogen available for use by plants and animals
on a global scale. Like phosphorus, much of this nitrogen enters into waterways; total
nitrogen inputs from temperate regions surrounding the North Atlantic Ocean are estimated to
have increased to two to twenty times their preindustrial levels.

Human-caused changes in the global atmosphere through the emission of carbon dioxide also
affect oceans. Carbon dioxide emitted by human activities into the atmosphere is taken up in
part by the oceans. There, the carbon dioxide "alters ocean chemistry, leading to more acidic
conditions (lower pH)." These rates of change in ocean acidity are "30 to 100 times faster
than temporal changes in the recent geological past, and the perturbations will last many
centuries to millennia."

Human domination of terrestrial ecosystems is a main contributor to global loss of

biodiversity, adding to causes such as human hunting, pollution, the introduction of species to
new habitats, and climate change. Estimates of current rates of biodiversity loss vary
substantially, in part because our knowledge of current levels of biodiversity is still quite
limited. Some estimates peg the rate of biodiversity loss at about 100 to 1000 times
background rates.

4
WORKING GROUP III, lliTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE, CLIMATE
CHANGE 2014: MmGATION OF CLIMATE CHANGE 8 (Ottmar Edenhofer et al. eds., 2014).

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Implications of the Anthropocene for the Legal System
The Anthropocene will tend to produce greater governmental intrusions into private
activities. Some tools such as carbon taxes might be less intrusive but, as noted above, taxes
imposed only on the extraction of fossil fuels from the ground will still leave many human
causes of climate change unaddressed. Taxes may also fail to effectively incentivize
individual actions, such as purchasing energy-efficient appliances or retrofitting homes to
improve efficiency. Thus, these taxes will need to be complemented by a range of more
intrusive regulatory tools.

Some of the important legislations for environment protection are as follows:

 The National Green Tribunal Act, 2010

 The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981

 The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974

 The Environment Protection Act, 1986

 The Hazardous Waste Management Regulations, etc.

The National Green Tribunal Act, 2010

The National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 (No. 19 of 2010) (NGT Act) has been enacted with
the objectives to provide for establishment of a National Green Tribunal (NGT) for the
effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environment protection and
conservation of forests and other natural resources including enforcement of any legal right
relating to environment and giving relief and compensation for damages to persons and
property and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981

The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 (the "Air Act") is an act to provide
for the prevention, control and abatement of air pollution and for the establishment of Boards
at the Central and State levels with a view to carrying out the aforesaid purposes.

To counter the problems associated with air pollution, ambient air quality standards were
established under the Air Act. The Air Act seeks to combat air pollution by prohibiting the

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use of polluting fuels and substances, as well as by regulating appliances that give rise to air
pollution. The Air Act empowers the State Government, after consultation with the SPCBs, to
declare any area or areas within the Sate as air pollution control area or areas. Under the Act,
establishing or operating any industrial plant in the pollution control area requires consent
from SPCBs. SPCBs are also expected to test the air in air pollution control areas, inspect
pollution control equipment, and manufacturing processes.

The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974

The Water Prevention and Control of Pollution Act, 1974 (the "Water Act") has been enacted
to provide for the prevention and control of water pollution and to maintain or restore
swholesomeness of water in the country. It further provides for the establishment of Boards
for the prevention and control of water pollution with a view to carry out the aforesaid
purposes. The Water Act prohibits the discharge of pollutants into water bodies beyond a
given standard, and lays down penalties for non-compliance. At the Centre, the Water Act
has set up the CPCB which lays down standards for the prevention and control of water
pollution. At the State level, SPCBs function under the direction of the CPCB and the State
Government.

Further, the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act was enacted in 1977 to
provide for the levy and collection of a cess on water consumed by persons operating and
carrying on certain types of industrial activities. This cess is collected with a view to augment
the resources of the Central Board and the State Boards for the prevention and control of
water pollution constituted under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
The Act was last amended in 2003.

The Environment Protection Act, 1986

The Environment Protection Act, 1986 (the "Environment Act") provides for the protection
and improvement of environment. The Environment Protection Act establishes the
framework for studying, planning and implementing long-term requirements of
environmental safety and laying down a system of speedy and adequate response to situations
threatening the environment. It is an umbrella legislation designed to provide a framework for
the coordination of central and state authorities established under the Water Act, 1974 and the
Air Act. The term "environment" is understood in a very wide term under s 2(a) of the

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Environment Act. It includes water, air and land as well as the interrelationship which exists
between water, air and land, and human beings, other living creatures, plants, micro-
organisms and property.

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Hazardous Wastes Management Regulations

Hazardous waste means any waste which, by reason of any of its physical, chemical, reactive,
toxic, flammable, explosive or corrosive characteristics, causes danger or is likely to cause
danger to health or environment, whether alone or when in contact with other wastes or
substances.

There are several legislations that directly or indirectly deal with hazardous waste
management. The relevant legislations are the Factories Act, 1948, the Public Liability
Insurance Act, 1991, the National Environment Tribunal Act, 1995 and rules and
notifications under the Environmental Act. Some of the rules dealing with hazardous waste
management are discussed below:

 Hazardous Wastes (Management, Handling and Transboundary) Rules, 2008,

brought out a guide for manufacture, storage and import of hazardous chemicals and
for management of hazardous wastes.
 Biomedical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998, were formulated
along parallel lines, for proper disposal, segregation, transport, etc, of infectious
wastes.
 Municipal Solid Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000, aim at enabling
municipalities to dispose municipal solid waste in a scientific manner.

Other Laws Relating to Environment

 The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972

 The Forest Conservation Act, 1980
 Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991
 The Biological Diversity Act, 2002
 Coastal Regulation Zone Notification

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Environment Protection under Constitutional Framework of India
The constitution of India is not an inert but a living document which evolves and grows with
time. The specific provisions on environment protection in the constitution are also result of
this evolving nature and growth potential of the fundamental law of the land. The preamble to
our constitution ensures socialist pattern of the society and dignity of the individual. Decent
standard of living and pollution free environment is inherent in this. The Environment
(Protection) Act, 1986 defines environment as “environment includes water, air and land and
the interrelationship which exists among and between air, water and land and human beings,
other living creatures, plants, micro-organism and property”.

The chapter on fundamental duties of the Indian Constitution clearly imposes duty on every
citizen to protect environment. Article 51-A (g), says that “It shall be duty of every citizen of
India to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wild
life and to have compassion for living creatures.”

The Directive principles under the Indian constitution directed towards ideals of building
welfare state. Healthy environment is also one of the elements of welfare state. Article 47
provides that the State shall regard the raising of the level of nutrition and the standard of
living of its people and the improvement of public health as among its primary duties. The
improvement of public health also includes the protection and improvement of environment
without which public health cannot be assured. Article 48 deals with organization of
agriculture and animal husbandry. It directs the State to take steps to organize agriculture and
animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines. In particular, it should take steps for
preserving and improving the breeds and prohibiting the slaughter of cows and calves and
other milch and draught cattle. Article 48 -A of the constitution says that “the state shall
endeavor to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wild life of
the country”.

The Constitution of India under part III guarantees fundamental rights which are essential for
the development of every individual and to which a person is inherently entitled by virtue of
being human alone. Right to environment is also a right without which development of
individual and realisation of his or her full potential shall not be possible. Articles 21, 14 and
19 of this part have been used for environmental protection.

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According to Article 21 of the constitution, “no person shall be deprived of his life or
personal liberty except according to procedure established by law”. Article 21 has received
liberal interpretation from time to time after the decision of the Supreme Court in Maneka
Gandhi vs. Union of India, (AIR 1978 SC 597)5. Article 21 guarantees fundamental right to
life. Right to environment, free of danger of disease and infection is inherent in it. Right to
healthy environment is important attribute of right to live with human dignity. The right to
live in a healthy environment as part of Article 21 of the Constitution was first recognized in
the case of Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra vs. State, AIR 1988 SC 2187 (Popularly
known as Dehradun Quarrying Case)6. It is the first case of this kind in India, involving
issues relating to environment and ecological balance in which Supreme Court directed to
stop the excavation (illegal mining) under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. In M.C.
Mehta vs. Union of India, AIR 1987 SC 1086 the Supreme Court treated the right to live in
pollution free environment as a part of fundamental right to life under Article 21 of the
Constitution.7

Excessive noise creates pollution in the society. The constitution of India under Article 19 (1)
(a) read with Article 21 of the constitution guarantees right to decent environment and right
to live peacefully. In PA Jacob vs. The Superintendent of Police Kottayam, AIR 1993 Ker 1,
the Kerala High Court held that freedom of speech under article 19 (1)(a) does not include
freedom to use loud speakers or sound amplifiers. Thus, noise pollution caused by the loud
speakers can be controlled under article 19 (1) (a) of the constitution.8

Article 19 (1) (g) of the Indian constitution confers fundamental right on every citizen to
practice any profession or to carry on any occupation, trade or business. This is subject to
reasonable restrictions. A citizen cannot carry on business activity, if it is health hazards to
the society or general public. Thus safeguards for environment protection are inherent in this.
The Supreme Court, while deciding the matter relating to carrying on trade of liquor in
Cooverjee B. Bharucha Vs Excise commissioner, Ajmer (1954, SC 220) observed that, if
there is clash between environmental protection and right to freedom of trade and

5
Maneka Gandhi vs. Union of India, (AIR 1978 SC 597).
6
Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra vs. State, AIR 1988 SC 2187.
7
M.C. Mehta vs. Union of India, AIR 1987 SC 1086.
8
PA Jacob vs. The Superintendent of Police Kottayam, AIR 1993 Ker 1.

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occupation, the courts have to balance environmental interests with the fundamental rights to
carry on any occupations.9

Public Interest Litigation under Article 32 and 226 of the constitution of India resulted in a
wave of environmental litigation. The leading environmental cases decided by the Supreme
Court includes case of closure of limestone quarries in the Dehradun region (Dehradun
Quarrying case, AIR 1985 SC 652), the installation of safeguard at a chlorine plant in Delhi10.
In Vellore Citizens Welfare Forum vs. Union of India (1996) 5 SCC 647, the Court observed
that “the Precautionary Principle” and “the Polluter Pays Principle” are essential features of
“Sustainable Development.”11

At local and village level also, Panchayats have been empowered under the constitution to
take measures such as soil conservation, water management, forestry and protection of the
environment and promotion of ecological aspect.

Environment protection is part of our cultural values and traditions. In Atharvaveda, it has
been said that “Man’s paradise is on earth; this living world is the beloved place of all; It has
the blessings of nature’s bounties; live in a lovely spirit”. Earth is our paradise and it is our
duty to protect our paradise. The constitution of India embodies the framework of protection
and preservation of nature without which life cannot be enjoyed. The knowledge of
constitutional provisions regarding environment protection is need of the day to bring greater
public participation, environmental awareness, environmental education and sensitize the
people to preserve ecology and environment.

9
Cooverjee B. Bharucha Vs Excise commissioner, Ajmer (1954, SC 220)
10
M.C. Mehta V. Union of India, AIR 1988 SC 1037
11
Vellore Citizens Welfare Forum vs. Union of India (1996) 5 SCC 647

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Conflict between Environment Protection and Citizen’s Rights

The freedom of expression under Art 19(1) (a), right to carry on a business, trade or
occupation under Art 19(1) (g) , freedom of religion under Art 25 and above all equality
under Art 14 are the areas where these conflicts arise in contradiction with the right to a
healthy environment under Art 21. An inquiry into the cases will reveal, as to how the Courts
reconciled the two issues.

A. Land Use

In T Damodhar Rao v Special Officer Municipal Corp, Hyderabad, it was held for the very
first time by an Indian Court that the conversion of open space, the lungs of a populated area,
would affect the right to life under Art 21 of the constitution.12 Later, in Banglore Medical
Trust v BS Mudappa the Supreme Court proceeded with the same vigour and prevented using
the open space for constructing a private medical complex.13
Similarly, in V Lakshmipathy v. State, the petitioners challenged the locaton and operation of
industries and industrial enterprises in a residential area as violative of Karnataka Town and
Country Planning Act, as well as the right to life under Art 21 of the Constitution. The court
held that the mandate of the Constitution is to build a welfare society and for that utmost
priority should be given to the environmental protection and its preservation. Thus,
neglecting this will be an invitation to a disaster.14

B. Freedom of Trade and Property

In Residents of Sanjay Nagar v. State of Rajasthan, the Rajasthan High Court came across an
interesting situation. In this case the owners of the slaughterhouse were discharging untreated
animal blood in the drains of the residential colony, where it was situated.15 Consequently,
the court reminded the owners of their duties under Art 21 and 48A for protecting and
improving a clean environment and ordered them to shut the slaughterhouse. An observation
made by the Supreme Court in one of the MC Mehta cases is in consonance with the above-
mentioned judgment. It was pointed out in MC Mehta v Union of India that the most vital

12
T Damodhar Rao v Special Officer Municipal Corp, AIR 1987 AP 171.
13
Banglore Medical Trust v BS Mudappa, 1991 AIR 1902.
14
V Lakshmipathy v. State, ILR 1991 KAR 1334.
15
Sanjay Nagar v. State of Rajasthan, AIR 2004 Raj 116.

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necessities, namely air, water and soil having regard to the right to life under Art 21 cannot
be permitted to be misused and polluted so as to reduce the quality of life of others.16
Moreover, the case titled as Ivory Traders and Manufacturers Association v. Union of India is
another example of a judgment, restricting the fundamental right of the citizens for preserving
and safeguarding the environment. It was held that any trade which is detrimental to the
environment, can totally be banned without attracting Art 19(1) (g) of the Constitution. It was
further held that any trade which involves killing of animals like elephants, in this case,
cannot be taken as business or trade in the sense of Art 19(1)(g) of the Constitution.17

16
MC Mehta v Union of India
17
Ivory Traders and Manufacturers Association v. Union of India, AIR 1997 Delhi 267 b.

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C. Constitutional Obligations of Hazardous Industries

The Supreme Court in MC Mehta v Union of India has ruled that an enterprise which has
engaged in a hazardous or inherently dangerous industry which poses a potential threat to
health and safety of persons working in the industrial unit and residing in the surrounding
areas, owes and absolute obligation to the community to ensure that no harm results to
anyone on account of such hazardous or inherently dangerous nature of the activity.18

D. Restriction on Freedom of Speech

The Constitution of India grants every citizen the Right to Freedom of Speech and
expression. However, if it impinges upon the rights of another then it can be restricted. Noise
pollution is a notable example of such impingement. In Rajni Kant v State, the petitioner, the
leader of a political party was not allowed to use loudspeakers in the public meeting he
wanted to organise. The petitioner, in this case, contended that such restriction is violative of
his right to freedom of speech under Art 19(1) (a) of the Constitution. The court held that the
impugned bylaws do not infringe Art 19(10 (a) of the Constitution.19

It can be easily deduced from the above-mentioned cases that though the facts and
circumstances of all the cases are different but the underlying principle in all the cases is the
same i.e. protection and preservation of the environment. Initially, the Indian Government
adopted a very lackadaisical attitude towards the conservation of the environment, by not
including any legally enforceable principles in the Constitution of India. However, with the
passage of time the State realised the blunder that they have made and thus, started making
conscious efforts in not only protecting the environment but in developing it too. The
evolution was slow but it happened in due time and as it is said better late than never.
Moreover, the importance of Murali S Deora v Union of India cannot be undermined, as this
judgment declared the pollution caused by smoking, violative of Article 21 of the Indian
Constitution.20

18
MC Mehta v Union of India
19
Rajni Kant Verma v State, AIR 1958 All 360.
20
Murali S Deora v Union of India, AIR 2002 SC 40.

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International Treaties and Conventions on Climate Change

 Kyoto Protocol
 Paris Agreement
 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

Kyoto Protocol

The Kyoto Protocol is an international treaty which extends the 1992 United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that commits state parties to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions, based on the scientific consensus that (part one) global
warming is occurring and (part two) it is extremely likely that human-
made CO2 emissions have predominantly caused it. The Kyoto Protocol was adopted
in Kyoto, Japan on 11 December 1997 and entered into force on 16 February 2005. There are
currently 192 parties (Canada withdrew from the protocol, effective December 2012) to the
Protocol.

The Kyoto Protocol implemented the objective of the UNFCCC to reduce the onset of global
warming by reducing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere to "a level that would
prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system" (Article 2). The
Kyoto Protocol applies to the six greenhouse gases listed in Annex A: Carbon dioxide (CO2),
Methane (CH4), Nitrous oxide (N2O), Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), Perfluorocarbons
(PFCs), and Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6).

Paris Agreement

The Paris Agreement is an agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC), dealing with greenhouse-gas-emissions mitigation, adaptation,
and finance, starting in the year 2020. The agreement's language was negotiated by
representatives of 196 state parties at the 21st Conference of the Parties of the
UNFCCC in Le Bourget, near Paris, France, and adopted by consensus on 12 December
2015. As of November 2018, 195 UNFCCC members have signed the agreement, and 184
have become party to it. The Paris Agreement's long-term goal is to keep the increase in
global average temperature to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels; and to limit the

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increase to 1.5 °C, since this would substantially reduce the risks and effects of climate
change.

Under the Paris Agreement, each country must determine, plan, and regularly report on the
contribution that it undertakes to mitigate global warming. No mechanism forces a country to
set a specific target by a specific date, but each target should go beyond previously set
targets. In June 2017, U.S. President Donald Trump announced his intention to withdraw his
country from the agreement. Under the agreement, the earliest effective date of withdrawal
for the U.S. is November 2020, shortly before the end of President Trump's current term. In
practice, changes in United States policy that are contrary to the Paris Agreement have
already been put in place.

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is

an international environmental treaty adopted on 9 May 1992 and opened for signature at
the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro from 3 to 14 June 1992. It then entered into force on 21
March 1994, after a sufficient number of countries had ratified it. The UNFCCC objective is
to "stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent
dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system". The framework sets non
binding limits on greenhouse gas emissions for individual countries and contains no
enforcement mechanisms. Instead, the framework outlines how specific international treaties
(called "protocols" or "Agreements") may be negotiated to specify further action towards the
objective of the UNFCCC

Initially, an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) produced the text of the

Framework Convention during its meeting in New York from 30 April to 9 May 1992. The
UNFCCC was adopted on 9 May 1992, and opened for signature on 4 June 1992. The
UNFCCC has 197 parties as of December 2015. The convention enjoys broad legitimacy,
largely due to its nearly universal membership.

Conclusion

Taking care of the environment is important for human existence. For proper environmental
care, it is important to have some legislation in place. The laws that we have regarding the
environment provide a guideline so that we can take care of the environment in an effective
manner. We have a different legal organization and eco charities that take care of

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environment and champion for implementation of the rules. Environmental laws are also in
the front line to make sure that the law is followed when it comes to taking care of the
environment.

Today, the conservation, protection and improvement of human environment are major issues
all over the world. Human environment consists of both physical environment and biological
environment. Physical environment covers land, water and air. Biological environment
includes plants, animals and other organisms. Both physical and biological environment are
inter-dependent. Industrialisation, urbanisation, explosion of population, over-exploitation of
resources, disruption of natural ecological balances, destruction of a multitude of animal and
plant species for economic reasons are the factors which have contributed to environmental
deterioration. One country's degradation of environment degrades the global environment for
all the countries. The problem of environmental pollution has acquired international
dimension and India is no exception to it.

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