Environmental Governance in India: Challenges and Reforms
Environment & Ecology
- PYQs8
- Articles1
Background
This concept is crucial for understanding India's approach to sustainable development, institutional effectiveness in environmental protection, and potential administrative reforms. It directly relates to governance, policy formulation, and the challenges of balancing economic growth with environmental conservation.
India's environmental governance framework faces significant challenges, including fragmented data, underfunding, and a lack of comprehensive, unified assessment mechanisms, hindering effective policy formulation and transparent accountability in addressing widespread environmental degradation. The proposed Annual Environmental Survey of India (EnvSI) aims to address these systemic issues.
Facts & tables
- MoEFCC Funding
- Only 0.07% of the annual budget is allocated to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
- Data Fragmentation
- Environmental data is fragmented across government agencies, think tanks, educational institutions, and private actors, lacking a unified platform.
- MoEFCC Report Criticisms
- Annual reports often obscure nuances, sidestep scrutiny of fund utilisation, and overlook global assessment findings.
- Proposed EnvSI Structure
- EnvSI is envisioned as an independent, expert-led body with a clear statutory mandate and functional autonomy, modelled after the Economic Survey of India.
| Feature | Economic Survey of India | Proposed Annual Environmental Survey of India (EnvSI) |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Comprehensive review of economic trends and policy recommendations. | Comprehensive review of environmental reality and policy recommendations. |
| Authority | Prepared by experts under Chief Economic Adviser, Ministry of Finance. | Expert-led body with statutory mandate, functional autonomy. |
| Data Sources | Draws on multiple economic data sources. | Integrates data from government, researchers, private sector, field evidence. |
| Objective | Alerts policymakers to economic challenges and reforms. | Alerts policymakers to environmental challenges and necessary reforms. |
| Type | Reference |
|---|---|
| Conceptual area | Environmental Law & Policy |
| Conceptual area | Constitutional & Statutory Bodies |
| Conceptual area | Separation of Powers & Constitutional Ideals |
| Body | Role |
|---|---|
| Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) | Current custodian of environmental policy, criticized for limitations |
| Annual Environmental Survey of India (EnvSI) | Proposed new institution for comprehensive environmental assessment |
Prelims angle
Prelims angle: Factual recall
Prelims angle: Conceptual understanding
- MoEFCC faces underfunding (0.07% budget) and capacity issues.
- Environmental data is fragmented, hindering comprehensive understanding.
- EnvSI proposed as an independent, expert-led body for unified assessment.
- EnvSI aims to prevent degradation, achieve climate targets, and align development with conservation.
- Modelled on the Economic Survey for autonomy and rigorous analysis.
| Year | Framing tags |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Multi-statement analysis, Conceptual understanding |
| 2023 | Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding |
| 2023 | Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding |
| 2022 | Conceptual understanding, Terminology-based question |
| 2020 | Definition-based questions, Conceptual understanding |
| 2019 | Multi-statement analysis, Conceptual understanding |
| 2018 | Factual recall, Conceptual understanding |
| 2015 | Factual recall, Conceptual understanding |
Timeline
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Environmental Law & Policy
Conceptual area
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Constitutional & Statutory Bodies
Conceptual area
-
Separation of Powers & Constitutional Ideals
Conceptual area
-
Prelims 2015
Factual recall, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2018
Factual recall, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2019
Multi-statement analysis, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2020
Definition-based questions, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2022
Conceptual understanding, Terminology-based question
-
Prelims 2023
Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2023
Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2025
Multi-statement analysis, Conceptual understanding
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A national environmental survey whose time came
India's environmental governance is hampered by underfunding, fragmented data, and a lack of comprehensive assessment. The proposed EnvSI, an independent expert body, aims to unify data, audit performance, and provide actionable insights, mirroring the Economic Survey, to improve policy and accountability.
See also
Past papers
2015–2025 · 8 questions
In the news
A national environmental survey whose time came
India's environmental governance is hampered by underfunding, fragmented data, and a lack of comprehensive assessment. The proposed EnvSI, an independent expert body, aims to unify data, audit performance, and provide actionable insights, mirroring the Economic Survey, to improve policy and accountability.
Try these PYQs
The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), a UN mechanism to assist countries transition towards greener and more inclusive economies, emerged at
The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) was established in response to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) 2012, also known as Rio+20, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Rio+20 conference aimed to reaffirm global commitment to sustainable development and highlight the importance of transitioning to green economies i.e. economic systems that promote environmental sustainability, social inclusion, and economic growth. PAGE was launched as a collaborative initiative to support countries in developing policies and strategies for sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
Consider the following statements :
1. Under the Ramsar Convention, it is mandatory on the part of the Government of India to protect and conserve all the wetlands in the territory of India.
2. The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 were framed by the Government of India based on the recommendations of Ramsar Convention.
3. The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 also encompass the drainage area or catchment regions of the wetlands as determined by the authority.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is incorrect. While the Ramsar Convention encourages member countries to take action for wetland conservation and wise use, there's no legal mandate to protect all wetlands. Statement 2 is incorrect. The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 were formulated by the Indian government to regulate activities in wetlands, and their development was not certainly influenced by the Ramsar Convention's principles. The rules also consider other national legislations and priorities. Statement 3 is correct. The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 do encompass the drainage area or catchment regions of the wetlands. This holistic approach recognizes the importance of the surrounding area for the overall health and functioning of the wetland ecosystem.
What is Rio+20 Conference, often mentioned in the news?
The Rio20 Conference, also formally known as the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD), was a significant event held in 2012. Key objectives of the Rio20 Conference was to assess progress made since the 1992 Earth Summit (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro. The Future We Want document outlining a vision for sustainable development in the future, including commitments to a green economy and poverty reduction was an outcome of the summit.
Consider the following statements :
Statement-I : According to the United Nation's 'World Water Development Report, 2022', India extracts more than a quarter of the world's groundwater withdrawal each year.
Statement-II :India needs to extract more than a quarter of the world's groundwater each year to satisfy the drinking water and sanitation needs of almost 18% of world's population living in its territory.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
* Statement 1 is correct. According to the United Nations World Water Development Report 2022, with an estimated 251 km3 annual withdrawal from an estimated 20 million wells and tube wells, India is the world's greatest groundwater user. This accounts for more than a quarter of the total groundwater extracted internationally. * Statement 2 is incorrect. India uses about 89% of this groundwater for irrigation. Major share of total groundwater extracted by India is utilised for irrigation purposes and not for drinking and sanitation purposes.
Which one of the following statements best describes the term ‘Social Cost of Carbon’?
The term 'Social Cost of Carbon' is a measure of the economic damages, in dollars, that would result from emitting one additional ton of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. It is used to value the climate impacts of rulemakings and helps policymakers understand the economic impacts of decisions that would increase or decrease emissions. Therefore, it is best described as the long-term damage done by a tonne of carbon dioxide emissions in a given year.
Show 3 more PYQs
Consider the following statements:
Statement I:
At the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), India refrained from signing the “Declaration on Climate and Health”.
Statement II:
The COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health is a binding declaration; and if signed, it becomes mandatory to decarbonize health sector.
Statement III:
If India’s health sector is decarbonized, the resilience of its health-care system may be compromised.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
At COP28, India chose not to sign the “Declaration on Climate and Health,” and this decision can be understood by analyzing the nature of the declaration and India’s concerns. ✅ Statement I: Correct. India did not sign the COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health, unlike over 120 other countries. ❌ Statement II: Incorrect. The declaration is not legally binding; it is a voluntary political commitment. Signing it does not legally mandate countries to decarbonize their health sectors immediately. ✅Statement III: Correct. India’s concern is that rapid decarbonization of its health sector could compromise the resilience and accessibility of healthcare services, given current developmental challenges and resource constraints. Therefore, only Statement III correctly explains Statement I, while Statement II is factually wrong about the binding nature of the declaration.
Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: Carbon markets are likely to be one of the most widespread tools in the fight against climate change.
Statement-II: Carbon markets transfer resources from the private sector to the State.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
* Carbon markets, which include mechanisms like cap-and-trade systems and carbon offsets, are increasingly being used as a tool to incentivize emissions reductions and help in the fight against climate change. So, statement 1 is true. * Carbon markets typically work by transferring resources from emitters (usually in the private sector) to entities that can reduce or remove greenhouse gas emissions, which can be either private entities or the government. So, statement 2 can also be true.
“Climate Action Tracker" which emission reduction pledges of different countries is a:
The Climate Action Tracker (CAT) is an independent scientific analysis that tracks government climate action and measures it against the globally agreed Paris Agreement aim of holding warming well below 2C, and pursuing efforts to limit warming to 1.5C. A collaboration of two organisations, Climate Analytics and NewClimate Institute, the CAT has been providing this independent analysis to policymakers since 2009. CAT quantifies and evaluates climate change mitigation targets, policies, and actions. It also aggregates country action to the global level, determining likely temperature increases during the 21st century using the MAGICC climate model. CAT further develops sectoral analysis to illustrate the required pathways for meeting the global temperature goals.