Ministry Of Environment & Forest And Climate Change (MoEFCC)/ Paryavaran, Van Aur Jalvaayu Parivartan Mantralaya – IMPRI Impact And Policy Research Institute

Policy Update
Srishtistuti Roy

The Ministry of Environment & Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) serves as the Central Government’s nodal agency for overseeing the implementation of India’s environment and forest policies. This includes programmes related to the conservation of natural resources including lakes and rivers, biodiversity, forests and wildlife, ensuring animal welfare, and prevention and abatement of pollution. The MoEFCC is responsible for overseeing all policy matters related to forests, excluding those concerning the rights of forest-dwelling Scheduled Tribes on forest lands. The Ministry adheres to the principle of sustainable development in its efforts. 

Additionally, the Ministry also acts as the nodal agency for several international programmes, including the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP), International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED).

It also coordinates with many multilateral bodies such as the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD), Global Environment Facility (GEF), Green Climate Fund (GCF) as well as regional bodies such as Economic and Social Council for Asia and Pacific (ESCAP) and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) on environmental issues. Furthermore, the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) was established in 2009 to provide guidelines for State CAMPAs, and to monitor,assist, and resolve issues related to afforestation efforts. 

The Ministry’s overarching objectives include: 

• Conserving and surveying flora, fauna, forests and wildlife
• Preventing and controlling pollution 
• Promoting afforestation and the regeneration of degraded areas 
• Protecting the environment and wildlife 
• Facilitating India’s commitments and obligations under the three Rio Conventions– UNFCCC, UNCCD and CBD– and related reporting processes
• Supporting compliance with the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions as well as fulfilling India’s commitments under the Montreal Protocol of the Vienna Convention 

These objectives are bolstered by a comprehensive framework of legislative and regulatory measures aimed at environmental preservation, conservation and protection. 

In addition to legislative measures, key documents which guide the Ministry’s work include the National Conservation Strategy and Policy Statement on Environment and Development (1992), the National Forest Policy (1988), the Policy Statement on Abatement of Pollution (1992), and the National Environment Policy (2006).

Initiatives and Schemes

1. Mission LiFE: In 2022, PM Modi launched the Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) initiative, a mass movement to propagate sustainable ways of living and to inculcate climate-friendly behaviors among individuals, communities and organizations. The vision of LiFE is to encourage people to embrace a lifestyle that is in harmony with nature to minimize negative anthropogenic environmental impacts. Mission LiFE emphasizes the principles of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, which are deeply embedded in our culture and way of life, reflecting the importance of a Circular Economy. Initially proposed by PM Modi in 2021 at COP-26, this initiative has now been included in India’s updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) as a key component for combating climate change.³

• Green Credit Programme: An initiative under the government’s broader LiFE Mission, the Green Credit Programme (GCP) was launched by PM Modi in 2023 at COP-28. It is a market-oriented initiative designed to encourage individuals, organizations, and companies to voluntarily engage in environmental conservation efforts by providing incentives. It encourages participants to invest in sectors such as afforestation, water conservation, waste management, mangrove conservation, and stemming air pollution. In return for their investment, participants receive “green credits.” The Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) is designated as the GCP administrator and is also responsible for its implementation and management.⁴
• Ecomark Scheme: In line with the philosophy of LiFE– encouraging sustainable consumption and production practices– the government revamped the Ecomark Scheme in October 2023. It offers accreditation and labeling for household and consumer products that meet certain environmental criteria while adhering to quality standards set by Indian regulations. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) administers this Scheme in collaboration with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).⁵

2. Gandhinagar Implementation Roadmap (GIR) & Gandhinagar Information Platform (GIP): During India’s Presidency in the Environment and Climate Sustainability Work Group (ESCWG) in 2023, the GIR and the GIP were formulated for strengthening the implementation of the G20 Global Land Initiative (GLI). The GIR-GIP is centered around the restoration of forest fire degraded lands and mining affected areas by 2030 through voluntary action and knowledge-sharing. The Indian Council of Forestry Research & Education (ICFRE) and Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM) are the designated coordinators, responsible for collating data and sharing best practices received from participating countries. They are also responsible for the design, development and maintenance of the GIP.⁶
3. Resource Efficiency Circular Economy Industry Coalition (RECEIC): Conceptualized under India’s G20 Presidency, the RECEIC was launched in 2023 to promote practices of resource efficiency and circular economy. This is an industry-led coalition, envisioned to be a self-sustaining entity which shall operate beyond the G20 and have a lasting, global impact on environmental sustainability. The coalition has three guiding principles– partnerships for impact, technological cooperation and finance for scale. About 39 companies headquartered in 11 different countries– ranging from global multinational giants to startups and Small and Medium Enterprises, covering a wide spectrum of industries from manufacturing to waste collection, sorting, and recycling– have joined the coalition as its founding members. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) is responsible for collaborating with various industry leaders and fostering strategic dialogue.⁷
4. High Level Principles for a Sustainable & Resilient Blue/Ocean-Based Economy (HLP-SRBE): At the ministerial meeting of the ESCWG chaired by Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav, the HLP-SRBE were unanimously adopted by the G20 members at Chennai in July 2023. This unique document provides a set of 9 fundamental principles that can guide further development of national-level strategies and policies on Blue Economy. It includes the baseline studies for preparation of Marine Spatial Planning for promotion of ocean-based economy. The Sustainable Coastal Management (SCM) division is responsible for overseeing the implementation of these principles.⁸
5. Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Project: The concept of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) was developed in 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. The goal of ICZM is to sustainably manage the coast by considering all aspects of the coastal zone, including political and geographical boundaries. The ICZM aims to: reduce the impact of disasters, promote sustainable development, ensure the sustainable use of coastal resources, maintain biodiversity, and conserve critical habitats. The project is supported by the World Bank, implemented at the national level by the Society of Integrated Coastal Management (SICOM), and at the state-level by the Department of Forests and Environment with technical and Scientific inputs from the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSM).⁹ 

• Beach Environment & Aesthetic Management Service (BEAMS) Programme: A Blue Flag certified beach is one that meets strict environmental, safety, educational, and accessibility criteria set by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). It is an internationally recognized eco-label that promotes sustainable development in marine and freshwater areas, and is accorded only to the cleanest beaches in the world. In 2022, the MoEFCC piloted the BEAMS Programme as a part of the ICZM Project. Presently, there are twelve Blue Flag certified beaches in India.¹⁰

6. India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP): In accordance with the Kigali Amendment, the Ozone Cell of the MoEFCC formulated the ICAP in 2019 to provide a twenty-year vision for reducing cooling demand, accelerating refrigerant transition, enhancing energy efficiency, and providing better technology options to facilitate the phase-down of hydrofluorocarbons. The Plan seeks to (i) reduce cooling demand across sectors by 20% to 25% by 2037-38, (ii) reduce refrigerant demand by 25% to 30% by 2037-38, (iii) reduce cooling energy requirements by 25% to 40% by 2037-38, (iv) recognise cooling and related areas as a thrust area of research under national Science and Technology Programme, and (v) training and certification of 100,000 servicing sector technicians by 2022-23 thereby synergizing with Skill India Mission. In collaboration with the MoEFCC, the ICAP is implemented by additional agencies such as the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), and Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE).¹¹
7. Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (MISHTI): After India joined the Mangrove Alliance for Climate at COP-27, Mission MISHTI was launched in 2023 with the aim to enhance resilience of Indian coasts and ensure the protection of coastal life, livelihood and infrastructure against climate change consequences such as sea-level rise. The Mission also aims to promote and conserve mangroves as unique, natural ecosystems having very high biological productivity and carbon sequestration potential, besides working as a bio-shield.The initiative is implemented at the national and the state levels by the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) in collaboration with the MGNREGAs and SHGs.¹²
8. Proactive and Responsive Facilitation by Interactive and Virtuous Environmental Single-window Hub (PARIVESH): In line with the vision of ‘Digital India’ and the principle of Minimum Government and Maximum Governance, the government had first launched the PARIVESH portal in August 2018. The portal aimed to streamline and speed up the process of obtaining clearances for environmental, forest, wildlife, and Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) projects. In 2024, PARIVESH 2.0 was launched to tackle the technical limitations of the earlier version of the portal and was made the default platform for all environmental clearances.¹³
9. National Afforestation Programme (NAP): The National Afforestation Programme (NAP) aims to restore degraded forests and enhance forest resources with active community involvement, particularly focusing on improving the livelihoods of impoverished forest-fringe communities. NAP seeks to bolster the ongoing efforts to delegate responsibilities for forest conservation, protection, management, and development to Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs) at the village level, which are registered societies. The scheme is implemented through a three-tier institutional framework: the State Forest Development Agency (SFDA) at the state level, the Forest Development Agency (FDA) at the forest division level, and the JFMCs at the village level. Presently, the NAP scheme has been merged with Green India Mission.¹⁴
10. Nagar Van Yojana: The Nagar Van Yojana aims to establish 1,000 Nagar Van or Nagar Vatika in cities with Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils, Municipalities, or Urban Local Bodies (ULBs). This initiative is designed to create a healthy living environment for residents, contributing to the development of clean, green, healthy, and sustainable cities. The scheme was launched in 2020 with the aim to promote urban forestry and the creation of green spaces in urban spaces.¹⁵
11. National Action Plan to Combat Desertification (NAPCD): The NAPCD 2023 is a comprehensive policy initiative aimed at addressing land degradation and desertification challenges in the country. The plan aligns with India’s commitment to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and focuses on sustainable land management practices to achieve Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) by 2030. It aims to restore 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030 in alignment with India’s commitments to the Bonn Convention. The plan underscores a multi-sectoral approach, recognizing that desertification is linked to broader environmental and socioeconomic challenges, including poverty, food security, and water scarcity.¹⁶
12. National Clean Air Programme (NCAP): This initiative was launched by the MoEFCC in 2019 as a long-term, time-bound, national level strategy to tackle the air pollution problem across the country in a comprehensive manner. The NCAP targets to achieve 20% to 30% reduction in concentrations of PM 10 and PM 2.5 by the year 2024, keeping 2017 as the base year for comparison of concentration. The CPCB and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways act as the nodal agencies for implementation while various other ministries incorporate air pollution mitigating strategies in their policies.¹⁷
13. National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA): In 2013, the MoEFCC merged two separate schemes– namely, the National Wetlands Conservation Programme (NWCP) and National Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP) – into the centrally sponsored NPCA scheme. Accordingly, the Wetlands Division of the MoEFCC undertakes conservation, restoration, and management efforts of wetlands and lakes throughout the country on a cost-sharing basis with the central government and the respective state/UT governments.¹⁸
14. National Human-Wildlife Conflict (HWC) Mitigation Project: Since 2018, the Indo-German Biodiversity Programme has developed guidelines and conducted participatory workshops to address emergency situations arising from human-wildlife conflict (HWC) and the underlying pressures that contribute to it. In partnership with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), and the State Forest Departments of Karnataka, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal, the program has provided guidance to relevant stakeholders on implementing and managing conflict prevention measures, as well as minimizing the impact on both humans and wildlife.¹⁹
15. SECURE Himalaya Project: The SECURE Himalaya project was launched in 2017 as a part of the ‘Global Partnership on Wildlife Conservation and Crime Prevention for Sustainable Development’ (Global Wildlife Program) funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The project was launched in the backdrop of increasing habitat degradation and increased fragmentation of alpine pastures due to high dependence of local communities on natural resources and unplanned infrastructure. It also aims to secure conservation of globally significant wildlife including the endangered snow leopard and their habitats. The project is a collaboration between the MoEFCC and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). It covers the high altitude Himalayan ecosystem spread over Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.²⁰
16. Small Cat Conservation Project: Small wild cats play a vital role as indicator species, offering essential ecosystem services like pest and disease control. While tiger reserves provide refuge, much of their habitat lies outside Protected Areas, making habitat protection, restoration, and connectivity key to their long-term conservation. Thus, protecting small wild cats is crucial to the overall success of big cat conservation in India. The MoEFCC, in collaboration with UNDP, WWF, Global Tiger Forum, and with funding from the GEF, will implement this project focusing on the conservation of small wild cats that are threatened by habitat encroachment, human-wildlife conflict, poaching, and illegal trade in the northern, northeastern, and western parts of India.²¹
17. International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA): On the occasion of Commemorating 50 years of India’s Project Tiger on April 9, 2023 the Prime Minister launched the ICBA aimed at securing the future of big cats and the landscapes which they thrive in. The Union Cabinet approved establishment of the Alliance in 2024 for a period of five years, i.e. 2023-24 to 2027-28. The IBCA aims to foster collaboration by sharing best practices in big cat conservation, offering access to a central repository of technical knowledge and funds, and enhancing existing intergovernmental and transnational conservation efforts. It also supports ecological security and climate change mitigation. All UN member states are eligible to join IBCA. So far, 24 countries have agreed to join, along with nine international organizations as partners and India, Nicaragua, Eswatini, and Somalia have officially become members.²²

Additional Resources

1. MoEFCC, Govt. of India. Annual Report 2023-24.
2. MoEFCC, Govt. of India. Annual Reports. 
3. Mission LiFE Lifestyle for Environment
   PIB, NITI Ayog (2022). ‘PM Launches ‘LiFE Movement’ for Adoption of Environment-Conscious Lifestyle’
4. Green Credit Programme
5. PIB, MoEFCC (2023). ‘Notification issued for Green Credit Program (GCP) and Ecomark scheme Under LiFE Initiative to Promote Sustainable Lifestyle and Environmental Conservation’
   CPCB (2017). Ecomark Scheme
6. MoEFCC (2023). Gandhinagar Implementation Roadmap (GIR) and Gandhinagar Information Platform (GIP). Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, New Delhi, India. 1st Edition. 8 pp.
7. PIB, MoEFCC (2023). ‘Union Minister launches Resource Efficiency Circular Economy Industry Coalition in Chennai’
8. Bajaj, P. and Youdon, C (2024). Towards A Holistic Blue Economy Framework: Adoption Of High-Level Principles For Blue Economy By The G20
   MoEFCC (2023). Chennai High Level Principles for a Sustainable and Resilient Blue/Ocean-based Economy, Annex To G20 Environment And Climate Ministers’ Outcome Document & Chair’s Summary 2023, New Delhi. 26-31 pp.
9. National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSM), MoEFCC. Integrated Coastal Zone Management
   PIB, MoEFCC (2010). ‘SICOM Project Launched Today’
10. PIB, MoEFCC (2022). ‘Blue Flag Standards for Beaches in the Country’
    PIB, MoEFCC (2022). ‘Two more Indian Beaches enter the coveted list of Blue Beaches’
11. Ozone Cell, MoEFCC (2019). India Cooling Action Plan. New Delhi. 
12. National Afforestation Dashboard, MoEFCC, Govt. of India. MISHTI (Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes)
    PIB, MoEFCC (2024). ‘Scheme for Restoration of Mangrove Forests’
13. Kumar, N. (2024). ‘Parivesh 2.0 portal to be default platform for all environment clearances.’ Business Standard.
    PIB, MoEFCC (2024). ‘Clearance through PARIVESH Portal’
14. PIB, MoEFCC (2019). ‘National Afforestation Programme’
    PIB, MoEFCC (2023). ‘National Forest Policy’
    Green India Mission
15. Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2867. Nagar Van Yojana
16. PIB, MoEFCC (2024). ‘National Action Programme to Combat Desertification’
    MoEFCC (2023). National Action Plan to Combat Desertification and Land Degradation through Forestry Interventions. New Delhi, India. 134 pp.
17. LARRDIS (2022). National Clean Air Programme
18. National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA) Guidelines
19. Indo-German Biodiversity Programme. Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation
    PIB, MoEFCC (2023). ‘Shri Bhupender Yadav releases 14 guidelines for Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation promoting harmonious coexistence between humans and wildlife’
20. UNDP India. Securing Livelihoods in the Himalayas
21. Global Tiger Forum (GTF). Conservation of Globally Significant Wild-Cat Landscape through focus on Small Cats & Leopard
22. PIB, MoEFCC (2024). ‘Cabinet approves establishment of International Big Cat Alliance’ 
    PIB, MoEFCC (2024). ‘Four countries have become members of IBCA including India, Nicaragua, Eswatini and Somalia’

About the Contributor: Srishtistuti Roy is a researcher at IMPRI, New Delhi. She is an alumna of the Department of International Relations at Jadavpur University. She has recently completed her postgrad in Gender Studies from the University of North Bengal and hopes to pursue a doctorate soon. Her research interests include South Asian political economy, gender & identity politics, development discourse and sustainability, contemporary social movements, and cultural studies.  

Acknowledgements: The author expresses her humble gratitude to Dr. Arjun Kumar, Aasthaba Jadeja, and Arohi Sanyal for their valuable insights. 

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