Environmental Treaties & National Green Laws
Multilateral environmental agreements and domestic statutory frameworks establish binding legal principles to prevent ecological harm. Major international treaties include the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (1971), the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES, 1973), the Basel Convention on hazardous wastes (1989), and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD, 1992). In India, environmental jurisprudence expanded following the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy, prompting the enactment of the Environment (Protection) Act of 1986. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) was established under the NGT Act 2010 as a specialized judicial body for expeditious environmental dispute resolution, upholding the Polluter Pays Principle and Precautionary Principle.
Key Concepts & Examination Highlights
- The National Green Tribunal (NGT) was established under the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010, making India the third country globally to have a specialized green tribunal.
- The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance was signed in Ramsar, Iran, on February 2, 1971.
- CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) regulates cross-border trade in wild animal and plant specimens across three strict appendices.