About us
The Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy is an independent think tank that undertakes legal research and supports the government in creating better laws for the public good. Vidhi’s Climate and Ecosystems Team is a multidisciplinary group that combines desk-based analysis with close engagement with grassroots activists, civil society organisations, and government agencies. The team works to strengthen nature conservation through law by enabling an ecosystem for legal and policy reforms in the conservation space. The following are highlights from the team’s work over the past year.
June - December 2024
- Bridging the gap between on-ground knowledge and law-making, and capacity-building of CSOs and individuals on environmental laws
As part of the Climate and Ecosystems team, we are committed to bridging the gap between on-ground knowledge and law-making. We do this by conducting regional workshops and consultation meetings with scientists, grassroots organisations and relevant stakeholders on relevant and emerging challenges on conservation issues. The aim of such activities is to help build capacity within civil society organisations and relevant stakeholders by leveraging their ongoing conservation efforts on the ground.
A. Submission on Western Ghats ESA
In September 2024, Vidhi partnered with Centre for Policy Design, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) to submit a joint response to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) on its notification modifying the eco-sensitive area (ESA) in the Western Ghats (Related Post on Grove). Key recommendations in the submission include phasing out existing thermal power plants in the area, prohibition of large river-valley projects, and more stringent environmental clearances for wind projects. A robust monitoring and evaluation framework, including the creation of an independent Decision Support and Monitoring Centre (DSMC), have been suggested in this submission.
This report proved to be one of the most comprehensive submissions on the shortfalls of the notification. While much has been written about the original notification, this submission helped bring forward a clause by clause analysis of its shortfalls. This level of technical analysis along with bringing together expert opinions is useful for both governmental and non-governmental organisations to implement better drafting which prioritises protecting the biodiversity of India’s ecologically sensitive areas.
B. Workshops, Consultations and Meetings Hosted by Us
In the period of June to December 2024, we hosted following workshops and meetings:
- Book Adda on ‘The Great Nicobar Betrayal’ with the author, Pankaj Sekhsaria (Professor at IIT Bombay) on 27th June 2024. The session saw the speakers diving into the ecological impact of the Rs. 72,000 crore development project in the Nicobar islands, focusing on the risks posed to the island’s fragile rainforest ecosystem and indigenous communities. The event was graced by the presence of Dr. MK Ranjitsinh (Ex-IAS), a distinguished conservationist and several other conservationists, journalists and researchers. (Click here to watch the live recording) (A Report in The Print) (Related Post on Grove)
- A roundtable on “From Conflict to Coexistence: Media’s Role in Shaping Public Perception on Human-wildlife Interactions” organised in partnership with Mongabay India and Climate Rise Alliance on 18th June, 2024. The meeting brought together conservationists, wildlife scientists, journalists and ground reporters on the same table discussing the issue of human wildlife interactions. (Related Post on Grove)
- Vidhi was a knowledge partner of the International Conference on Human-Elephant Conflict Management organized by Karnataka Forest Department on 12th August, 2024. The conference was held in Bengaluru. Elective representatives, researchers, forest officials, and conservationists came together to discuss the challenges in addressing human-elephant conflict,through community participation, technology, and better policies. The conference ended with a Bengaluru Charter to mitigate human-wildlife conflict which is expected to be signed between Karnataka, Telangana, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Bihar. (Watch the live recording here)
- A capacity building workshop in partnership with the ERDS Foundation and Jaisalmer Forest Division on 21st-22nd September, 2024 for frontline forest staff and communities working in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. The workshop focused on controlling illegal poaching and protocols for rescue and rehabilitation for wild animals in captivity. The workshop saw 80 participants including the state forest department, local CSOs and representatives from local villages. (Related Post on Grove)
- A roundtable meeting was organized in collaboration with the National Law Institute University, Bhopal on “Parliamentary Procedures in Environmental Matters” on 25th September, 2024. The event featured two technical sessions, focusing on the evolution of forest regulation in India and the parliamentary processes involved in advancing environmental issues. The discussion was aimed to emphasise the significance of legislative accountability in environmental governance and to empower students with the knowledge of various parliamentary interventions that can safeguard environmental and other social issues. (Related Post on Grove)
- Vidhi co-hosted a panel discussion on “Floods and Ecosystems: Sustainable Strategies for Integrated Management” at the International Conference on Rivers organised by Vinayaka Mission Law School, Chennai, held on 19th to 20th October, 2024. The panel was chaired by Prof Najeed Naved (VMLS) and included panelist - Mr Tarun Nair (Wildlife Conservation Trust) and Dr Jagdish Krishnaswamy (Dean, Scroll.of Environment and Sustainability). The conference aimed to encourage interdisciplinary discussion on socio-legal aspects of river governance, management and sustainable use. (Related Post on Grove).
- Vidhi co-hosted the National Conference on "Sustainable Futures: Navigating Climate Crisis in the Anthropogenic Era” organised by Presidency University on 25th-26th November 2024. The team chaired a panel to share and exchange knowledge on ecosystem conservation and climate change, and understanding the legal barriers for potential legal and policy reforms.
- Vidhi held a talking circle on the ‘Legal Landscape of Forest Conservation and Afforestation’ at the Restoring Natural Ecologies Conference organised by Climate RISE Alliance and Ecological Restoration Alliance in Panchgani on 27th November, 2024. The event included an in-person training session and discussion with professionals working on ecological restoration.
C. Workshops, Consultations and Meetings Participated as Resource Persons/ Speakers
The team members participated in several meetings, consultations and workshops as a resource person and speaker on various issues related to conservation, wildlife and environmental law. Some of these events include:
- Meeting organised by ClimateRISE Alliance on 4th June, 2024 to discuss the Green Credit Rules with CSOs. (Link to Report)
- A workshop on climate law organised by iForest on 9th-10th August, 2024 in Alwar, Rajasthan. Our key intervention is incorporating biodiversity in the climate governance framework. The output of the meeting is Draft Climate Law Framework. (Link to Report)
- FLAME University, Pune organised the 8th Land & Development Conference 2024 on 7th November, 2024. Vidhi was part of a panel discussion on ‘Navigating Data in Climate Markets: Rights, Ownership, Privacy, and Governance in a Data-driven Market’.
- Climate and Environment Gathering organised by Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies on 16-18th October 2024 in Mangalore.
- Roundtable on “From Conflict to Coexistence: Media’s Role in Shaping Public Perception on Human-wildlife Interactions”, organized by Climate Rise Alliance at Hoerner college in Lucknow on 27th September, 2024.
- Workshop with Indian Forest Service (IFS) trainees (Diploma in Advanced Wildlife Management) at the Wildlife Institute of India on Ecological Impact Assessment using available data and issues therein was conducted on 28th October, 2024.
- Talk on Careers in Conservation for volunteers of Sacred Earth Trust conducted on 15th December, 2024.
Due to India’s vast and diverse geographical area, environmental law and science experts tend to be fragmented in their approach to conserving local ecosystems. By conducting these events in a wide variety of locations and topics, not only has the team succeeded in bridging the gap between on-ground knowledge and law making, it also successfully brought together these stakeholders to collaborate as a more cohesive and tight-knit community. By conducting workshops for students, the team has also helped foster an interest in environmental and biodiversity law-making among future generations.
2. ‘The Green Mandate’- A Unique Platform for In-Depth Discussions on Legal and Policy Issues in Conservation
Vidhi and Rainmatter Foundation started the series ‘The Green Mandate’ in February 2022. The Green Mandate was aimed to become a platform for an in-depth conversation on such issues affecting current conservation challenges and developing a deeper public discourse on the law and policy aspects of it. Since then, we have hosted 3 seasons consisting of 16 public discussions with experts and professionals of high repute including senior bureaucrats, parliamentarians, conservationists, scientists, activists, etc.
Kickstarting season 3 of the Green Mandate, we held a panel on the Ecosystem Area/ Zone Approach in Ecosystem Conservation with Brij Kishore Singh (Ex-PCCF, Karnataka) and Prakriti Srivastava (Ex-PCCF, Kerala) held on 12th September, 2024 at India International Centre, New Delhi. [Click here to read summary of the discussion] ]Click here to watch live recording]
The second session of The Green Mandate was organized on the topic of ‘Securing the Future of the Great Indian Bustard’, with Dr. Asad Rahmani, renowned conservationist and former Director, Bombay Natural History Society and Dr. Sumit Dookia, wildlife biologist and Associate Professor, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha (GGSIP) University, Delhi. The discussion was held on 21st November, 2024, at India International Centre, New Delhi. [Related Post on Grove]
These public discussions have continuously proved to be exciting events for everyone interested in conservation and environment. So far, we are happy to note that these discussions are widely attended by members of the general public along with practitioners, academicians, bureaucrats and students. We also hope that by uploading the discussions on Grove and Youtube, they prove to be a valuable resource on these topics for any future researchers and stakeholders.
3. ‘ The Green Hour’- a periodical on parliamentary proceedings on environmental matters
Vidhi releases a periodical publication – the Green Hour – which traces environmental-related matters discussed during official parliamentary sessions. The report collates data from the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha sessions and presents it in an accessible and engaging manner to help understand developing environmental issues. The report is organised into multiple chapters covering the responses by the MoEFCC during question hour, bills introduced, and debates in the parliament. The report also contains analysis of parliamentary committee reports, budgets and any other relevant parliamentary interventions which warrant attention. The scope and content of the report are continuously evolving based on the feedback from our readers.
We released the 1st Issue of the 2nd Volume which covers Winter Session 2023 held in December and the Interim Budget Session 2024 in February 2024. The issue was released on July 26, 2024 and can be accessed here [Related Post on Grove]. Previous issues of The Green Hour can be accessed here and also available on Grove.
Each issue of The Green Hour has been met with enthusiasm and interest from both experts in the field and people interested in parliamentary processes. By focusing on the performance of one particular ministry, i.e., Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the reports have helped start a discussion on how government action, law-making and the role of members of the parliament should be shaped vis-a-vis the environment.
