1. The court in the case of Ridhima Pandey v Union of India, the court acknowledged the urgent need for a coordinated response towards climate change. Climate change is not merely an environmental issue but it is a matter of economic resilience, social justice, and sustainable development.
2. It also highlighted the inadequacies of the existing legal framework which highlights India's commitments under international agreements such as the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement, 2015. While India has incorporated these principles into policies like the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) and State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCCs), their enforceability remains a challenge.
3. The Court also called for a reassessment of laws such as the Environment Protection Act, 1986, and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, to incorporate binding climate-centric mandates.
4. The Court also highlighted that there is the lack of inter-ministerial coordination in climate governance. Institutions like the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF & CC), Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), and Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) face challenges such as jurisdictional limitations, lack of resources, and inadequate data access.
5. To ensure effective climate action, the Court directed the impleadment of multiple ministries as party respondents, including the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Ministry of Power, Ministry of Urban Development, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Ministry of Textiles, Department of Science and Technology.
6. The Court also granted liberty to the Additional Solicitor General to file a response to the amici curiae’s reports and allowed the appellant’s counsel to submit replies and additional documents.
The matter was listed for the next hearing on March 28, 2025.
To read and download the full judgment, click here.
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