The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is responsible for planning, promoting, and overseeing the implementation of the country’s environmental and forestry policies, including wildlife conservation, pollution control, and climate change mitigation.
Core Objectives:
- Conservation & Survey: Protecting India’s diverse flora, fauna, forests, and wildlife, while overseeing the management of national parks.
- Pollution Control: Preventing and abating air, water, and land pollution, largely driven by regulatory frameworks like the National Clean Air Programme.
- Climate Change: Leading India’s global climate commitments, overseeing sustainable development, and operating adaptation funds.
- Afforestation: Driving land degradation mitigation and the regeneration of degraded forest areas.
Key Responsibilities:
The MoEFCC serves as the primary national representative for multilateral and international environmental organizations, such as the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF). Additionally, it issues mandatory Environmental Clearances (EC) for developmental projects per the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification.
Administrative Divisions & Organizations:
The ministry oversees multiple statutory boards, autonomous bodies, and subordinate offices to execute its mandates. These include: [1]
- Central Zoo Authority (CZA)
- National Biodiversity Authority (NBA)
- Forest Survey of India (FSI)
- Botanical Survey of India (BSI)
- Zoological Survey of India (ZSI)