Environmental Laws and Policies — Environmental Laws

Entry	Year	Description	Impact
42nd Constitutional Amendment Act	1976	Introduced Article 48A (DPSP) and Article 51A(g) (Fundamental Duty) into the Constitution, explicitly mandating environmental protection for the State and citizens.	Provided a constitutional foundation for environmental governance and spurred subsequent legislative action.
Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act	2022	Amended the WPA, 1972, to implement CITES, rationalize schedules of protected species, and enhance penalties for wildlife crimes.	Strengthened wildlife conservation efforts, aligned domestic law with international obligations, and provided greater deterrence against poaching and illegal trade.
Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act	2023	Modified the FCA, 1980, to exempt certain categories of land (e.g., within 100 km of international borders for security, linear projects, private plantations) from its purview.	Aimed at streamlining development projects and promoting afforestation, but raised concerns about potential dilution of forest protection and tribal rights.
EIA Notification Amendments	Ongoing (e.g., 2020, 2021, 2022)	Various amendments to the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification, 2006, often aimed at streamlining the environmental clearance process, introducing exemptions, or modifying public hearing requirements.	Continuously reshapes the environmental clearance regime, impacting project approvals, public participation, and regulatory oversight, often sparking debates on environmental safeguards.

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• Data interpretation
• Correlation vs causation
• Estimation techniques