Madras High Court Seeks Centre’s Response on Including Climate Change in EIA Reports: PIL Petition
The Madras High Court on Tuesday, July 9, 2024, directed the Centre to respond to a public interest litigation (PIL) petition that emphasized the importance of considering climate change in Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) reports for large-scale projects.
The PIL was filed by G. Sundarrajan of Poovulagin Nanbargal, an environmental organization, and was deemed just by the First Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice R. Mahadevan and Justice Mohammed Shaffiq. The court requested the Centre to provide a response within two weeks.
During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel, M. Radhakrishnan, highlighted that the 2006 EIA notification issued by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change did not include ‘climate change’ as a relevant environmental concern in the preparation of EIA reports. This omission, according to the counsel, could render the paragraph unconstitutional in light of recent Supreme Court rulings.
The Supreme Court’s observations in cases such as Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai versus Ankita Sinha and M.K. Ranjitsinh versus Union of India emphasized the need to address climate change as a serious threat and recognize it as a distinct right under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution. The court stressed the importance of including climate change in EIA reports to ensure a better environmental legacy for future generations.
Mr. Sundarrajan’s counsel argued that climate change must be integrated into the EIA process to effectively address environmental concerns and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change. The court’s decision to seek a response from the Centre reflects the growing recognition of climate change as a critical factor in environmental assessments for development projects.
The outcome of this PIL could have significant implications for future EIA reports and environmental policies in India, as it underscores the importance of considering climate change in decision-making processes related to large-scale projects. The Madras High Court’s proactive stance on this issue sets a precedent for prioritizing environmental sustainability and climate resilience in development planning.