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| News Clippings | | Environmental Governance | | Rationale: | Environmental Governance can be understood as the conglomeration of different mechanisms and systems that promote environment protection and conservation through an array of rules and regulations in any given country. Due to the rapid industrial growth and its unfavourable consequences all around the world, the concept of Global Environmental Governance has gained prominence in the recent years, as the effective handling of environmental issues and management of natural resources are important for the very survival of humanity. | | | Considering the above circumstances, one of the objectives introduced in the New Economic Policy (NEP) was to apply the principles of good governance (transparency, rationality, accountability, reduction in time and costs, participation and regulatory independence) to the management and regulation of use of environmental resources. The policy emphasises on the participation of multiple stakeholders like implementing and policy making agencies of the government at central, state, municipal and panchayat levels; the legislatures and judiciary; the public and private corporate sectors; financial institutions; industry associations; academic and research institutions; independent professionals and experts; the media; youth clubs; community based organisations and voluntary organisations. Thus institutions of local self-governance have an important role in management of the environment and natural resources. The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments provide the framework for their empowerment in the form of ownership and participation in the development processes. | | | In spite of the above-mentioned tools for protection of the environment and ensuring people’s participation, the present scenario reflects a grim and dismal reality, which can be attributed to the lack of effective enforcement and monitoring mechanisms followed by the concerned authorities. Considering these factors, there is a dire need for redesigning of the environment impact assessment (EIA) regime to incorporate participatory environment clearance processes into their functioning. Adequate checks and balances need to be built into these processes until capacities for environment governance are created at the local levels. Further policy and legislative changes are necessary to enable them to undertake such role efficiently with due incorporation of the tenets of participation and environmental governance. | | | In light of the above, PRIA through the “Environmental Governance” project aims to promote and synergise the concepts of people’s participation and environmental governance to foster environmental sustainability in the proposed intervention areas. The project will be implemented in the states of Jharkhand (East Singbhum district) and Chhattisgarh (Raigarh and Korba districts) as they are intensely affected by industrial growth and environmental degradation due to the availability of rich mineral resources in the area. The two states also enjoy the status of being “an advantageous region” to setup mineral-based heavy and medium industries, viz. iron and steel, coal-based plants and refractory plants, diamond, gold, etc. on account of their mineral wealth because of which the state governments also promote the growth of industries in the area. | | | The project will cater to the needs of the local community and local governance institutions in selected sites by creating an enabling environment for their active engagement in the environmental issues affecting them through intensive community mobilisation processes. There is a dearth of relevant data related to the adverse effects of rapid industrial growth. The project would initiate processes like environment plan and public hearings, etc. to ensure people’s participation. PRIA will try to fill in the interface gap between local governance institutions and regulatory bodies on pollution in the two states. Enabling community to raise voice on pollution at grassroots and informed participation in public hearing of regulatory bodies and policy making are going to be the main objectives of the project. | | | | Project Goal: | | •Promoting participative environmental governance. | | Project Purpose: | | •Protecting environment for better health and livelihood with informed participation. | |
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