The increasing prevalence of environmental degradation and as a major national problem forced the Indian state to re-examine its modes of governance. With the enactment of the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010, a paradigm shift has taken place in India toward a more specialized, scientific, and effective judicial response to environmental disputes in India. This paper critically evaluates the role of the NGT in consolidating environmental governance, its role in achieving environmental justice and its impact on the larger legal and policy framework in India. The paper considers the effectiveness of the NGT, its key decisions, limitations, and its concurrence with India’s international environmental obligations via both doctrinal and empirical analysis. The research seeks to shed light in the public debates over institutional change, environmental responsiveness, and judicial creativity in environmental law.
