Environmental Law and Innovative Approaches to Environmental Degradation

The paper analyses legal framework and innovative approaches to environmental degradation and better health. The issue of Environmental Damage came to the fore on the international agenda for the first time with the Stockholm Conference in 1972. The conference was attended by the then Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi. After the Conference significant changes were made in the Constitution of India to accommodate provisions regarding the deteriorating Environment in the Directive Principles of State Policy and Fundamental Duties. Various legislations like The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, the Environment Protection Act, 1986 were also enacted. Several principles like the Polluter Pays Principle, Precautionary Principle were also incorporated as provisions. In this new age of technology, nanotechnology and other innovative techniques are increasingly being used to combat rampant environmental degradation and resultant deteriorating health. Also as the recently held COP24 at Poland reiterated global environmental issues that the world is facing, the delegates at the conference discussed at length about the existential crisis due to man-made disasters at global scale. The paper focuses on various innovations made in recent times to combat environmental degradation and promote better health in the Indian as well as Global scenario