Department of Law, University of Delhi

Semester III
Course Code: 2YLM-EC-106/3YLM-EC-106
Course Name: Environmental Law

Marks: 100 (80+20) Duration: 90 Hours

Course Objectives:
The objective of this course will be to
(i) understand and critically evaluate the role of multilateral environmental
agreements (MEAs) and national environmental laws in protecting
environment and promoting sustainable development;
(ii) analyze the central role played by environmental laws and policies in national
planning and environmental governance;
(iii) assess the effectiveness of the legal mechanisms and fundamental principles
that help environmental decision making and delivery of environmental
justice.

Course Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this course, the students will be able to
(i) understand the contribution of international environmental laws and the
national measures for protecting environment and achieving sustainable
development;
(ii) evaluate the environmental laws and policies in India, environmental
constitutionalism, shaping of environmental laws and policies to meet the
contemporary needs and their implementation;
(iii) analyse the functioning of institutional structures for environmental
governance, liability regimes and environmental justice delivery.

Contents:

UNIT 1. INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

A. INTERNATIONAL MEASURES TO PROJECT GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT
sic utere tuo ut alienum non laedas
Trail Smelter Arbitration Case, 33 AJIL (1939), 182; 35 AJIL (1941) 684
UN Conference on Human Environment (UNCHE), 1972
— Stockholm Declaration, 1972
World Charter for Nature, 1982
Montreal Protocol to Prevent the Depletion of Ozone Layer, 1987 as amended;
Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous
Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade (1998).
Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes
and their Disposal, 1989;
UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), 1992.

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- Rio Declaration, 1992

- Agenda 21
- Forest Principles, 1992
The Convention on Biological Diversity, 1992; Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety,
2000 –Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing, 2010; Nagoya Kuala Lumpur
Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress relating to Living Modified
Organisms, 2010
UN F ramework C onvention on C limate C hange, 1992; K yoto P rotocol, 1997,
Paris Agreement, 2015.
Convention on A ccess t o i nformation, P ublic P articipation i n D ecision-making an d
Access to Justice in Environmental Matters, 1998 (Aarhus Convention)
Basel Protocol on Liability and Compensation, 1999
Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, 2001

B. INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL INSTITUTIONS

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) – UN Environment
United National Development Programme (UNDP)
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
World Conservation Union (IUCN)

Readings:
1. Trail Smelter Arbitration Case, 33 AJIL (1939), 182; 35 AJIL (1941) 684
2. Stockholm Declaration, 1972
3. World Charter for Nature, 1982
4. Montreal Protocol to Prevent the Depletion of Ozone Layer, 1987 as amended;
5. Rio Declaration, 1992
6. Agenda 21
7. Forest Principles, 1992
8. The Convention on Biological Diversity, 1992
9. Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, 2000
10. Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing, 2010
11. Nagoya Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress relating to
Living Modified Organisms, 2010
12. UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, 1992
13. Kyoto Protocol, 1997
14. Paris Agreement, 2015
15. Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous
Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade,1998
16. Convention on A ccess t o i nformation, P ublic P articipation i n D ecision-making an d
Access to Justice in Environmental Matters, 1998 (Aarhus Convention)
17. Basel Protocol on Liability and Compensation, 1999
18. Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, 2001

II. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

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A. CONCEPT AND SCOPE

Report of the World Commission on E nvironment and Development (WCED), OUR
COMMON FUTURE, (Brundtland Report), 1987.
Caring for Earth Document
World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), 2002 (Johannesburg Summit)
- Plan of Implementation, Johannesburg Declaration
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
B ENVIRONMENTAL PRINCIPLES
- Precautionary Principle
- Polluter Pays Principle
- Inter-generational Equity
- Intra-generational Equity
- Common but Differentiated Responsibilities
C IMPLEMENTATION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
International Measures
- UN Commission on Sustainable Development, 1992
- WTO Committee on Trade and Environment National Measures
- Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals in India

Readings:

1. Report of the World Commission on E nvironment and Development (WCED), OUR

COMMON FUTURE, (Brundtland Report), 1987.
2. Caring for Earth Document
3. Plan of Implementation, World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), 2002
4. Johannesburg Declaration
5. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

III. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTITUTIONALISM

A. RIGHT TO ENVIRONMENT
Human Right to Environment and Right to Development
B. Constitutional operationalisation of Fundamental Right to Pollution Free
Environment – Articles 14, 19(1)(g), 21, 48-A and 51-A (g) of the Constitution
Environmental Law Making – Parliamentary power under Article 253 t o amend law
made under Article 252.
Constitutional Status o f F undamental E nvironmental P rinciples: P recautionary
Principle, P olluter Pays P rinciple, I nter-generational E quity, Intra-generational
Equity, Public Trust Doctrine.

Readings:
1. Articles 14, 19(1)(g), 21, 48-A and 51-A (g) of the Constitution
2. Article 253 and 252 of the Constitution

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IV. ENVIRONMENTAL LEGAL FRAMEWORK

A. LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION
The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974; The Air (Prevention and
Control of Pollution) Act, 1981; The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986; The Public
Liability Insurance Act, 1991; The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 as amended; The
Indian F orest A ct, 192 7; T he Forest (Conservation) A ct, 1980; T he B iological
Diversity Act, 2002 (18 of 2003), National Green Tribunal Act,2010
B. TOOLS FOR ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION:
Environmental Impact Assessment, Environmental Audit, Public Hearing
C. ENFORCEMENT AND COMPLIANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS
Command and Control regime: Strengths and Weaknesses

Readings:

1. The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974;

2. The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981;
3. The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986;
4. The Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991;
5. The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 as amended
6. The Indian Forest Act, 1927;
7. The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980;
8. The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 (18 of 2003),
9. National Green Tribunal Act,2010

V. ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE
A. Policy Instruments
Environmental Policy Instruments
- The National Environment Policy, 2006
- The National Action Plan on Climate Change, 2008
- The National Forest Policy, 1988
- The National Water Policy, 2002
- The Wildlife Conservation Strategy, 2002
Devising progressive policies for creating incentives for compliance, Eco-labelling for
environment f riendly p roducts a nd C orporate E nvironmental R esponsibility w ithin
CSR.
B. ENVIRONMENTAL DECISION MAKING
Access to Information, Public participation
C. ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING FOR SUSTAINABLE URBAN AND RURAL
ENVIRONMENT
- Master Plans, Zoning, Health and Sanitation
- 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Constitution
- Displacement, Resettlement and Rehabilitation

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Readings:

1. The National Environment Policy, 2006

2. The National Action Plan on Climate Change, 2008
3. The National Forest Policy, 1988
4. The National Water Policy, 2002
5. The Wildlife Conservation Strategy, 2002
6. 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Constitution

VI. ENVIRONMENTAL LIABILITY

Criminal Liability
Tortious Liability – Vicarious Liability, Absolute Liability, Deep Pocket Theory,
Multinational Corporate Liability
State Liability
Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991
Basel Protocol on Liability and Compensation, 1999
The Hazardous Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 1989 as amended in 2000 and
2003.

Readings:
1. Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991
2. Basel Protocol on Liability and Compensation, 1999
3. The H azardous W astes ( Management a nd H andling) R ules, 1989 a s a mended i n
2000 and 2003.

VII. GREEN JUSTICE

A . Access to Environmental Justice
Environmental r emedies – Administrative, S tatutory and C onstitutional R emedies
Judicial activism – challenges, legitimacy and limits

B. National Green Tribunal

Environmental Courts – Law Commission 186th Report on Proposal to Constitute
Environment Courts (2003)
National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 – Jurisdiction, operation and environmental justice
delivery.

Readings:
1. Law C ommission 186 th Report on P roposal t o C onstitute E nvironment C ourts
(2003)
2. National Green Tribunal Act, 2010
3. Selected cases decided by NGT

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SUGGESTED READINGS

1. Philippe Sands and Jacqueline Peel, 2012. Principles of International Environmental

Law, 3rd ed., Cambridge University Press.

2. Ulrich Beyerlin and Thilo Marauhn, 2011. International Environmental Law, 1st ed.,
Hart Publishing, Oxford.

3. Birnie, P atricia, A lan Boyle, and C atherine R edgwell, 2009 . International Law and
the Environment, 3rd ed., Oxford University Press.

4. Jane Holder and Maria Lee, 2007. Environmental Protection, Law and Policy Text
and Materials, 2nd ed., Cambridge University Press.
5. Ved P . N anda a nd R ock Pring, International Environmental Law and Policy for
the 21st Century, 2nd revised edition, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers (2012).
6. Usha Tandon et al (eds) “Biodiversity: Law, Policy and Governance” Routledge –
Taylor & Francis, Oxon and New York (2018).
7. Usha Tandon (ed) “Energy Law and Policy”, Oxford University P ress, New Delhi
(2018).

8. Shyam D iwan a nd Armin R osencranz, Environmental Law and Policy in India –

Cases, Materials and Statutes (2nd ed., 2001) Oxford University Press.

9. Gurdip Singh, Environmental Law in India (2005) Macmillan.

10. P. L eelakrishnam, Environmental Law in India (2nd ed., 2005) L exisNexis

Butterworth.

11. Stuart B ell & Donald Me G illivray, Environmental Law – The Law and Policy
Relating to the Protection of the Environment (6th ed., 2006 ) O xford U niversity
Press.

12. S. C olye and K . M orrow, The Philosophical Foundations of Environmental Law:

Property, Rights and Nature (2004) Hart Publishing.
13. Bodansky, D anial, J utta B runnee, and E llen H ey, 2007. The Oxford Handbook of
International Environmental Law, Oxford University Press.
14. Brunnée, J utta, M einhard D oelle, a nd Lavanya Rajamani , 2012. ( eds) Promoting
Compliance in an evolving Climate Regime, Cambridge University Press.

Articles
1. Anthony O gus a nd C arolyn A bbot, “ Sanctions f or P ollution: D o w e ha ve t he R ight
Regime?” 14 Journal of Environmental Law 283 (2002).
2. Arvind Hasrofia, “Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development: Exploring
the Dynamics of Ethics and Law”, 49 JILI 30 (2007)
3. B.C. Nirmal, “Overview of the Biosafety Protocol”, 46 JILI 373 (2003)
4. Carol Harlow, “Public Law and Popular Justice”, 65 Modern Law Review 1 (2002)

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5. Christopher D . S tone, “ Common but D ifferentiated R esponsibilities i n International

Law”, Vol. 98, No. 2 The American Journal of International Law 276-301 (2004)
6. Daniel C . E sty, “ Bridging t he T rade-Environment D ivide”, J ournal of E conomic
Perspectives, Vol, 15, No. 3, pp. 113-130
7. Dinah S helton, T he L inks be tween International H uman R ights G uarantees a nd
Environmental P rotection, U niversity of C hicago, C enter f or International S tudies,
(2004)
8. Elisa M orgera, “ An U pdate on t he A arhus C onvention a nd i ts C ontinued G lobal
Relevance”, 14 Review of European Community & International Environmental Law
138 (2005)
9. Elisa Morgera, “From Stockholm to Johannesburg: From Corporate Responsibility to
Corporate Accountability for the Global Protection of the Environment?” 13 Review
of European Community & International Environmental Law 214 (2004)
10. Elizabeth F isher, “ Is t he P recautionary P rinciple S ustainable?”, 13 Journal of
Environmental Law 315 (2001)
11. Francesco S indco an d J oyeeta Gupta, “M oving t he C limate C hange R egime Further
through a Hydrogen Protoco”, 13 Review of European Community and International
Environmental Law 175 (2004).
12. Gianluca Rubagotti, “The Clean Development Mechanism: Establishing A Regulatory
Framework to f avour C limate F riendly Investments”, 46 Indian Journal of
International Law 212 (2006)
13. Gurdip Singh, “Human Rights to Sustainable Development: An Indian Perspective”, 3
(2) Soochow Law Journal 53-89 (2006)
14. Gurdip S ingh, “ The R ole of E quity i n S ustainable D evelopment: A Conceptual
Enquiry”, X-XI NCLJ 17 (2005-2006)
15. James C ameron, The Precautionary Principle, i n G ary P . S ampson, W . B radnee
Chambers (ed.), Trade, Environment and the Millennium, United Nations University
Press (2002)
16. Javaid Talib, “Constitutionalising the Problem of Environment”, 47 JILI 522 (2005).
17. Joy H yvarinen, “ The 20 05 W orld Summit: U N Reform, S ecurity, E nvironment a nd
Development”, 15 Review of European Community & International Environmental
Law 1 (2006)
18. Jutta B runnee, “ Of S ense a nd S ensibility: R eflections on International Liability
Regimes as Tools for Environmental Protection”, 53 International Comparative Law
Quarterly 351 (2004)
19. Klaus B osselmann and Pushpa K umar Lakshmanan. 2018. “ The Atmosphere as a
Global C ommons a nd c leansing i t w ith N ew E nergy O ptions” i n U sha Tandon ( ed)
“Energy Law and Policy”, Oxford University Press, New Delhi (2018).
20. Lakshmanan, P ushpa Kumar. 2018. Implementing t he C onvention on B iological
Diversity and i ts P rotocols i n India” i n Burra S rinivas a nd R ajesh K umar ( eds)
Locating India i n t he C ontemporary International Legal O rder, S pringer India, N ew
Delhi (2017).

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21. Lakshmanan, P ushpa K umar. 2018. “ Implementing N agoya pr otocol on A ccess a nd

Benefit Sharing in India,” in Usha Tandon et al (eds) “Biodiversity: Law, Policy and
Governance” Routledge – Taylor & Francis, Oxon and New York (2018).
22. Lakshmanan, P ushpa K umar, A lice S kipper, B rian H ayes, 2016. “ Environmental
Law” i n S haun S tar (ed.) Australia and India: A C omparative Overview of t he Law
and Legal Practice, Universal Law Publishing and Lexis Nexis, New Delhi.
23. Lakshmanan, P ushpa K umar, S hachi S ingh, S . A sta Lakshmi, “ Paris A greement on
Climate Change and India,” Journal of Climate Change, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 1-10, 2017.
24. Laurence B oisson de Chazournes, “ The G lobal E nvironment F acility ( GEF): A
Unique and Crucial Institution”, 14 Review of European Community & International
Environmental Law 193 (2005)
25. Lavanya Rajamani, “From Stockholm to Johannesburg: The Anatomy of Dissonance
in the International Environmental Dialogue”, 12 Review of European Community &
International Environmental Law 23 (2003)
26. Lord J ustice C arnwath, “ Judicial P rotection of t he E nvironment: A t H ome a nd
Abroad”, 16 Journal of Environmental Law 315 (2001)
27. M Lee a nd C . A bbot, “ The U sual S uspects? P ublic P articipation U nder t he A arhus
Convention”, 66 Modern Law Review 80 (2003)
28. M. P allemaerts, “ International Law and Sustainable Development: Any Progress in
Johannesburg?”, 12 Review of European Community and International Environment
Law I (2003)
29. Mark Geistfeld, “Implementing the Precautionary Principle”, 31 Environmental Law
Reporter 11326 (2001).
30. Mike F entuck, P recautionary M aybe, but W hat’s t he P rinciple? T he P recautionary
Principle, The Regulation of Risk, and the Public Domain Journal of Law and Society
371 (2005).
31. N.S. K hamboj, H azardous Industries: P olicy and t he L aw, 46 Indian J ournal of
International Law 449 (2004).
32. Nils Me yer-Ohlendorf, Would a U nited N ations E nvironment O rganization H elp t o
Achieve the Millennium Development Goals? 15 Review of European Community &
International Environmental Law 23 (2006).

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