ISSUE 1 - SEPTEMBER 26/2025 - DECEMBER 26/2025
THE SILENT GUARDIANS OF BIODIVERSITY: MANGROVE CONSERVATION THROUGH INDIAN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW
AUTHOR’S NAME – Dr. Vaishakhi Thaker.
AFFILIATION OF AUTHOR – Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law, GLS University, Ellisbridge, Ahmedabad.
Received on 3 September 2025, Accepted on 16 September 2025, Published on 28 September 2025
ABSTRACT:
Mangroves, the “silent guardians” of biodiversity, are vital for coastal protection, carbon sequestration, and sustaining livelihoods. India hosts significant mangrove cover, yet these ecosystems face degradation from urbanisation, industrial projects, aquaculture, and climate change. Despite constitutional directives and multiple environmental statutes, including the Environment (Protection) Act, Forest Conservation Act, and Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) framework, implementation challenges persist. Judicial interventions by the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal have advanced mangrove protection[1], but weak enforcement and overlapping jurisdictions continue to undermine conservation. This paper critically analyses India’s legal and policy framework on mangroves, highlighting ecological importance, governance gaps, and judicial trends. Comparative insights from other mangrove-rich nations demonstrate alternative approaches to conservation. The study recommends stronger statutory mechanisms, community participation, and integration of mangrove[2]s into climate and disaster policies. Strengthening mangrove governance is essential for biodiversity protection, climate resilience, and sustainable development in India.
(Keywords: Mangrove Conservation, Environmental Law, Coastal Regulation Zone, Biodiversity, Climate Resilience.)
[1] S. Chandran et al., Conservation and Management of Mangroves in Uttara Kannada, Central Western Ghats, ENVIS Tech. Rep. (Centre for Ecological Sciences, IISc Bangalore, Nov. 2012) Research gate (September 1, 2025, 8:00 P.M.) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318316554_Conservation_and_Management_of_Mangroves_in_Uttara_Kannada_Central_Western_Ghats
[2] Abhijit Mitra, Mangrove Forests in India: Exploring Ecosystem Services, Springer (September 1, 2025, 8:00 P.M.) https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-20595-9
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( Volume 4 Issue 1 – 2025 )( Publication Date 28 /September/ 2025 )
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THE FORGOTTEN VICTIMS OF CLIMATE CHANGE: A CALL FOR LEGAL RECOGNITION
AUTHOR’S NAME – Ayush Tiwari, B.A.LL.B, Second Year.
INSTITUTION NAME – Lloyd Law College, Greater Noida.
Received on 16 September 2025, Accepted on 19 September 2025, Published on 28 September 2025
ABSTRACT:
Climate change has emerged as one of the most powerful drivers of forced displacement, threatening not only the humidity but also creating several critical legal challenges in the 21st century. Extreme weather events, rising sea levels, drought, and ecological collapse are forcing millions of people to leave their homes. Since 2013, more than 376 million people have been displaced by climate-related disasters, and it is projected that over one billion individuals could face displacement by 2050. However, international law has yet to grant the status of “climate refugees” to these people. The 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol focus exclusively on the political and social ground forms of persecution, thereby ignoring those migrants who are forced by “climate”. The judicial decisions such as Teitiota v. New Zealand reveal the limitation of existing framework, while the cases in India, like Olga Tellis v. Bombay Municipal Corporation case, and the Subhash Kumar v. State of Bihar case, illustrate the inadequacy of the current approach, while proving a constitutional right of indirect protection by linking right to the livelihood and environment to the Article 21 of constitution of India (right to life)[1].
[1] Europarl, The concept of ‘climate refugee’ (last visited on September 10, 2025).
( Volume 4 Issue 1 – 2025 )( Publication Date 28 /September/ 2025 )
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