Ministry
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is the Union government's nodal agency for environmental and forestry policy and India's designated nodal ministry for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement. It administers the country's core environmental statutes, clears projects that affect forest and eco-sensitive land, and authors the Nationally Determined Contributions India submits to the UN. It is the seat of power where the pace of India's energy transition is negotiated against its development and energy-security priorities.
Updated
- Headquarters
- Indira Paryavaran Bhawan, Jorbagh Road, New Delhi
- Budget 2026-27
- Rs 3,759.46 crore net allocation (PRS analysis of Demand for Grants)
- Net-zero target
- 2070 (announced COP26, 2021)
- Non-fossil capacity
- 51.93% of installed capacity as of 2025-12-31
Role
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is the Union government’s apex body for planning, promoting and coordinating environmental and forestry policy. It administers India’s core environmental statutes — the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, the Air and Water pollution-control Acts, the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and the forest-conservation law now titled the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam — and it is the gatekeeper for the environmental and forest clearances that industrial, mining and infrastructure projects require. It is the cadre-controlling authority for the Indian Forest Service and oversees statutory bodies including the National Tiger Conservation Authority, the National Biodiversity Authority, the Central Zoo Authority and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau.
Its second role is diplomatic and strategic: the ministry is India’s designated nodal authority for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement. It authors the Nationally Determined Contributions India files with the UN, coordinates the National Action Plan on Climate Change and its eight missions, and carries the negotiating brief to the annual Conference of the Parties. Because that brief balances decarbonisation pledges against India’s development and energy-security priorities — and because clearance decisions determine where forests, coal and infrastructure meet — the ministry sits at the centre of contested trade-offs that reach the Cabinet, the courts and the UN.
Desk maintained by IndiaStand editorial cycles. Officeholders are transient; this dossier tracks the institution.
Timeline since 1947
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Department of Environment created; Forest (Conservation) Act enacted
A dedicated central environment department is set up, and the Forest (Conservation) Act begins central control over forest-land diversion.
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Ministry of Environment and Forests formed
The department is elevated into a full ministry, consolidating environment and forestry administration.
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Environment (Protection) Act enacted
Passed after the 1984 Bhopal disaster, it gives the Centre umbrella powers to protect and improve the environment.
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National Action Plan on Climate Change launched
The NAPCC frames India's climate response around eight national missions, including the National Solar Mission.
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National Green Tribunal Act creates a specialised environmental tribunal
Parliament enacts the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010, standing up a dedicated judicial forum for disputes arising under the environmental statutes the ministry administers, and routing challenges to its clearance decisions away from ordinary civil courts.
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Renamed Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Climate change is added to the ministry's title, formalising its role as India's climate-negotiation lead.
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India files its INDC with the UNFCCC ahead of the Paris Agreement
The ministry submits India's Intended Nationally Determined Contribution: cut the emissions intensity of GDP 33-35% below 2005 levels by 2030, reach about 40% non-fossil cumulative electric power installed capacity by 2030, and create an additional carbon sink of 2.5-3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through forest and tree cover.
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Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act gives statutory form to CAMPA money
Act No. 38 of 2016 receives assent, creating National and State Compensatory Afforestation Funds for monies recovered from user agencies under the forest-conservation law, with 90% of collections placed to the credit of the State Fund and the balance 10% to the National Fund. Its preamble traces the mandate to the Supreme Court's 30 October 2002 order in T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad vs Union of India.
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Compensatory Afforestation Fund Rules notified, activating the 2016 Act
The ministry notifies the CAF Rules, 2018, operationalising two non-lapsable interest-bearing funds: the National Fund controlled by the Centre and managed by the National Authority, and State Funds managed by each State CAMPA.
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Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR given statutory footing
Act No. 29 of 2021 constitutes the Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas, covering Delhi plus the adjoining areas of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, with contravention of its directions punishable as enacted by up to five years imprisonment or a fine up to one crore rupees.
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Mission LiFE announced at the COP26 World Leaders Summit
India presents Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) at the UNFCCC COP26 summit in Glasgow as a mass movement toward conscious and deliberate resource consumption, adding a demand-side behavioural track to the ministry's climate brief.
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Updated first NDC communicated to the UNFCCC
India commits to cut GDP emissions intensity 45% by 2030 from 2005 levels and reach about 50% non-fossil cumulative installed power capacity by 2030.
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Mission LiFE launched at Kevadia as a global behaviour-change programme
The mission is formally launched at Kevadia, Gujarat, with the UN Secretary-General present, built around 75 individual LiFE actions across seven themes: water saving, energy saving, waste reduction, e-waste reduction, single-use plastic elimination, sustainable food systems and healthy lifestyles. The ministry reports participation of over 3.57 crore people.
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Forest law renamed and Carbon Credit Trading Scheme notified
The Forest (Conservation) Act is retitled Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, and the CCTS is notified to build an Indian Carbon Market.
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Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act rewrites access-and-benefit-sharing
Act No. 10 of 2023 amends the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 to exempt codified traditional knowledge and registered AYUSH practitioners from prior National Biodiversity Authority approval, and replaces criminal prosecution with penalties of one lakh to fifty lakh rupees decided by an adjudicating officer, rising by up to one crore rupees for continuing contraventions.
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Jan Vishwas Act decriminalises Environment (Protection) Act offences
Act No. 18 of 2023 replaces imprisonment for most contraventions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and the Air Act with monetary penalties determined by an adjudicating officer of at least Joint Secretary rank: a company faces one lakh to fifteen lakh rupees per contravention plus one lakh rupees for each day it continues, and the proceeds are credited to a newly created Environmental Protection Fund.
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Green Credit Rules notified under the Environment (Protection) Act
The ministry notifies the Green Credit Rules, 2023 under the 1986 Act, creating a tradable credit-based incentive for voluntary environmental action, with tree plantation as the initial activity — a market instrument sitting alongside the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme.
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Cabinet approves NDC for 2031-2035
India's second NDC raises the emissions-intensity target to 47% by 2035 from 2005 levels and the non-fossil share to 60%, adds a 3.5-4.0 billion tonne CO2-equivalent carbon-sink target, and reaffirms net-zero by 2070.
Frequently asked
- What is Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change?
- The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is the Union government's nodal agency for environmental and forestry policy and India's designated nodal ministry for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement. It administers the country's core environmental statutes, clears projects that affect forest and eco-sensitive land, and authors the Nationally Determined Contributions India submits to the UN. It is the seat of power where the pace of India's energy transition is negotiated against its development and energy-security priorities.
- When was Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change established?
- Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change was established 1985.
- What does Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change do?
- Its remit covers Environmental and forest policy, and administration of the Environment (Protection) Act, Air Act, Water Act, Wildlife (Protection) Act and the forest-conservation law, Environmental and forest clearances for projects, and appraisal of eco-sensitive land diversion, India's climate-change negotiating brief: UNFCCC/Paris Agreement, the National Action Plan on Climate Change and the Nationally Determined Contributions, Pollution abatement, biodiversity and wildlife conservation, and afforestation, Cadre-controlling authority for the Indian Forest Service and oversight of statutory bodies (NTCA, National Biodiversity Authority, Central Zoo Authority, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau).
- What is the latest on Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change?
- As of 2026-07-06: Cabinet approves NDC for 2031-2035. India's second NDC raises the emissions-intensity target to 47% by 2035 from 2005 levels and the non-fossil share to 60%, adds a 3.5-4.0 billion tonne CO2-equivalent carbon-sink target, and reaffirms net-zero by 2070.
Official sources
The government's own pages for this institution — go straight to the primary.
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Canonical ministry home: divisions, schemes, notifications, circulars.
moef.gov.in/
- Forest Survey of India department
Subordinate office under MoEFCC; publishes the India State of Forest Report.
fsi.nic.in/
- PARIVESH data
Single-window portal for environment, forest, wildlife and CRZ clearance proposals; live tracking and dated S.O. notifications.
parivesh.nic.in/
- Annual Reports reports
Ministry annual report archive, including the current English Annual Report.
moef.gov.in/annual-reports
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Press Information Bureau release archive filtered to the ministry (English).
www.pib.gov.in/allRel.aspx?reg=3&lang=1&ministry=Ministry+of
- Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 — India Code legislation
Umbrella Act the ministry administers; s.3 is the source of the Centre's power to take environmental measures.
www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_16_18_00011_1986