Conservation Biology — Environmental Laws

Entry	Year	Description	Impact
42nd Amendment	1976	Inserted Article 48A (Protection and improvement of environment and safeguarding of forests and wild life) as a Directive Principle of State Policy and Article 51A(g) (Fundamental Duty to protect and improve the natural environment) into the Constitution of India.	Provided a constitutional mandate for environmental protection, elevating it to a matter of state policy and citizen responsibility, laying the groundwork for subsequent environmental legislation.
Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act	2022	Amended the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, to align it with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). It increased the number of species protected under the Act, regulated invasive alien species, and provided for the establishment of a Standing Committee of the State Board for Wildlife.	Strengthened India's legal framework for wildlife protection, particularly concerning international trade, and introduced provisions to manage threats from invasive species, enhancing the scope of conservation.
Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act	2023	Amended the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, to clarify its applicability to certain categories of land and exempt specific linear projects (e.g., security-related infrastructure, public utility projects) from requiring prior central government approval for diversion of forest land. It also introduced provisions for compensatory afforestation.	Aimed to streamline development projects and enhance national security, but raised concerns among environmentalists about potential dilution of forest protection in certain areas and the definition of 'forest' itself.

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• Data interpretation
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