In a new precedent, the manifestos of all political parties contesting the upcoming general elections are giving significant attention to environmental issues, reflecting a growing public concern.
Political parties have released their election manifestos for the General Election, and surprisingly, environmental issues have figured vividly in them. The election documents of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Congress, and the Communist Party of India (Marxist)—CPI(M)—contain a flurry of environmental issues, ranging from clean air programmes to oil palm missions, rivers, coastal zones, and the country's increasing non–fossil fuel capacity.
The manifesto of the BJP seems to build on what Prime Minister Narendra Modi discusses at international forums. It states that sustainable living through the LIFE programme will remain its focus, and it will also achieve the non-fossil-fuel targets to reach net-zero emissions by 2070. It states that Mission LIFE will be built upon further with a focus on making a "repository" that will include both traditional and modern best practices with a focus on making sustainable living a global theme.
The Congress, on the other hand, has promised that to achieve the 2070 net-zero target, it will create a Green Transition Fund of India with state governments and the private sector as stakeholders.
The CPI(M) has spoken about the divisive issue of just transitioning from fossil fuels to green energy. If elected to power, it has proposed that it will create an economy-wide structure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and make just transition a part of it.
If elected, the Congress will establish an independent Environment Protection and Climate Change Authority to oversee environmental standards and implement national- and state-level climate change plans, its manifesto states. The Congress also proposes to launch a Green New Deal Investment Programme to meet renewable energy targets and create sustainable infrastructure and green jobs.
The CPI(M) has been critical of the Modi government on environmental issues, accusing it of creating an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) framework that helps businesses but compromises on environmental issues. The CPI(M) has proposed repealing the EIA 2020 guidelines and replacing them with a fresh set.
The BJP has proposed to strengthen its NamamiGange flagship programme that, according to its manifesto, will enhance the health of major rivers in the country and include their conservation and regeneration using traditional knowledge and modern techniques. Under this programme, the next BJP government at the Centre promises to deal with industrial pollutants and arsenic and mercury contamination by extending a helping hand to state governments.
The Congress has plans to deal with river pollution. It states that it will partner with state governments to control effluents discharged into the river systems. Further, it states, "Water harvesting will be made mandatory. Desalination plants will be installed in all coastal areas." The Congress also wants to explore the feasibility of recycled water for non-drinking and industrial purposes.
The BJP has stressed conserving the Himalayan ecosystem to add coherence to disaster resilience. The party mentions that in its next term, it will focus on a "disaster-resilient Bharat" via technical and policy means. Meanwhile, the Congress states that it will constitute a high-power committee to prevent landslides in the hills. According to Congress, disaster management will not only involve humans but will encompass wild animals, domestic animals, pets, and livestock.
Air quality being a huge issue every year, it finds mention in the manifestos of the three parties. The BJP states that it will strengthen the National Clean Air Programme framework so that it "effectively achieves and maintains the designated annual average ambient air quality standards in all regions of the nation, especially achieving National Air Quality Standards in 60 cities by 2029. The Congress, too, proposes to focus on the National Clean Air Programme to deal with air pollution. Both parties have proposed to deal with the burgeoning issue of e-waste by launching dedicated programmes and recycling mandates to recover minerals from this waste.
For the BJP, the Green Credit Programme will remain in focus, and its scope will be widened in the coming years. Afforestation and agroforestry are important means of carbon sinks. The Congress proposes to work with state governments to enhance forest cover in the country, redefine forest and forest cover, and engage local communities in afforestation.