Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy and Rainmatter Foundation invite you to the first episode of our newly launched conversation series THE GREEN MANDATE, on the ‘Wildlife Protection (Amendment) Bill 2021’, in conversation with Ms Prerna Singh Bindra.

The Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Bill 2021 was introduced in the Parliament of India on 17th December 2021 and proposes to update and add several provisions to the existing Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 (WPA). Although the Bill appears to have been drafted with good intentions, Vidhi’s analysis indicates that several provisions can be improved to bring clarity, strengthen conservation efforts, and effectively implement the WPA. There are many neglected aspects of wildlife management which may be addressed through this Bill. The Bill is now referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change. 

Prerna Bindra is a leading conservationist with a primary focus on wildlife habitats. She was a member of the Standing Committee-National Board for Wildlife, Government of India between 2010-2013, and Uttarakhand’s State Wildlife Advisory Board. She has been involved in the creation and expansion of Protected Areas and Tiger Reserves. Prerna has written extensively on policy issues related to wildlife conservation and authored the critically acclaimed book ‘The Vanishing: India’s Wildlife Crisis’. She is currently pursuing her PhD at University of Cambridge.

Schedule: 6^th February, Sunday, 16.00-17.00 HRS (IST)

16.00 hrs: Introduction

16.05 hrs: Key Highlights from Vidhi’s analysis of the Wildlife Protection (Amendment) Bill 2021

16.15 hrs: Discussion with Prerna Bindra

16.45 hrs: Q&A with audience

ABOUT THE SERIES

The UNEP Global Report on Environmental Rule of Law observed that despite a 38-fold increase in environmental laws worldwide since 1972, the greatest challenge to environmental protection remained partial enforcement and implementation. 

India, a megadiverse country with 10 biogeographic zones and 4 biodiversity hotspots, is also the second most populous country in the world. The future of India’s natural heritage depends greatly on how we conserve and manage our natural resources and wildlife today. This not only requires the current laws to be firm, but also for the policy framework to remain dynamic and responsive to the new and emerging challenges. 

Further, a nuanced understanding of the implementation challenges at the ground, regularly evaluating the impact of any new amendments to the laws, attending to the neglected aspects of the regulatory framework and contemplating the drivers which influence the law and policy making are some of the critical actions which are required on part of the state as well as the civil society.

THE GREEN MANDATE provides a platform for an in-depth conversation on such issues affecting current conservation challenges and aims at developing a deeper public discourse on the law and policy aspects of it.

In its first episode, we invite you to be part of the discussion on the various aspects of the “Wildlife Protection (Amendment) Bill 2021” with leading wildlife conservationist Ms Prerna Bindra.