Tue Mar 04 17:42:46 UTC 2025: ## Supreme Court Orders Inter-Ministry Cooperation on Climate Change Following Child Activist’s Plea

**NEW DELHI** – The Supreme Court of India has ordered eight central ministries to collaborate on combating climate change, responding to a petition filed by eight-year-old climate activist Ridhima Pandey. The court issued notices to the Ministries of New and Renewable Energy, Power, Urban Development, Road Transport and Highways, Petroleum, Mines, Science and Technology, and Textiles, citing concerns that these ministries are currently operating in isolation.

Justice P.S. Narasimha and Justice Manoj Misra, hearing Pandey’s petition, described climate change as a critical global threat with far-reaching consequences beyond environmental damage. The court highlighted the escalating temperatures, erratic weather patterns, and increased frequency of extreme weather events, emphasizing their devastating impact on ecosystems, livelihoods, and socio-economic structures. The judges noted the particularly acute socio-economic repercussions for rapidly developing nations like India, stressing the importance of climate action for economic resilience and sustainable development.

The court also recommended a review of existing environmental laws, including the Environment Protection Act and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.

In a separate but related matter, another Supreme Court bench, consisting of Justices B.R. Gavai and Augustine George Masih, directed all states and union territories to establish expert committees to assess land classifications, including forest areas. This decision follows concerns raised last year about a 2023 amendment to conservation laws that potentially excluded nearly 199,000 square kilometers of forest land from protection. The amendment’s impact on forest conservation remains a subject of ongoing judicial scrutiny.

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