Global Warming: National Green Tribunal Forms Committee To Frame Policy, Measures To Protect Submerging Islands

In a suo moto cognizance case, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has constituted a four-member committee to frame policies and measures to protect submerging islands due to the rise of sea level and global warming.

The principal bench noted that due to the dangers of sea level rise and the submergence of low-lying lands such as islands, “it is imperative to protect these islands as people are living there.”

Considering the dangers, the bench of Justice Sheo Kumar Singh (Acting Chairperson), Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi, Dr. A. Senthil Vel constituted a committee comprising of Director, National Institute of Oceanography, Goa (NIO, Goa), Director National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management, Chennai (A body under MoEF & CC), Director National Institute of Ocean Technology, Chennai and Director, Director, Survey of India, Dehradun.

The committee is tasked with studying the impact of sea level rise on the islands and framing policies and measures to protect them from submergence, erosion, saline ingression, flooding, and other adverse environmental aspects.

The suo moto cognizance was taken from the news item published in The Hindu in March titled "India's Sinking Island." It highlighted that several islands are under siege from unseasonal cyclonic storms, sea erosion, and new development projects, and one island has entirely disappeared from the map.

“One of the main causes of submergence of island is because of Sea Level rise and global warming. There is influx of saline water in agricultural and drinking water in these islands due to sea level rise,” NGT noted.

Notices were issued to the Ministry of Earth Sciences and the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change to file their responses. However, the Tribunal noted that "No response was filed by MoEF & CC."

As per the response of Ministry of Earth Sciences, India’s average temperature has risen by around 0.63 degree Celsius during 1901 to 2021, said NGT.

It further elaborated that the rise in temperature has resulted in melting of glaciers, rise in sea levels, changing precipitation pattern and increasing tendency of weather and climate extremes on a global scale.

In light of the above concerns, the committee has been constituted, and the NGT directed it to submit the report "within three months."

The matter is listed on October 13 for further consideration.

Case Title: In re : News item published in Newspaper The Hindu dated 19.03.2023 titled “India’s Sinking Island”