Context:

• As a reminder of humanity’s responsibility to preserve Earth’s resources for future generations, Earth Day is celebrated every year on April 22 globally.
• Let this day be more than a date on the calendar, and be a turning point - for policy, people, and the planet

Ecological Crisis:

• Essentials for human survival: Clean air, safe water, nourishing food, and natural resources.
• Overexploitation: The planet cannot sustain humanity’s greed-driven consumption. Earth has become a "one-way bank" from which humans continually withdraw without depositing anything back.
• Depletion and degradation:
  • Deforestation, plastic-choked oceans, air pollution.
  • Declining groundwater, soil infertility, and erratic weather patterns.
  • Rise in extreme climate events like floods, wildfires, and heatwaves.

Earth Day - From Symbolism to Stewardship:

• Celebrated since 1970, Earth Day has influenced global environmental frameworks, fostered international cooperation and inspired landmark agreements.
• However, it often gets reduced to symbolic gestures - a social-media post, a tree-planting event, a school skit.
• While awareness matters, this day must be a call to introspect, act, and shift from exploitation to stewardship.

India’s Sustainability Journey - From Rhetoric to Responsibility:

• Climate commitments: Panchamrit Pledge (COP26, Glasgow, 2021) -
  • Reach 500GW Non-fossil energy capacity by 2030.
  • 50% of its energy requirements from renewable energy by 2030.
  • Reduction of total projected carbon emissions by one billion tonnes from now to 2030.
  • Reduction of the carbon intensity of the economy by 45% by 2030, over 2005 levels.
  • Achieving the target of net zero emissions by 2070.
• Renewable energy and solar revolution:
  • Solar energy has emerged as one of India’s core pillars (contributes to over 15% of India’s renewable energy mix - and it is growing) of climate action.
  • The International Solar Alliance (ISA), co-led with France, is reshaping global energy diplomacy.
  • Initiatives like the National Solar Mission and PM-KUSUM are empowering farmers to use solar-powered irrigation.
  • Large solar parks in states like Gujarat and Rajasthan are redefining how India powers its homes and industries.
• Electric mobility and clean transport:
  • FAME scheme: Promoting electric vehicles.
  • Indian railways: Targeting net-zero by 2030.
  • Urban transport: Expansion of public transport and shift to clean fuels.
• Biodiversity and conservation:
  • Project Tiger and Project Elephant: Population growth in key species. India is now home to over 75% of the world’s tiger population.
  • Ramsar Wetlands, Green India Mission: Focus on wetland protection and forest quality.
• Urban challenges and pollution control:
  • National Clean Air Programme (NCAP): Improving air quality and monitoring.
  • Swachh Bharat Abhiyan: Now includes plastic waste segregation and composting.
• Water conservation: It is evolving with flagship programs like the Jal Shakti Abhiyan, Atal Bhujal Yojana, and Namami Gange.
• Sustainable agriculture:
  • Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana for organic farming.
  • Climate-resilient farming and micro-irrigation.
• Legal and policy framework:
  • From the foundational Environment Protection Act (1986) to newer rules on e-waste, plastic management, and green building codes, India’s legal framework is expanding to meet contemporary challenges.
  • Campaigns like the Lifestyle for Environment (LIFE) initiative remind us that environmentalism isn’t just about big policy - it’s also about small, everyday choices.

Challenges and Gaps in Implementation:

• Inconsistent execution across states.
• Inadequate climate finance.
• Ongoing conflict between development vs. conservation.
• Issues like encroachments, deforestation, and pollution persist.

A Shift in Consciousness - Sustainability as a Mainstream Agenda:

• Integration of environment: In governance and business.
• Citizen engagement: Growing public awareness and activism.
• Education and accountability: Teaching the next generation and holding systems accountable.

Conclusion - Towards a Regenerative Future:

• Earth Day must go beyond symbolism to include key actions like consuming mindfully, reducing plastic use, supporting green policies, and reconnecting with nature daily.
• There is no Planet B, and sustainability is no longer optional but existential.

Q1. What is the significance of the Panchamrit pledge announced by India at COP26?

Ans. The Panchamrit pledge outlines India’s five-point climate action agenda, including net-zero emissions by 2070 and 50% renewable energy use by 2030, signaling a strong commitment to global climate leadership.

Q2. Discuss the role of solar energy in India’s renewable energy transition.

Ans. Solar energy, supported by initiatives like the National Solar Mission and PM-KUSUM, has become central to India’s renewable strategy, contributing over 15% to its green energy mix.

Q3. How does the Lifestyle for Environment (LIFE) initiative aim to promote environmental sustainability?

Ans. The LIFE initiative promotes eco-conscious behavior and sustainable consumption patterns among citizens to complement policy-level environmental action.

Q4. Evaluate India’s efforts in biodiversity conservation through flagship projects.

Ans. India’s initiatives like Project Tiger and Project Elephant have resulted in increased wildlife populations and global recognition, especially with over 75% of the world’s tigers residing in India.

Q5. What are the key challenges India faces in environmental policy implementation despite having a robust legal framework?

Ans. Key challenges include uneven state-level implementation, insufficient climate finance, and a persistent conflict between development and conservation goals. 

Source:IE

Context

• The Election Commission of India’s (ECI) initiative to link Aadhaar with voter IDs has sparked intense debate.
• While presented as a strategy to cleanse electoral rolls and bolster electoral integrity, this policy move raises profound constitutional, legal, and ethical questions.
• A closer examination reveals that the proposed linkage threatens the sanctity of the democratic process, compromises the right to privacy, and risks mass disenfranchisement of legitimate voters.

The Illusion of Voluntariness and Legal Ambiguities

• Though the ECI claims the Aadhaar-voter ID linkage is voluntary, the process offers no genuine opt-out.
• Citizens must either provide their Aadhaar number or declare its absence — a mechanism that coerces even reluctant individuals into compliance.
• By September 2023, over 66 crore Aadhaar numbers had been seeded into the voter database, facilitated by data-sharing practices that raise serious legal and ethical concerns.
• The use of tools like the DBT Seeding Data Viewer and the repurposing of National Population Register data demonstrate how data collected for one purpose is now being leveraged for unrelated, constitutionally sensitive applications.

Concerns Surrounding ECI’s Proposal

• Disregarding Judicial Commitments and Imposing Procedural Burdens
  • The ECI's proposal appears to contravene its own assurances to the Supreme Court in G. Niranjan v. Election Commission of India (2023), where it committed to maintaining the non-mandatory nature of the Aadhaar linkage.
  • Instead of upholding this promise, the new policy mandates that individuals who choose not to submit Aadhaar must justify their stance in person before an Electoral Registration Officer.
  • This requirement disproportionately burdens vulnerable populations, including the elderly, disabled, migrant workers, and those in remote areas, effectively disenfranchising them through procedural hurdles.
  • Compounding the issue is the absence of a clear, time-bound appellate mechanism for challenging arbitrary rejections.
• Misplaced Trust in Aadhaar as a Tool for Electoral Purification
  • The justification that Aadhaar linkage will eliminate duplicate voters is fundamentally flawed. Aadhaar, by design, is a proof of residency, not citizenship.
  • Section 9 of the Aadhaar Act, 2016, and several judicial rulings underscore that possession of Aadhaar does not equate to Indian citizenship.
  • Even the UIDAI has acknowledged that non-citizens residing in India for 182 days are eligible for Aadhaar.
  • As such, using Aadhaar to determine voter eligibility undermines the integrity of electoral rolls rather than enhancing it.
  • The dangers of this approach are not hypothetical.
  • A pilot attempt under the National Electoral Roll Purification and Authentication Programme in 2015 led to the arbitrary removal of over 55 lakh voters in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana due to Aadhaar mismatches.
  • These individuals discovered their disenfranchisement only on election day, highlighting the grave risks associated with such technological fixes.
• Threats to Privacy and Democratic Integrity
  • Linking Aadhaar to voter ID also opens the door to mass surveillance and voter profiling.
  • With the passage of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, which grants sweeping exemptions to government bodies, the possibility of voter data being misused for political gain becomes alarmingly real.
  • Cross-referencing electoral data with other databases could enable political micro-targeting, suppression of opposition voters, or even manipulation of rolls, undermining electoral fairness.
  • Moreover, entrusting electoral data to the UIDAI, a statutory body under executive control, jeopardizes the independence of the ECI, a constitutionally mandated authority.
  • This fusion of executive and electoral powers erodes the doctrine of separation of powers and casts a shadow over the legitimacy of elections.

Database Deficiencies and the Need for Traditional Mechanisms

• The Aadhaar database itself suffers from serious inaccuracies. The Comptroller and Auditor General’s (CAG) 2022 report pointed to the duplication of over 4.75 lakh Aadhaar numbers and the issuance of IDs based on faulty biometric data.
• The lack of a rigorous mechanism to verify residency further undermines the reliability of Aadhaar for electoral verification.
• Rather than relying on a flawed and exclusionary system, the ECI should invest in proven methods of electoral verification.
• Door-to-door verification by booth-level officers, independent audits of electoral rolls, and robust public grievance mechanisms provide more effective, democratic, and constitutionally sound solutions.
• Social audits could enhance transparency and prevent politically motivated manipulations.

Conclusion

• The Aadhaar-voter ID linkage represents a constitutional misstep with far-reaching implications.
• It imposes unjust burdens on citizens, compromises privacy, and introduces unreliable and exclusionary mechanisms into the electoral process.
• In a democracy, the right to vote is sacrosanct, any policy that endangers this right must be abandoned.
• The bipartisan support for such a constitutionally dubious initiative is not only troubling but also indicative of the need for greater vigilance in protecting democratic institutions.

Context

• As climate change accelerates ice melt, the Arctic region is redrawing global trade routes and reshaping the balance of power.
• Against this backdrop, India’s Arctic ambitions present a compelling case for proactive engagement.
• Therefore, it is crucial to examine the multifaceted dimensions of India's Arctic policy, the promise and peril of the Northern Sea Route (NSR), and the diplomatic tightrope India must walk between the West and Russia to safeguard its strategic and commercial interests.

Climate Change and the Arctic Opportunity

• Climate Change
  • The Arctic, once dismissed as an impenetrable frozen frontier, is now emerging as both a canary in the climate coal mine and a crucible of geopolitical contestation.
  • According to NASA, the Arctic’s September sea ice has been shrinking by 12.2% per decade since 1981—a harbinger of global warming’s relentless advance.
  • Yet, this ecological concern paradoxically opens up a new commercial opportunity: the Northern Sea Route.
  • Stretching across the Russian Arctic coastline, the NSR is poised to revolutionize trade by offering a significantly shorter path between Europe and Asia, slashing cargo transit time and freight costs.
• Arctic Opportunity
  • The strategic significance of this new corridor cannot be overstated.
  • India’s long-term economic and geopolitical calculus has begun to factor in the NSR.
  • With shipping volumes on the route surging from 41,000 tonnes in 2010 to nearly 38 million tonnes in 2024, the urgency for India to develop Arctic-ready infrastructure, such as ice-class ships and mega ports, is apparent.
  • Recognising this, India’s 2025-26 Budget includes a $3 billion Maritime Development Fund, a foundational step toward building the shipbuilding capacity necessary for Arctic navigation.

India’s Early Engagement and Evolving Arctic Policy

• India’s Arctic involvement is not new. It dates back to its signing of the Svalbard Treaty in 1920.
• More recently, India established its Arctic research base, Himadri, and became one of the few developing nations with a physical presence in the region.
• Furthermore, Indian think tanks and research institutes have begun modelling the Arctic’s impact on domestic phenomena, such as monsoon patterns and agricultural productivity, underscoring the interconnectedness of climate change and national development.
• The Arctic Policy released in 2022 sets a framework for India’s engagement, but its execution remains a work in progress.
• It needs to pivot from abstract principles to actionable strategies, including forging partnerships, promoting technological development, and enhancing India's diplomatic presence in Arctic governance structures such as the Arctic Council.
• The upcoming Arctic Circle India Forum in New Delhi in May 2025 offers a timely opportunity to catalyse this policy transition.

The Diplomatic Balancing Act: Russia, China, and the West

• India’s navigation of Arctic geopolitics must reconcile multiple, often conflicting interests.
• On one hand, Russia, with its expansive Arctic coastline and established infrastructure, is a natural partner.
• Bilateral discussions have already led to the formation of a working group on the NSR and initiatives like the Chennai-Vladivostok Maritime Corridor.
• These developments align with India’s pragmatic approach to building alternate trade corridors.
• However, India’s Arctic alignment with Russia also places it adjacent to China's interests.
• China's Polar Silk Road is an extension of its Belt and Road Initiative aimed at circumventing traditional maritime chokepoints like the Malacca Strait.
• By strengthening NSR ties, India could unintentionally legitimise China's polar ambitions—a move that may not sit well with India’s strategic planners, particularly given the adversarial bilateral dynamics between the two Asian giants.
• Conversely, aligning too closely with the Western bloc—particularly the U.S.—risks alienating Russia and forfeiting access to Arctic resources largely under Russian control.
• Thus, India’s optimal strategy lies in balancing both ends of this spectrum. Collaborating with like-minded nations such as Japan and South Korea could offer a third path.
• All three nations share mutual apprehensions regarding China's Arctic advances and could collectively push for a more inclusive and equitable Arctic Council.

Conclusion

• India’s Arctic ambitions symbolise a critical juncture where commerce, climate, and diplomacy intersect.
• The NSR offers immense commercial promise, but it also demands technological readiness and strategic foresight.
• With the planet breaching the 1.5°C warming threshold, India's Arctic engagement must be guided by both caution and ambition.
• To lead responsibly, India should establish multilateral dialogues, invest in Arctic-ready infrastructure, and appoint a ‘polar ambassador’ to articulate its interests on the global stage.