Asia: Environment

As Indian cities hurtle toward rapid urban expansion, often celebrated in terms of GDP growth, infrastructure, and high-rise skylines, a quieter crisis unfolds at the edge of this development: the disappearance of urban wetlands.

India generates an estimated 25,000 to 30,000 tonnes of plastic waste every day, of which a substantial share, approximately 10,556 tonnes daily, remains uncollected and enters landfills or the open environment. To address this, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (“MoEFCC”) has notified a national Extended Producer Responsibility (“EPR”) framework for plastic packaging under the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, as amended from time to time.

The Central Pollution Control Board (“CPCB”) has issued guidelines under the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022 (“BWM Rules”) governing the collection, handling, storage and transportation of waste batteries across the country. The guidelines anchor compliance to the hazardous waste regime, prescribe chemistry-specific storage and transport protocols, and restrict who may operate collection centres, thereby seeking to prevent mishandling and illegal operations in the handling of waste batteries.

As Indian cities hurtle toward rapid urban expansion, often celebrated in terms of GDP growth, infrastructure, and high-rise skylines, a quieter crisis unfolds at the edge of this development: the disappearance of urban wetlands.

The Public Law Practice Group at Dentons Link Legal presents this edition of the Environment Law Newsletter, highlighting recent legal and regulatory developments shaping India’s environmental landscape. As concerns over environmental degradation continue to intensify, this issue examines key ecological and compliance challenges across industries with significant environmental footprints, alongside broader developments in pollution control, conservation, and sustainable resource governance

India generates an estimated 25,000 to 30,000 tonnes of plastic waste every day, of which a substantial share, approximately 10,556 tonnes daily, remains uncollected and enters landfills or the open environment. To address this, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (“MoEFCC”) has notified a national Extended Producer Responsibility (“EPR”) framework for plastic packaging under the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, as amended from time to time.

The Queensland Government has launched a comprehensive review of its Financial Provisioning Scheme for the resources industry, examining whether the current framework adequately balances environmental rehabilitation risks with industry growth and investment opportunities. Stakeholders from across the mining sector, investment community, and landholders are invited to provide feedback on the scheme's effectiveness and potential improvements.

The fashion industry is one of the world’s biggest polluters, responsible for nearly 10% of the global greenhouse gas emissions, second only to the oil industry. Fast fashion, overproduction and quick waste disposal contribute significantly to environmental crises. In response, consumers, especially Gen Z, are demanding sustainable alternatives and encouraging brands to take action.

As Group 2 entities commence their first reporting period under Australia's mandatory climate reporting regime, ASIC's early observations highlight key disclosure expectations and areas for caution.

As Group 2 entities commence their first reporting period under Australia's mandatory climate reporting regime, ASIC's early observations highlight key disclosure expectations and areas for caution.

The Public Law Practice Group at Dentons Link Legal presents this edition of the Environment Law Newsletter, highlighting recent legal and regulatory developments shaping India’s environmental landscape. As concerns over environmental degradation continue to intensify, this issue examines key ecological and compliance challenges across industries with significant environmental footprints, alongside broader developments in pollution control, conservation, and sustainable resource governance

Climate change today is no longer a mere policy dilemma or a matter confined to scientific discourse, it has firmly entered the domain of rights, law, and justice. Across jurisdictions, courts are being compelled to answer a profoundly consequential question: can corporations that substantially contribute to greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions be held legally liable for the harms their activities help create? In the Indian context, this question assumes particular urgency.