Introduction

It is stated in the constitutional duty that every citizen of India must look after their natural environment and have compassion for all kinds of living beings. There were multiple environment protection laws in India even before its independence which were put into force for the protection, and management of the natural environment in the country. However, it was the United Nations conference on the human environment in Stockholm in 1972 that initiated the beginning of a proper setup, many policies and treaties for the protection of the environment, and a much more well-defined regulatory body to control all forms of environmental management and protection activities. Within the Department of Science of Technology, a regulatory body called the National Council for Environmental Policy and Planning was set up in 1972 which later on, transformed into the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) and again transformed to the Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) as it also began to prioritize issues revolving climate change. Since then, these boards are making environmental policies and regulating their legal framework in a very efficient and systematic manner.

Environmental Protection Laws

Many environmental protection laws are currently active in pout countries. However, since 1972, the most important ones are in action. Some of them, are as follows:

• The Hazardous Waste Management Regulations 
• The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
• The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981
• The Environment Protection Act, 1986
• The National Green Tribunal Act, 2010

Environmental Preservation

Preservation and protection of our environment are of paramount importance for every person, state, nation, organization, and government. Over the years, the rate of pollution and deforestation has only gone up and the threats that come with time are very serious for all living beings. In the last 2 decades, a total of over 3,610,000 square kilometers have been cut down all over the world. This area of forest exceeds the total land area of India. The Brazilian rainforests (the Amazon) are the most affected areas. A total of 1 billion hectares of forest has been subject to deforestation in the last 40 years alone and since 2015, the rate of deforestation has only gone up after it was temporarily brought down between the years 2011-2015. 

If the environment is not protected and things like air pollution, water pollution, deforestation bring in catastrophic effects like the destruction of natural habitat and loss of biodiversity, climate change, and global warming, damaging the global water cycle, soil erosion, landslides, desertification, provoking forest fires, and many more.

Methods of Environmental Preservation

The main methods of environment preservation are:

• Reduce, reuse and recycle everything we use and need. 
• Make sure to keep our environment clean and healthy and even volunteer for clean-ups. 
• Conserve water 
• Use sustainable sources of energy as much as possible 
• Reduce air pollution 
• Raise awareness on the importance of environmental preservation through education
• Practice afforestation as much as possible
• Proper waste management to minimize air and water pollution  

Conclusion

Environment protection laws are very important to ensure systematic and plan-wise protection and management of a natural body and ensure the sustainability of that region and protect the flora and fauna that thrive in that habitat as well. The laws are passed by the concerned organizations and government and then the areas are protected from any kind of pollution and destruction. With the global rise in environmental pollution, stronger laws must be put into action to protect these natural habitats from human intervention. In India, many laws for the protection of the environment and wildlife are drafted and put into action thus, ensuring the safety of many environmental hotspots.