The Regional Conference on Environment – 2025 concluded in Chennai with a strong collective call to strengthen environmental protection, coastal resilience, and biodiversity conservation across southern India. Organised by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Southern Zone Bench, in collaboration with the Southern State Pollution Control Boards and Committees, the two-day event brought together judges, scientists, policymakers, and environmental experts. Held at Kalaivanar Arangam under the leadership of Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana, the conference emphasised the urgent need for coordinated action to address escalating ecological challenges.
The second day opened with a session on the challenges of protecting coastal zones, chaired by Justice Suraj Govindaraj of the Karnataka High Court. He drew attention to the devastating consequences of human activity on marine environments, citing startling evidence such as microplastics detected in human placenta and breast milk and the discovery of a whale with 100 plastic bags in its stomach. Justice Govindaraj urged judges and authorities to adopt preventive, rather than reactive, approaches to environmental degradation.
Adding scientific perspective, Dr Murali Krishna Chimata of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) highlighted the escalating threats faced by India’s 11,098.81-km coastline. With 11–12 million tonnes of plastic entering oceans annually and habitat destruction contributing to 405 global dead zones, he stressed that the crisis carries not only ecological but also economic consequences for the three billion people globally dependent on oceans for livelihood and nutrition. He underscored the critical roles of coral reefs and mangroves in sustaining marine life and coastal communities.
From Kerala’s Directorate of Environment & Climate Change, Dr Kalaiarasan discussed the state’s coastal vulnerabilities, noting severe erosion, ineffective waste management, and enforcement gaps, with more than 2,700 violations reported by 2020. Presenting shoreline studies from 1992 to 2022, he reported that 34% of India’s coast faces erosion while 26.9% shows accretion. Climate projections indicating a temperature rise of up to 4.8°C by 2080 further underscored the need for robust, science-driven regulatory strategies.
Environmental activist Dr TD Babu emphasised the need to address environmental issues at their roots. He highlighted the ecological richness of the Bay of Bengal region, particularly the role of seagrass meadows and mangrove ecosystems as powerful carbon sinks and natural defences against storms. He warned that unregulated human activity is rapidly degrading mudflats, lagoons, and fish habitats, urging immediate corrective action to preserve coastal ecosystems.
The valedictory session was graced by Justice R Mahadevan of the Supreme Court of India. In his closing remarks, Justice Prakash Shrivastava reflected on Justice Mahadevan’s landmark judgment that held industries fully responsible for ecological restoration, describing it as a pivotal step in strengthening environmental accountability. He invoked a Sanskrit verse encouraging justice, regulation, and collective action in sustaining a green environment, reinforcing the conference’s message of shared responsibility.
Senior officials also reiterated their commitment to environmental protection. Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu’s Environment and Climate Change Department, stressed the importance of translating environmental policies into actionable ground initiatives. Additional Solicitor General ARL Sundaresan emphasised the need for a dual focus: protecting the environment in the present while preserving biodiversity for future generations.
