Legal Initiative for Forest and Environment
LIFE is a national level public interest environmental law group which applies a unique combination of law, science and advocacy to protect biodiversity hotspots, flora and fauna, clean up air and water and protect vulnerable communities while ensuring that India adopts and implements a low carbon path of development and strengthening climate resilience.
LIFE’s vision is to reform environmental law by inspiring new conversation. It promotes environmental democracy and justice through creative use of law and scientific evidence-based advocacy.
LIFE supports environmental democracy by focusing on access to information, public participation and access to justice.
LIFE addresses the issue of declining environmental quality and the shrinking space for people’s participation in environmental decision-making. It has been focusing on india’s environmental impact assessment process specifically the public consultation process and ensuring that impact assessment studies correctly examine the social and environmental impacts of proposed projects. In addition, life has been providing scientific and legal support to communities and csos across the country. Life also builds the capacity of the forest department officers for effective implementation of forest & wildlife rules in the field.
LIFE also works for minimisation of forest diversion for non-forestry activities by intervening at the policy level as well as engaging with expert committees of the environment and forest ministry that appraise proposal for forest diversion.
In order to address the above issue, life engages diverse strategies. These include capacity building, information sharing and evidence-based advocacy. Through a unique combination of research, capacity building, and litigation, life is able to provide support to groups and affected communities across the country. Communities in important projects are guided on the public consultation process, making oral and written presentations to the authorities.
Through effective advocacy with the media, we have been able to draw the attention of the public to violations of environmental laws.