India Supreme Court Bars Ex-Post Facto Environmental Clearances

Several regions and countries are actively pursuing environmental regulatory reforms and climate goals with varying degrees of progress and challenges. In Sarawak, the government is reclaiming environmental regulatory powers from the federal government under the Malaysia Agreement 1963, implementing phases that include waste management and air quality control, alongside capacity building initiatives. The Supreme Court of India has struck down notifications allowing ex-post facto environmental clearances, emphasizing the constitutional right to a pollution-free environment and barring future such clearances while maintaining previously granted ones. Meanwhile, California's Senate blocked a plan to phase out gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035, setting up a legal battle that could influence the U.S. electric car market, despite the state's environmental safety board rejecting proposals to weaken hazardous waste rules. Finally, a Dutch Court of Audit study casts doubt on whether the municipality of Amersfoort's ambitious climate goals to reduce CO2 emissions will have the intended effect, despite having a system to measure progress. These developments highlight ongoing tensions between environmental ambitions, regulatory enforcement, and legal challenges worldwide.