Green Governance in Sikkim: Integrating Sustainability into Public Policy

The past two decades have witnessed a revolution in sustainability activity in government systems across the world. The scope of sustainability ranges from maintaining the integrity of biophysical systems to offering better services to more people to provide freedom from hunger and deprivation, as well as choice, opportunity, and access to decision making. The small hill state of Sikkim has made great strides in its efforts to establish a modern and comprehensive body of environmental laws especially after the formation of a government by Sikkim Democratic Front in 1994. In an effort to break from the past governance approach which was characterised by exclusion, elitism and discrimination, many new laws focus on achieving social justice, political inclusion and upliftment of the previously disadvantaged and excluded groups of society. This is also true for green governance in Sikkim. Green governance is an engaging work that suggests a broader way of thinking about and governing the natural environment. Green governance includes better management of natural resources, green mission programmes, organic farming, solid waste management and carbon reduction strategies. The government has given importance to the integration of environment and economic development in policy planning process. It is in this backdrop, this paper reviews recent academic research on green governance and discusses the various measures adopted by the government towards green governance.