Who is Bhupendra Yadav, India's minister of Environment?

At the swearing-in ceremony on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took oath with 71 ministers to form the new coalition government, and allocated key portfolios to the new Cabinet. Notable appointments include Bhupender Yadav, who will lead the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Bhupender Yadav, who has defended India's reliance on coal at international climate talks, retained his role as environment minister in Narendra Modi's third government. Kirtivardhan Singh, the BJP MP from Gonda and a first-time minister, has been appointed as Union Minister of State for Environment.

A key BJP member, Yadav succeeded Prakash Javadekar as environment minister in July 2021 during Modi's second term. He previously served as Union Labour and Employment Minister, a position now held by Mansukh Mandaviya.

Under Yadav's leadership, India's climate actions were ranked the fourth strongest in a 2023 annual performance index by Germanwatch, an improvement from the previous year. His notable achievements include reintroducing cheetahs in India, banning certain single-use plastics, and increasing the number of Ramsar sites—wetlands of international importance. Significant amendments to forest, wildlife, and environmental laws were made during his tenure.

Yadav's continued role is crucial as India proposes to host the international climate talks (COP33) in 2028, potentially the next major global conference in India after the 2023 G20 Summit. India last hosted COP8 in New Delhi in 2002.

Who is Bhupender Yadav?

Bhupender Yadav, a seasoned politician and legal professional, has been a prominent face in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for over a decade. Born in Ajmer, Rajasthan, on June 30, 1969, Yadav started his political journey after a successful career as an advocate in the Supreme Court and as a government counsel for important commissions.

Yadav's journey with the BJP began in 2000 when he became the General Secretary of the Akhil Bharatiya Adhivakta Parishad, a lawyers' organization, until 2009. In 2010, he became the National Secretary of the BJP, and in 2014, the party's National General Secretary.

Over the years, Yadav has played crucial roles in the BJP's electoral campaigns, serving as the election co-in-charge for the Assembly polls in Rajasthan (2013), Jharkhand (2014), and Gujarat. He also served as the in-charge for the 2019 Lok Sabha election and the 2020 Bihar Legislative Assembly elections. Currently, he is the election in-charge for Rajasthan.

Yadav has been a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, representing Rajasthan, since 2012. He was re-elected in April 2018. During his time, Yadav has chaired several parliamentary committees, including the Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice Committee (2018), the Joint Committee on the Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance Bill (2017), and the Select Committee of Rajya Sabha on the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Third Amendment) Bill (2017), among others.

Yadav, an erudite advocate and author, has written books like 'The Rise of the BJP' and 'Supreme Court on Forest Conservation.' He regularly shares his views on critical issues in newspapers and news websites.