A Legal Framework of Sustainable Environmental Governance in Nigeria

Mercy O. Erhun

Abstract


The aim of this paper is to propose a legal framework for sustainable environmental governance that will serve as a bed-rock for the socio-economic development in Nigeria. This study is focused on how to attain a framework that will promote sound environmental governance and the attainment of a sustainable society
in Nigeria.
The findings of the paper revealed that Nigeria enjoys a comparatively well established body of laws and a full-fledged ministry to regulate the Nigerian environment but in spite of all measures put in place to safe-guard the Nigerian, Nigeria is experiencing regulatory failure in environmental governance and the ability to handle same has continued to dwindle despite all efforts and that economic development is priced over and above the sustainability of the environment. Environmental concerns are not faithfully integrated into economic and development activities in such a manner as to positively influence behaviour in any significant manner. Sustainable governance in environmental matters is lacking in Nigeria. There is therefore a need to integrate economic development with environmental protection.
The study concludes that pursuit of a unilateral economic growth cannot lead to the realization of Nigeria’s economic and environmental objectives and that it takes sustainable environmental governance to attain a sustainable society. It is hoped that the paper will help to fast-track environmental governance process on the path of ensuring the sustainability of the environment.


Keywords


Legal framework; Environmental governance; Sustainable environmental governance; Sustainable society

Full Text:

PDF

References


Adu Plessis. (2008). Public participation, good governance and the fulfillment of environmental rights. 3 PER, 1-2.

Atsegbua & Company. (1997). Report on the review of environmental legislations in edo state. Under the Auspices of the EDSEPA/UNDP Assisted Programme.

Brandes, O. M., & Brooks, D. B. (2005). The soft path in a nutshell (p.8). University of Victoria, Victoria, BC.

Bruce, C., et al. (n.d.). Breathing life into fundamental principles: Implementing constitutional environmental protection in Africa. Working Paper Series, Working Papers: WP // 2. Institutions and Governance Program, World Resources Institute.

Emejuru, C. (2006). Legal framework for the environment against oil and gas pollution in Nigeria (p.225). M.Phil thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Law Ile-Ife.

European Commission. (2003). Environmental policy review No.COM (2002). The Final European Com: Brussels.

Evans, P. (1996). Government action, social capital and development: Reviewing the evidence on synergy. World Development, 24(6), 1119-1132.

Futrell, W. J. (1994). The transition to sustainable development law 9

Gbemre, V. S. (2005). Unreported suit no. FHC/B/CS/53/05.

Graham, J., Amos, B., & Plumptre, T. (2003).Governance principles for protected areas in the 21st century. Institute of Governance, Ottawa.

Guillaum, F. (2007). Green and black: Environmentalism and oil conflicts in ecuador. In G. Fontaine, G. Van Vliet, & R. Pasquis (Coord) (2007). Environmental policies and governance in Latin America (pp.223-254). FLACSO-IDDRI-CIRAD.

Hayward, T. (2005). Constitutional environmental rights (p.8). New York: Oxford University Press.

Ikhariale, M. A. (1998). A constitutional imperative on the environment: A program of action for Nigeria. In S. Simpson & O. Fagbohun (Eds.), Environmental law and policy (pp.53-56). Law Centre, Faculty of Law, University of Lagos.

Launay, C., & Mouries, T. (2003). Les differentes categories de biens. In Summary and Excerpts in Pierre Calame’s (2003). La Democratie en Miettes.

Lundqvist, L. J. (2004). Management by objectives and results: A comparison of Dutch, Swedish and EU strategies for realizing sustainable development. In W. M. Lafferty (Ed.), Governance for Sustainable Development, (pp.95-127). Edward Elgar, UK.

Maggio, G., & Lynch, O. J. (1996). Human rights, environment and economic development: Existing and emerging standards in international law and global society 25 (Unpublished manuscript)

Malemi, E. (2013). The law of torts (ed., p.4). Princeton Publishing Company, Lagos.

Mekete, B. T., & Ojwang, J. B. (1996). The right to a healthy environment: Possible juridical bases. 3 AJELP, 155-156.

Najam, A., Papa, M., & Taiyab, N. (2006). Global environmental, a reform agenda. IISD.

Ojeda, L. (2005). Governance of natural resources conservation. University of Florida, RED ECOUF.

Pierre, J., & Peters, B. G. (2005). Governing complex societies. Trajectories and scenarios. Houndmills, Palsgrave, Basingstoke.

Rabie, M. A., & Fuggle, R. F. (Eds.). (1995). The rise of environmental concern, environmental management in South Africa (p.11). Wetton, Juta.

Raff, M. (2008). Integration of environmental considerations into legal decision-making at the domestic level. A paper on Land Tenure and Cadastral Infrastructures for Sustainable Development presented at the UN-FIG Conference in Melbourne, Australia, 25-27 October.

Stefan G., et al. (2005). Environmental governance in the European Union: Strategies and instruments for absolute decoupling. Int. J. Sustainable Development, 8(1/2), 31-46.

Tacconi, L. (2011). Developing environmental governance research: The example of forest cover change studies. Environmental Conservation, 38(2), 234-246.

Vliet, R. Pasquis (Coord). (2007). Environmental policies and governance in Latin America, FLACSO-IDDRI-CIRAD.

Walker, Y. (2011). The definition of “environmental governance” revisited.

Weiss, J. D. (2000). “Local governance” in stumbling towards sustainability, environmental law institute. NW, Washington DC.

Yusuf, T. A. (2009). The status of environmental governance in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. Retrieved 2014, June 1 from http://www.nigeriansinamerica.com/articles/3608/1/The-Status-of-Environmental -Governance-in-the-Nigerian-Oil-and-Gas-Inudstry/Page1.htlm




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3968/%25x

DOI (PDF): http://dx.doi.org/10.3968/%25x

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2016 Frontiers of Legal Research



Share us to:   

Reminder

  • How to do online submission to another Journal?
  • If you have already registered in Journal A, then how can you submit another article to Journal B? It takes two steps to make it happen:

1. Register yourself in Journal B as an Author

  • Find the journal you want to submit to in CATEGORIES, click on “VIEW JOURNAL”, “Online Submissions”, “GO TO LOGIN” and “Edit My Profile”. Check “Author” on the “Edit Profile” page, then “Save”.

2. Submission

  • Go to “User Home”, and click on “Author” under the name of Journal B. You may start a New Submission by clicking on “CLICK HERE”. 

 Articles published in Frontiers of Legal Research are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC-BY).

Frontiers of Legal Research Editorial office  

Address: 1055 Rue Lucien-L'Allier, Unit #772, Montreal, QC H3G 3C4, Canada.
Telephone: 1-514-558 6138 
E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

Copyright © Canadian Academy of Oriental and Occidental Culture