Constitutional and Judicial Approaches to Environmental Challenges

Abstract

The Research Paper ‘Constitutional and Judicial Approaches to Environmental Challenges’, takes us through the role of the Legal and Judicial System, in the protection of the Environment, and in the wider campaign against Environmental Degradation. The importance of Environmental Sustainability cannot be over-emphasized as a destroyed environment may also mean the end of the human race and even plants and animals. The paper looks at both the Nigerian perspective, as well as the global outlook. It looks at the Human Rights angle, which submits that destruction of the environment by industrial, corporate and government institutions, may be an offence against the Law since it infringes on the right of the ordinary citizen to live a healthy life in harmony with nature. In other words, since these human institutions have been responsible for the extinction of many animal species, they shouldn’t be allowed to extend their destruction to include the reduction of the quality of human life or even wiping out the human race. The paper looks into the extent to which the judicial system could help protect the common man from the forces of Environmental Degradation.