The Extractive Industries and Their Environmental Impacts on Host Communities: A Case for Environmental Human Rights

Abstract

The study seeks to canvass for the recognition of Environmental Human Rights by the international community as human rights and examine its role as a tool with which host communities can ensure prevention of further environmental pollution and degradation by extractive industries in their community. The concept of Environmental Human Rights is not novel as it has been discussed in several ways within different concepts. In order to achieve its aims and objectives, the Study uses case study analysis, which seeks to juxtapose theory with reality in order to make a case for Environmental Human Rights. The Study seeks to close an existing gap in research in this area since no previous research has adopted this approach. The Study examines the environmental impacts of the extractive industries on two host communities, situated respectively in Nauru and Niger Delta. The Study finds that the analysis of both cases illustrates the impossibility of separating environmental pollution and degradation from the violation of human rights, as the environment plays a crucial role in the fulfilment of every fundamental human right. The Study also finds that the harmful effects of a depleted environment is not just consigned to the present generation of humanity but more so the future generations. The lessons deduced from the analysis of the Nauru and the Niger Delta case studies can be applied in general to any host community where extractive industries are in operation. Furthermore, the Study finds that the Draft Declaration of human rights and the environment can serve as a starting point and the study proposes that rather than “The Declaration on the Principles on Human Rights and the Environment”, the Declaration should read “the Declaration on Environmental Human Rights”.