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

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References


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

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

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