Human Rights And The Environment Under African Union Law

Description

This book brings together original and novel perspectives on major developments in human rights law and the environment in Africa. Focusing on African Union law, the book explores the core concepts and principles, theory and practice, accountability mechanisms and key issues challenging human rights law in the era of global environmental change. It, thus, extend the frontier of understanding in this fundamental area by building on existing scholarship on African human rights law and the protection of the environment, divulging concerns on redressing environmental and human rights protection issues in the context of economic growth and sustainable development. It further offers unique insight into the development, domestication and implementation challenges relating to human rights law and environmental governance in Africa. This long overdue interdisciplinary exploration of human rights law and the environment from an African perspective will be an indispensable reference point for academics, policymakers, practitioners and advocates of international human rights and environmental law in particular and international law, environmental politics and philosophy, and African studies in general. It is clear that there is much to do, study and share on this timely subject in the African context. Foreword......Page 5 Acknowledgments......Page 7 About the Book......Page 8 Contents......Page 10 Abbreviations......Page 13 Notes on Contributors......Page 16 International Treaties......Page 22 UN/AU Resolutions and Other Official Documents......Page 24 National Legislation and Other Official Reports......Page 26 International Cases......Page 27 National Cases......Page 28 Part I: New Frontiers in Human Rights and Environment: Environmental Protection Under African Union Law......Page 30 1 Introduction......Page 31 2 Integrating Human Rights in Regional Environmental Governance in Africa......Page 34 The Intersection of Human Rights and the Environment in Africa......Page 35 The Emergence of Human Rights in the Field of Regional Environmental Governance......Page 38 3 Key Themes in the Connection Between Human Rights and the Environment: African Perspectives......Page 44 References......Page 49 1 Introduction......Page 52 2 Human Rights, Health, Development and the Environment......Page 54 3 The Right to a Healthy Environment in International Human Rights Law......Page 58 4 The Nature of the Right to a Healthy Environment......Page 62 Regional Standards......Page 63 Domestic Standards......Page 68 Foundational Values and Principles......Page 70 Content and Scope of the Right......Page 72 Obligations of State Actors......Page 74 Obligations of Non-state Actors......Page 77 6 Conclusion......Page 78 References......Page 79 1 Introduction......Page 82 2 Defining Human Vulnerability and Climate Change in Africa......Page 85 3 The Criteria for Establishing Safe Climate as a Human Right: Testing the Waters......Page 89 4 Conclusion......Page 101 References......Page 102 1 Introduction......Page 107 2 Background to Environmental Protection in Africa: Taking Control......Page 110 3 An Environmental Rule of Law?......Page 113 African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights......Page 116 African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights......Page 121 Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS Court)......Page 124 Environment and Land Court of Kenya (ELC)......Page 125 6 Conclusion......Page 128 Journal Articles......Page 129 Internet Sources......Page 130 1 Introduction......Page 132 2 Interrelationship Between African Women and the Environment......Page 135 3 The International Legal Framework for the Protection of Women’s Environmental Rights......Page 139 The Link Between Environment and Development......Page 140 Women’s Environmental Rights Under CEDAW......Page 142 Women’s Environmental Rights Under the African Charter......Page 144 Women’s Environmental Rights Under the Maputo Protocol......Page 149 Domestication of Women’s International Environmental Rights......Page 154 4 Conclusion......Page 157 Books......Page 158 Journal Articles......Page 159 Online Sources......Page 160 1 Introduction......Page 162 2 The Ecocentric Approach......Page 163 3 Environmental Rights Protection in Africa......Page 165 4 Rights of Nature and Earth Jurisprudence......Page 169 5 The Potential Viability of Rights of Nature in Africa......Page 175 6 Conclusion......Page 176 References......Page 177 Part II: Enforcement of Environmental Rights by Judicial and Quasi-Judicial Institutions......Page 178 1 Introduction......Page 179 2 A Glimpse into the Environmental Challenges in the Three Selected African Countries......Page 183 Tanzania......Page 185 Kenya......Page 191 Uganda......Page 195 4 The Nexus Between the Rules of Procedure on Access to Courts and the Judiciary’s Role in Enforcement of Environmental Rights......Page 199 5 Theories on Judicial Decision-Making: Making Sense of Courts’ Approaches to Environmental Issues in Africa......Page 204 6 Conclusion......Page 206 References......Page 207 1 Introduction......Page 210 2 The Growth of Environmental Human Rights at the International and Regional Level in Africa......Page 213 3 African Regional and Sub-Regional Human Rights Tribunals and the Protection of Environmental Human Rights: African Union Law and Policy in Practice......Page 218 4 Conclusion......Page 228 References......Page 229 1 Introduction......Page 232 2 Regional Economic Communities (RECs) in Africa......Page 236 Roles of Sub-regional Judiciaries in Environmental Governance Architecture in Africa......Page 237 3 The ECOWAS Court of Justice......Page 238 Enforcing ECCJ Judgments......Page 243 4 The East African Court of Justice......Page 247 5 Conclusion......Page 249 References......Page 252 1 Introduction......Page 255 2 Constitutional ‘Essentials’: Climate Change in Context......Page 258 Direct Linkage of Climate Change to the Constitution......Page 263 Indirect Linkage of Climate Change to the Constitution......Page 269 4 The Significance of Constructing Climate Change as a Constitutional Essential......Page 273 References......Page 276 Part III: Environmental Protection and Human Rights: Regional and National Case Studies......Page 282 1 Introduction......Page 283 2 Recognition and Coverage of Environmental Rights in Ethiopia......Page 286 3 Legislative Challenges......Page 289 Lack of Timely Legislative Making or Revision......Page 290 Lack of Standards......Page 293 Lack of Inter-sectoral Integration......Page 296 Lack of Technological Infrastructure......Page 299 Lack of Adequate and Qualified Manpower......Page 301 5 Conclusion......Page 302 References......Page 303 1 Introduction......Page 306 2 Women’s Role in Environmental Conservation and the Need for Their Participation in Environmental Decision-Making......Page 309 3 Legal Recognition of Women’s Right to Participation in Environmental Decision-Making: Assessing the Adequacy of the Law......Page 314 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) (1992)......Page 315 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) (1992)......Page 317 The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) (1975)......Page 319 The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (2003)......Page 320 4 Women’s Right to Participation in Environmental Decision-Making in Uganda: Policy and Practice......Page 321 The Constitution of the Republic of Uganda (1995)......Page 322 The National Environment Act (NEA) (2019)......Page 325 References......Page 328 1 Introduction......Page 334 2 The Environment as a Human Right: Contextual Background......Page 336 3 Environmental Human Rights Protection in Cameroon......Page 343 The Environmental Rights......Page 344 Access to Information......Page 347 Public Participation......Page 349 Access to Justice......Page 353 Substantive Limitations......Page 355 Procedural Limitations......Page 358 5 Conclusion......Page 362 References......Page 363 1 Introduction......Page 368 The Separation of Powers......Page 371 Judicial Independence......Page 373 “Environmental” Rule of Law......Page 375 3 Constitutional Right to a Healthy Environment......Page 376 The Constitutional Framework on Environmental Rights......Page 377 4 The Courts and the Right to a Healthy Environment......Page 383 5 An Appraisal of the Judiciary and Environmental Protection in Zimbabwe......Page 389 6 Conclusion......Page 393 Articles......Page 394 Reports and Other Secondary Sources......Page 396 Online Sources......Page 397 1 Introduction......Page 399 2 Conceptualizing the Link Between Human Rights and the Environment......Page 402 3 The African Context and Realities......Page 408 4 Experiences of Select Countries in Africa......Page 413 Kenya: The 2010 Transformation Constitution......Page 414 South Africa......Page 420 Nigeria......Page 423 5 The Merits and Limits of a Human Rights-based Approach......Page 425 6 Conclusion......Page 428 References......Page 430 Part IV: Business Practices, Human Rights and the Environment......Page 433 1 Introduction......Page 434 2 Human Rights, Neoliberalism and Energy in the Global South: A Theoretical Overview......Page 438 3 The Legal and Policy Framework Governing the Zambezi River Basin......Page 444 Mozambique......Page 447 Zimbabwe......Page 449 4 The Historical Impacts of Law and Policy on Indigenous Zambezi Riverine People......Page 450 Mega Dams and Energy Politics’ Impact on Human Rights......Page 452 The Case for Alternatives to Contemporary Neoliberalism’s Impacts on Environmental and Human Rights......Page 453 References......Page 454 1 Introduction......Page 458 2 Trade, Human Rights and the Environment: Theoretical and Conceptual Considerations......Page 461 AfCFTA Objective, and Ramifications on Extractive Industries and Mining Communities......Page 463 Challenges and the Weaknesses Related to Operationalization of AfCFTA......Page 464 The Banjul Charter......Page 465 ACHPR......Page 466 African Commission......Page 467 Extractive Business and the Mandate of WGEI Resolution 48 of 2009......Page 469 The Malabo Protocol......Page 471 Abuses, Human Suffering and Human Rights Violations......Page 474 Iniquitous Beneficiation and Exploitation......Page 476 Extractive Industry Sector, Socio-Economic and Environmental Sustainability......Page 477 Harmonized Human Rights and Environmental Sustainability Framework......Page 478 Partnerships, Public Participation and Open Governance......Page 479 Continental Governance and Management Framework......Page 480 References......Page 481 Index......Page 488