SPECIALISED ENVIRONMENTAL COURTS AND TRIBUNALS AS LEGAL INSTRUMENTS FOR SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT JUSTICE

Abstract

Globally, there are alarming surge of environmental problems – climate change, oil spillages, flaring of Gas, emission of greenhouse gases that drastically affect our environment, loss of biodiversity has generated a worldwide demand for creation of new forms of legal instruments to adjudicate environmental issues and enforce environmental laws for sustainable environmental justice. These demands stem from the increased recognition that environmental justice should be ‘just, fast tracks, cheap and affordable to common man’ and this can only be accomplished by the creation of specialized environmental courts and tribunals (SECTs). This paper highlights the urgent need for the creation of SECTs, the benefits, challenges and possibility of SECTs in Nigeria. This is achieved through already existing literature review, media and internet sources. The article reveals lack of strong political will and poor clueless leadership strengths, illiteracy, poverty, inadequate of environmentally trained lawyers and judges amongst others as major challenges hindering the creation of SECTs in Nigeria. The study recommends the prioritization of environmental laws and principles by the Government from primary schools, Public awareness campaigns as done in this era of COVID -19, continuing professional legal training for advocates and judges amongst others to ensure fast track and improve environmental justice in Nigeria.