Environmental Procedural Rights in Africa

Environmental procedural rights, i.e. the right to access to information, public participation and access to justice, have become one of the means of fundamentally protecting the environment. Underfunding, inadequate financial resources, competition with other national priorities, corruption, poor implementation, limited manpower and human resources, poor coordination and cooperation among State agencies, fragmentation of laws and policies, are governmental challenges faced all over Africa, including South Africa and Uganda. The question arises whether environmental procedural rights can be effectively implemented to curb environmental degradation. This book analyses the domestic implementation of the right to access to information, public participation and to access to justice in South Africa and Uganda. It also makes a case for the inclusion of the right to protest as a potential fourth environmental procedural right. Attention is also paid to the fact that environmental procedural rights have gained widespread recognition by governments, illustrated by agreements such as the Aarhus Convention and the Escazu Agreement.

Offering a comprehensive and in-depth exploration of the complex issues of environmental procedural rights in domestic, regional and international contexts, this book serves as a definitive reference point for scholars, researchers, practitioners and policy makers alike.