Some Reflections on the Different Types of Criminal and Civil Offences under Cameroonian Environmental Laws
Keywords:
Cameroonian environmental law, environmental offenses, penalties, enforcement mechanisms, environmental governanceAbstract
Cameroon, like many other countries in the world, has enacted environmental laws to protect its natural resources and prevent environmental degradation. These laws establish various offenses related to environmental protection and prescribe penalties for those who commit them. This paper therefore, provides an in-depth examination of the various types of criminal and civil offenses under Cameroonian Environmental Law. The paper further explores the challenges that plagued the current legal framework in preventing and punishing environmental offenses in Cameroon, and finally some policy recommendations made to strengthen environmental governance and promote sustainability in Cameroon. In order to meet up with the above objectives, this study employs a qualitative research approach, which includes a combination of a descriptive research and analytical research design.
Whereby, the descriptive aspect involves a detailed examination of the existing literature on Cameroonian environmental law including academic articles, books, and reports etc. while the analytical aspect involves a critical analysis of the different types of criminal and civil offenses under Cameroonian environmental law such as the environmental management law of 1996 and the wildlife law of 1995. The analysis reveals that the law prohibits a range of activities that harm the environment, including air pollution, water pollution, land pollution, wildlife and conservation offenses, and climate change and energy offenses. The study concludes that while Cameroonian environmental law provides a robust framework for protecting the environment, its effectiveness depends on rigorous enforcement and compliance. The paper therefore contributes to the on-going debate on environmental governance in Cameroon and highlights the need for sustained efforts to protect the country’s natural resources.
References
Law No 96/12 of 5th August, 1996Relating to Environmental Management in Cameroon, Law No 2019/008 of 25 April, 2019 to Institute the Petroleum etc.
See Criminal-justice.iresearchnet.com/crime/environmental-crime. Viewed on the 15th of March 2018.
Ibid.
For a better understanding Environmental offenses can be broadly defined as illegal acts that directly harm the environment. Often perceived as victimless and incidental crimes, environmental crimes frequently rank low on the law enforcement priority list, and are commonly punished with administrative sanctions which are they often unclear and minor.
Law No 96/12 of 5th August, 1996Relating to Environmental Management in Cameroon.
An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially the marine ecosystem, due to human activity, and is a form of pollution.
Law No 96/12 of 5th August, 1996Relating to Environmental Management in Cameroon.
Cameroon “Towards a Pollution Free Planet”, p.1.
Law No 96/12 of 5th August, 1996Relating to Environmental Management in Cameroon.
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Ibid.
For instance, in the United States of America, there is the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that is an independent agency of the federal government for environmental protection. The agency works with industries and has enforcement powers which include fines, sanctions and other measures.
Sama, N.J., “Criminal Law and Environmental, Prosecutor, Inspectors and NGOs in Cameroon”, Foundation for environmental and Development (FEDEV) N.W.P Cameroon, (2003), p.6.
Ibid.
Ibid.
