‘Robust Implementation Of Environmental Laws Can Spur The Nigerian Economy’ TheNigerialawyer

Professor Damilola Sunday Olawuyi is the Director of
the Institute for Oil, Gas, Energy, Environment and Sustainable
Development (OGEES Institute) of Afe Babalola University. He is the
author of the acclaimed book, The Principles of Nigerian
Environmental Law.

Olawuyi holds a Bachelor of Laws, first class
honours from Igbinedion University, Okada another first class
honours in the Bar Certificate of the Nigerian Law School, Masters
of law of the University of Calgary, Canada, another masters of law
of Harvard University, United States of America and a doctor of
philosophy in law of the University of Oxford, United
Kingdom.

Olawuyi was formerly an energy lawyer at the global law firm,
Norton Rose Fulbright, Canada LLP where he served on the firm’s
global committee on extractive investments in Africa.

He is also a senior visiting research fellow of the Oxford
Institute for Energy Studies, University of Oxford, UK. The
don had also served as a visiting professor at Columbia University,
Cambridge University, Oxford University and China University of
Political Science and Law.

Prof. Damilola Sunday Olawuyi, who is a vice chair
of the International Law Association (ILA) globally, and the Vice
President of the Nigerian Branch of the ILA, spoke with Editor,
Nairalaws UNINI CHIOMA KATE on the importance of
environmental law to economic and social development in
Nigeria.

Can you please tell me more about the book, the
Principles of Nigerian Environmental Law

This book is a product of over six years of international and
comparative legal research on the values, assumptions, and guiding
principles that underpin the legal framework for the protection and
preservation of the environment in Nigeria. The aim of the book is
to explore how the Nigerian model of environmental protection
compares to other models across the world. It also presents an
exhaustive analysis of the nature of legal protection required to
truly achieve the sustainable management of the environment in
Nigeria.

In examining these issues, the book takes an international,
cross-cutting and comparative approach that benefits immensely from
research, professional and teaching experience acquired over the
years while I was teaching and working on environmental issues in
Nigeria, Canada, United States, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Spain,
China, Kenya, Australia, Denmark, France, Italy and Qatar.

The book provides environmental stakeholders from all
backgrounds, including students, administrators, lawyers,
government representatives, judges, analysts and pundits, a handy
tool to access, digest, understand and appreciate the legal and
institutional framework for environmental regulation and protection
in Nigeria. For anyone interested in learning about the importance
of law in the protection of the environment, this book is a
must-read.

How is the book different from existing works in the
field?

 The book builds on limits of existing
works in the field that have provided excellent summaries of the
law in this area. As you know, since the 2015 adoption of the
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the
international legal community has placed increased emphasis on a
green and circular economy as a normative driving force for
environmental law and regulation. This book provides updated
analysis on how the SDGs can inform and reinforce environmental law
implementation in Nigeria.

The book provides compelling analyses of the body of laws,
regulations, statutes, enactments and conventions geared towards
environmental protection and a green economy in Nigeria.

Since the publication of the very first edition of the book in
2013, and this recently revised edition, the book has become an
authoritative source of information on environmental law in
Nigerian universities, law firms and government agencies. It has
also been adopted as recommended text in universities in South
Africa, Kenya and Canada.

What does the green economy mean for
Nigeria?

 Green or low carbon economy emphasizes
environmental conservation as one of the tools for achieving
economic growth and development. The key aim is for countries to
achieve strong economic growth while reducing the degradation of
the environment. Under this paradigm, environmental protection is
no longer considered as an externality or ‘add on’, it is
considered as a proactive tool for getting to the level of economic
growth that a country desires. For example, by promoting “green
jobs” through green tourism, recycling, and green transportation,
Nigeria can create green jobs and alternative employment for
several unemployed graduates; achieve a boost to internally
generated revenue at state levels and the overall national Gross
Domestic Product (GDP); provide solution to energy deficiency and
inadequate power supply through renewable energy; and record
monumental progress in environmental issues. A robust
implementation of environmental laws to achieve a green and low
carbon economy can significantly spur the Nigerian economy. A whole
chapter of the book discusses how Nigeria can achieve green and
sustainable economic development.

What new frontiers can environmental lawyers in Nigeria
explore at this time?

Environmental law has grown significantly over the last two
decades as a very important genre of domestic and international
law.  Environmental lawyers are sought after to advise and
provide legal services to clients such as multinational
corporations, international oil companies, manufacturing companies,
regulatory bodies, federal, state and local governments,
environmental boards and tribunals,

international development organizations such as the United
Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), International Union for the
Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the World Bank, African Development
Bank (ADB); and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
such as Green Peace International, Eco-Justice, EarthRights
International, and the Friends of the Earth to name a few.

As countries develop infrastructure development plans aimed at
attaining the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, environmental lawyers will
be at the fore front of advising clients, governments and
institutions on the environmental aspects of project development
and planning. This will range from environmental impact assessment,
to social impact assessment, human rights impact assessment,
stakeholder consultation, community benefit agreements, and end of
life time project closure, land reclamation and decommissioning
amongst others.

Environmental law is an interesting area of law as it cuts
across oil and gas, aviation, electricity, food, agriculture,
water, gender justice, climate change and all aspects of
development. Also, since environmental problems can have global
negative impacts, I often challenge my students to think globally
and act locally when it comes to their understanding and analyses
of environmental law themes.

Subscribe ToNairalaw News!