Introduction

Man is both creature and moulders of his environment, which gives him physical sustenance and affords him the opportunity for intellectual, moral, social and spiritual growth. In the long and tortuous evolution of the human race on this planet a stage has been reached when, through the rapid acceleration of science and technology, man has acquired the power to transform his environment in countless ways and on an unprecedented scale. Both aspects of man’s environment, the natural and the man-made, are essential to his well-being and to the enjoyment of basic human rights the right to life itself (Stockholm Declaration (1972), Preamble, para 1). This chapter focuses generally on the concept and scope of environment, discusses factors threatening the environment, the need to protect the environment as well as the concept of pollution. The chapter also discusses the concept and scope of environmental law. These are basic concepts that lay the foundation to the issues that are discussed in subsequent chapters