Sources of Environmental Law

Nations have to grapple with environmental pollution abatement within the context of their national laws, and at times within the context of international environmental agreements. The need for these laws arose on the realisation that the environment is the most formidable source of national and international development and should be protected from damage, destruction and annihilation in order to enthrone a decent, benign, disease free and aesthetically pleasing environment. This chapter focuses on the international law as a source of environmental law with other sources at the national levels in fashioning out national legislation on environmental protection. Nigeria is used as the main jurisdiction on the applicability of international law and other sources that can readily blend in enacting laws on environmental protection, The choice of Nigeria is on the premise that environmental legislation in most African countries take the same part of a blend of international law and some principles and concepts inherited from their colonial past.