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Dzah, Godwin E. K. --- "Ghana’s courts and environmental rule of law" [2018] ELECD 1464; in Voigt, Christina; Makuch, Zen (eds), "Courts and the Environment" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2018) 85

Book Title: Courts and the Environment

Editor(s): Voigt, Christina; Makuch, Zen

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN: 9781788114660

Section: Chapter 4

Section Title: Ghana’s courts and environmental rule of law

Author(s): Dzah, Godwin E. K.

Number of pages: 28

Abstract/Description:

Efficient regulation of the environment is predicated on a sound environmental rule of law. However, in most developing countries, including Ghana, there is no deliberate attempt to develop an environmental of law. This chapter argues that Ghana must deliberately craft an environmental rule of law around some core principles involving clear, certain and predictable legal rules including: an actionable constitutional environmental right; improved regulatory dimensions; greater citizen access and participation; and, more significantly, the creation of a specialized environment court to spearhead the development of a critical mass of environmental jurisprudence. This chapter draws on Kenya’s progress in environmental protection under the Kenyan Constitution and allied laws, the establishment of a special environmental court and the whittling down of legal standing requirements to show the lengths to which Ghana must go to develop a similar, or perhaps better, environmental rule of law system.