Environmental Justice and Resilience in the Niger Delta

Abstract

The Niger Delta is a complex socio-ecological system that is rich in natural resources and biodiversity and has suffered decades of unabated environmental degradation characterised by violent agitation and conflict. This has systematically affected the socio-ecological resilience of the region, severely impacted its ecological sustainability and sustainable development, and has led to claims of environmental injustice in the Niger Delta. The laws affecting environmental justice in the region are claimed to be unjust and ineffective in promoting environmental justice and resilience.

Accordingly, this thesis explores the concepts of environmental justice and resilience and investigates the connection between them in the context of the Niger Delta. Five key criteria common to both concepts are developed into a paradigm called ‘just resilience’ and are identified as crucial for resilience and environmental justice in the Niger Delta. These criteria are access to land, access to resources, access to environmental information, public participation in environmental decision-making, and access to justice. Making use of doctrinal and socio-legal methodologies, and the capabilities approach as the core frame of analysis, these five criteria are used in this thesis to critically analyse specific laws affecting environmental justice and resilience in the Niger Delta to determine if they promote or impair just resilience in the region.

The thesis concludes that ‘just resilience’ is crucial for the ecological sustainability and the sustainable development of the region. However, resilience in the Niger Delta cannot be achieved without environmental justice. Yet, the laws affecting environmental justice in the Niger Delta generally impede rather than provide the capabilities necessary for it, thereby diminishing socio-ecological resilience, inducing conflict and impairing the overall ecological sustainability and sustainable development of the region. To enable the capabilities necessary for environmental justice and resilience, the thesis recommends that extensive amendments and/or repeals must be made to specific laws that affect just resilience in the Niger Delta.

Date of Award	2022
Original language	English
Supervisor	Andrea Ross (Supervisor) & Colin Reid (Supervisor)