Reconciling Environmental Protection and Economic Development in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Case of Cameroon

Master's Thesis from the year 2018 in the subject Environmental Sciences, grade: A, University of Buea, course: LLM International Law, language: English, abstract: This work has engaged in refining current understandings of the possibilities for attaining environmental conservation objectives amidst the incessant struggle for economic advancement in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It has examined the inability of the region to properly assimilate sustainable developmental tenets as reflected in the weaknesses of the several legislations that exist. The analysis was done through the concept of the respect for the Rule of Law and considered all relevant factors in terms of structural and administrative changes as well as reflected needs of the region, using Cameroon as a case study. Through the doctrinal research approach, it demonstrated in theory, the correlation between environmental protection and economic development. Looking at the legal, policy and institutional frameworks for environmental protection within SSA and Cameroon, it has examined the effect of the several legislations on business and trade, and therefore the overall upshot on economic development. The work has consequently scrutinized the possibility of reconciling environment and economic needs through green growth and a green economy. Amidst these difficulties associated with the concept of sustainable development, the question was therefore contemplated whether the pressing international calls for the restriction of the use of Africa's resources could be tantamount to a disguised neo-colonialist move by former imperialist nations to retard the region's advancement. The findings of the work therefore revealed outweighing difficulties associated with presently attaining green growth within the region and how its efforts continually stifle economic growth and development. The weaknesses inherently associated with the concept of sustainable development, which are strongly reflected in the prevailing African situation established some misgivings about the good-faith propagated by the 'rich North' towards the 'poor South'. The work therefore suggested that the region should properly weigh its needs and goals in the light of the environment and the economy, and not rush into commitments it cannot live up to. To achieve this, it would have to integrate the opinions of all stakeholders into the decision-making process, from public to private and to individual levels.