Environment

How can we guarantee a right to life or a right to health without also guaranteeing a decent environment in which to exercise these rights? It is becoming increasingly obvious that a high quality environment is key to the fundamental human rights of life and health, and associated rights such as the right to clean water, adequate housing, and food. This book canvasses a range of law and policy issues concerning human rights and the environment.

For the past two decades, governments have established new international mandates ensuring that gender equality and women’s empowerment are central to environmental decision-making and sustainable development. However, the lack of a mechanism to monitor and measure government progress has contributed to little or no implementation of these mandates.

In response to the United Nations General Assembly resolution 2398 (XXIII), steps were taken by the Kenya Government early in 1971 to participate in the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in 1972. In April 1971, a Working Committee on the Human Environment in Kenya was set up under the chairmanship of the Permanent Secretary for Natural Resources.

International trade rules have significant impacts on environmental law and policy, at the domestic, regional and global levels. At the World Trade Organization (WTO), dispute settlement tribunals are increasingly called to decide on environment- and health-related questions. Can governments treat products differently based on environmental considerations? Can they block the import of highly carcinogenic asbestos-containing products or genetically modified crops?

Background information about the district is given, the rationale and requirement of the new system of local government and the salient features of the history and geography of Gwadar are given.