THE MANIFESTATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION IN CAMEROON: A LEGAL APPRAISAL

Abstract

The natural environment plays a key role in Cameroon’s economy, as a direct input into production and through the many services it provides. The environment provides services that enable economic activity, such as sequestering carbon, filtering air and water pollution, protecting against flood risk, and soil formation. It is also vital for our wellbeing, providing us with recreational opportunities, improving our health, and much more. In most developing countries like Cameroon, the southern and western regions are endowed with numerous natural resources, fisheries, and minerals.  However, the exploitation of these resources for man’s needs are causing severe harm to the environment. In turn, environmental challenges include amongst other things, pollution.  It will be of essence to examine the level of attention given to environmental pollution in Cameroon. This article therefore, attempts to examine the laws regulating environmental pollution in Cameroon. We also aim in this article to study how environmental pollution occurs and its impact on the environment and humans. It equally explains why effective compliance to pollution laws in Cameroon is still a myth. This article concludes with some robust recommendations which if effectively implemented, will go a long way to ensure compliance with environmental pollution norms in Cameroon in particular and the world at large.