Lack of environmental laws continue to hinder regulation of Environmental activities that cause climate change and Environmental issues in South Sudan.
Environmental Legal Expert, Bol Madut Ayii has revealed that the absence of environmental laws in South Sudan is a significant barrier to regulating activities contributing to climate change and other environmental issues.
He said many human activities that impact the environment remain unchecked, resulting in severe consequences for both humans and wildlife like drought and famine in some parts of the country.
“Until now, there’s no environmental law to regulate human activities toward the environment, and this oversight has caused negative impacts on both humans and wildlife,” Ayii highlighted.
According to Ayii, the Environmental Bill has been drafted multiple times but remains with the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, awaiting presentation to Parliament.
He urges stakeholders and climate activists to advocate for the bill to be tabled for parliamentary deliberation.
For Molana Bol, “It is time to push for the Environmental Bill to be tabled in Parliament and once it is passed into law, it will lead to the establishment of an Environmental regulatory body.”
Ayii believes that the Environmental Law will pave the way for creating a National Regulatory body to oversee environmental activities and enforce penalties for law violators.
“The regulatory body will oversee activities related to the environment, while the Ministry of Environment will serve as the policy-maker,” he added.
Molana Bol Madut Ayii was speaking during a one-day Media Stakeholders Forum on Climate Change organized by the Association for Media Development in South Sudan with support from Norwegian people’s Aid, in Juba.
