The Role of Courts in Protecting Vulnerables from Impacts of Climate Change: Nigeria in Perspective

A presumption is that vulnerable people in countries such as Nigeria contribute far less to global warming which is responsible for climate change than the invulnerable, yet they are impacted more than any other group. This article examines the ways in which climate change affect vulnerable communities in Nigeria and the roles of courts in ensuring the protection them. While Nigeria has various laws and policies to protect the environment, many of these are not overtly concerned with the fate of vulnerable peoples. However, the judiciary is obliged to step in, to ensure justice for the vulnerable people through proper interpretation of existing laws and judicial pronouncements which have set precedents for future cases regarding the protection of the environment. The study concluded that, while there is still a lot to be done, the Nigerian judiciary has and needs to further prove itself as the champion of the common man by ensuring that the right of vulnerable people in Nigeria are not trampled upon by environmental law breakers.