Be champions of environmental protection, UNDP exec tells judiciary
The Philippine director of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) yesterday urged the members of the judiciary and enforcers of the justice system to be outspoken environmental advocates to effectively enforce environmental laws in the country.
Dr. Renaud Meyer said there is a need for a process by which judges, clerks, lawyers, prosecutors, law enforcers and other justice workers will become “champions of environmental protection” in their work and in their lives.
Meyer made the call in a speech at the opening of of a two-day nationwide forum on environmental justice initiated by the Supreme Court and supported by the UNDP.
The justice system should be prepared and capacitated to take on environmental cases in a fairer and timely manner to ensure that violators will not go unpunished and would-be violators are deterred from committing similar acts in the future,” Meyer said at the forum at the Iloilo City campus of the University of the Philippines in Visayas.
The forum, the first of its kind in the country, was held simultaneously with similar activities at the University of the Cordilleras in Baguio City, where the main program was held, and at the Ateneo de Davao University in Davao City. The three forum venues were connected through video conferencing.
Meyer said a more active role of the judiciary in environmental cases is necessary to support the growing environmental awareness which has been steadily growing both in the country and globally.
While he said there are already “excellent legislation” dealing with environment, Meyer said there exist gaps in the implementation of laws.
“We need a stronger rule of law and stronger enforcement efforts to curb the excesses of market forces which increases the external costs of a natural-resources dependent development such as pollution and a depleting resource base,” Meyer said.
He said the gaps in enforcement of laws can be traced to capacity limitations and lack of awareness or understanding on environmental issues.
But he said the fundamental reason for the weak implementation of laws is the lack of political will and leadership.
He also pointed out the inter-relationship of environmental concerns with poverty and peace and order.
“Addressing the root causes such as the inappropriate dispensing or utter lack of environmental justice would address the manifested problems like absence of peace, continuing poverty and underdevelopment in general,” Meyer said in his speech.
The growing threats of climate change and global economic crisis will not only add pressure to the economy but also to the natural resources because increased poverty would also trigger the intensification of the misuse and abuse of the environment, according to Meyer.
“Unless we address the issue of environmental degradation, poverty and human rights in an integrated manner, the survival of this country, even of the whole planet, will be in grave peril,” he said.
The forum with the theme “Upholding the Right to a Balanced and Healthful Ecology” was attended by heads of government agencies led by Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno, civil-society representatives and members of the judiciary who signed a Memorandum of Commitment on Environmental Justice.
The forum which will end today is expected to consolidate recommendations on the proposed court rule of procedure for environmental cases.
The forum is seen as among the efforts of the high court to be make the judiciary more responsive to environmental issues which have increasingly grown significant due to global warming and climate change.