Workshop held on “The Quest for Environmental Justice in Ethiopia”

Workshop held on “The Quest for Environmental Justice in Ethiopia”

On 16th March 2024, our Organization successfully organized a consultative workshop on the topic of Environmental Justice in Ethiopia with particular emphasis on environmental crime and the legal and practical assessments.

Renowned scholars, researchers, environmentalists, a representative from the Ministry of Justice, higher officials and experts from the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, CSO representatives, and our volunteer public interest litigants have participated in the consultative workshop and forwarded insightful observations and constructive dialogues on the issues of environmental crime in the Ethiopian context have been practiced.

Titled “Quest for Environmental Justice in Ethiopia: Issues of Environmental Crime and Role of Stakeholders in Environmental Protection”, the workshop was aimed at informing key stakeholders in the justice and environmental protection sector to be conscious of the legal and practical issues for the best implementation of environmental justice, in particular, to bring criminal cases against polluters of the environment and violators of environmental legislations.

The keynote speech was given by Mr. Bereket Mamo, a representative from the Ministry of Justice. He noted that the environmental justice endeavors in Ethiopia need special attention from the relevant stakeholders. In addition, he also magnified the positive influences of DTE in promoting and realizing environmental justice with its successful public interest litigations.

As part of the program in the consultative workshop, scholarly presentations and hands-on practical observations and assessments have been presented. In particular, in the presentation titled “Role of Stakeholders in Supporting Environmental Justice Endeavors: Expectations of Defend the Environment” – Mr. Melkamu Ogo presented hands-on experiences and successes of Defend the Environment in the public interest litigation and the role of stakeholders in supporting the environmental justice endeavors of Defend the Environment.

In addition, a detailed presentation has been presented by Mr. Abiy Demisse (a legal advisor and consultant) on “Regulation of Corporate Environmental Crime in Ethiopia: A Doctrinal Analysis.” In this discussion, the significant negative influence of corporates on the environment and the public as well as the legal and institutional gaps concerning environmental crime has been discussed in depth. Especially, a detailed legal analysis of the various environmental legislations that determine environmental crime and the provisions of the Revised Criminal Code of Ethiopia were addressed by the presenter.

The participants forwarded insightful ideas and future grounds for cooperation among the identified stakeholders for impactful and successful environmental justice using environmental public interest litigation and execution of environmental crime.

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