Environmental Law and Policy in Tanzania: Reflections on the Enforcement of The Environmental Management Act

Abstract

Tanzania is a vast country with adverse environment that needs to be protected for the good of current and future generations. The government has adopted environmental policies and enacted laws in order to protect the environment. The leading legislation in this effort is the Environmental Management Act which contains relatively comprehensive provisions which, if properly enforced, can help to protect and conserve the environment of the country. This article argues that the Act is not fully enforced not only by individual citizens but also relevant government institutions and as a result the intended objectives for its enactment are not fully realized. Using all the available avenues of enforcement, public education and collaboration among state organs will help to protect the environment. Key Words: Environment, policy, biological diversity, enforcement