SUMMARY

The coastal zone, with their vast resources of food, energy, and minerals, not only are composed of various fragile ecosystems, but are scenes of a variety of often conflicting uses. At present, the uncontrolled development of the coastal zone and the almost haphazard exploitation of their natural resources threaten to turn the promise of economic prosperity into an environmental nightmare that portends great dangers for present and future generations. The Niger Delta environment as a result of several decades of oil production, and industrial and infrastructural developments had witnessed tremendous environmental degradation. Profound changes have often had adverse effects on local livelihoods and social well-being. For years, local people hoped for protection that never came from successive Federal and State Governments. Attempts to fight back have at times compounded their environmental challenges—the sabotage of oil pipelines, for example, has only exacerbated oil pollution. Sustainable development demands an integrated and interactive approach that allows for the understanding of the complex relationship between society and nature, simultaneously respecting human rights and assuming that environment is a vital dimension of the future of the human kind