169MAKAWA, ERNEST MUNGOSAUKAAKUDYAALICHETE EXPERIENCE OF MALAWI: PUBLIC ROLE IN ENFORCEMENT

The environmental law reform process in Malawi has revealed “new challenges ” in the protection, management of environment and the conservation and sustainable utilization of natural resources. A brief evaluation of the current legislation is given focusing on major weaknesses. An attempt is made to explain the low or non-existent enforcement. The “Issues Paper on Legislation, Policies and Institutional frame work ” prepared for the National Environmental Action Plan (NEAP) catalogued various reasons for non-compliance ranging from defective legislation, poor arrangement of institutions, lack of political will, economic constraints to cultural and social attitudes. An attempt shall be made to explore the role of communities in enforcement and the effect of their contribution to natural resource protection. With the current political changes and new initiatives and efforts in the protection and management of the environment resulting in the preparation of the National Environmental Action Plan, National Environment Policy and the Environment Management Act, is there hope of halting environmental degradation?