Abstract
Atmospheric pollution is a global phenomenon that has caused immeasurable havoc to the global environment, with man, animals and the entire eco-systems at the receiving end, as every life on earth depends on air. Atmospheric pollution often results from human activities, which include both corporate and domestic activities which have the capacities to emit gases that are not usually environment friendly, into the atmosphere. Such gases, such as chlouroflourocarbons (CFCs) are responsible for the depletion of the ozone layer. Biological, nuclear and toxic substances released into the air also constitute great danger to the human environment, considering their catastrophic consequences not only to man but to animals, plants and properties. Hence, the need to respond at both international and national levels by legal instruments as a means to regulate, check and where possible, also, festal all the human activities that pollute the atmosphere, particularly those done illegally. This piece therefore, would showcase international treaties such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 1992 and the Kyoto Protocol of 1997. It will also feature the Vienna Convention of 1985, and other international treaties that have direct bearing with the issues of global atmospheric pollution, such as the ENMOD Convention of 1977. It would also capture some relevant international laws that classified the right to a healthy environment, including the right to quality air as fundamental human rights such as the Stockholm of 1972, and the Universal Declaration of Rights of 1948. Apart from the international legal responses, this work will also focus on some of the national laws on the protection of the atmosphere, precisely the Nigerian legislations and Constitution, in order to reveal the efforts of the Nigerian government in tackling the issue of atmospheric pollution and guaranteeing the safeguard of air quality in Nigeria, for the citizens via her legal tool and international conventions to which she is a signatory.
Keywords: Pollution, Atmospheric, International Law, Nigeria.