A Critical Examination of Climate Change Regulatory and Policy Frameworks of South Sudan: a Comparative Analysis With Kenya

Abstract

This project paper conducted a thorough analysis of the system of laws, policies, and regulations pertaining to changes in the climate in South Sudan, while also doing a comparative assessment with Kenya. This analysis rigorously assesses the legal, institutional, and policy frameworks in South Sudan that regulate climate change. It emphasizes the consequences of climate change and identifies the most effective strategies that South Sudan might adopt by drawing lessons from Kenya's experience in decreasing the severity of the changing climate's negative impacts. An in-depth analysis of South Sudan's legal structures, both organizational and policy, indicates a lack of sufficient laws and regulations to effectively control climate change in the country. The Transitional Constitution, Mining Act, Petroleum Act, and Land Act encompass environmental legislation in a broad sense, but do not directly address climate change. The impacts of the changing climate in South Sudan encompass a range of detrimental consequences, spanning socio-economic and health domains. It also emerges that South Sudan can learn various lessons from Kenya which has progressive environmental laws, policies, and institutions for governing the environment and climate change. Several recommendations are proposed including the enactment of legislation, making of policies and establishment of institutions in South Sudan that specifically govern climate change. The overall conclusion is that for South Sudan to effectively combat the detrimental consequences of changing climate, there is an urgent need to enact progressive climate change specific laws, make policies, and establish institutions.