Judiciary to consider separate environment court

There have been suggestions that Papua New Guinea’s court system should have a separate land and environment court, a judge says.
Justice Jeffery Shepherd told the international mediation and arbitrary conference (Imaac) in Port Moresby recently that there was no doubt the judiciary would consider this.
He said the establishment of a separate land and environmental court, with a staff of specialists and environmental lawyers, would depend on State financing.
“I can’t say immediately, but I believe that is an issue which the chief justice would be pleased to address,” he said.
“The role and challenge to the judiciary can surely be to adapt and develop laws that address this very serious issue.”
Justice Shepherd said it would be interesting to see if, in the years ahead, the Papua New Guinea judiciary could develop a concept of “environmental refugee protection”.
“Think of the number of volcanic islands off the coast of Papua New Guinea where resettlement has to occur, either on a temporary or permanent basis,” he said.
“Is there a right under the constitution for persons whose land, though no fault of their own, is disappearing?
“Is there a right for the State to assist with resettlement?”