Past, present and future perspectives     Three decades ago, in
1972, the international community adopted the Stockholm
Declaration, following the Stockholm Conference on the Human
Environment. Principle 1 of the Declaration highlighted a
healthy environment as a fundamental human right, explicitly
stating: 'Man [sic] has the fundamental right to freedom,
equality and adequate conditions of life in an environment of a
quality that permits a life of dignity and well-being, and he
bears a solemn responsibility to protect and improve the
environment for present and future generations...' Since then,
the Organization of African Unity (OAU) African Charter on Human
and People's Rights, and dozens of relatively new African
national constitutions, have enshrined a healthy environment as
a fundamental human right.  Of particular interest to Africa in
the Stockholm Declaration was the condemnation in Principle 1 of
apartheid, racial segregation, discrimination, colonial and
other forms of oppression, and foreign domin