For many years, the issue of human rights has become a universally acclaimed phenomenon to the extent that many states now try to incorporate the notion in their national constitutions. This not withstanding, there are many grey areas that need to be looked into in an effort to bridge the gaps that to date continue to exist in realm of human rights, amongst these, the right to clean environment.

Arguably, when the United Nations charter was conceived over sixty years ago, the question of the environment as a correlation to human rights was not as evident as it is today. I make reference to the UN charter for the very reason that Articles 55 & 56 infer a pledge by all members of the UN to take joint and separate action in concert with the United Nations to promote universal respect for, and observance of human rights and fundamental freedom for all without distinction. The appearance of what until hitherto I refer as ‘ de lege ferenda ' or future law is what inevitably gave birth to numerous international treaties aimed at filling the gaps resulting from the vagueness of the provisions of the UN charter. Hence, the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the subsequent treaties that followed at universal as well as regional levels.

Today many more human rights instruments have come into being at regional level as well e.g. the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedom (1953) and attendant protocols, the American Convention on Human Rights (OAS member states 1978), the African Charter for Human and People's Right 1981 to name a few, so as to make the provisions more relevant to the peculiarities of the regions concerned.

A number of organizations especially non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are also involved in the promotion of human rights, and peace and love. One such organization that comes into perspective is the Federation of World Peace and Love (FOWPAL). Founded under the legendary leadership of Dr. Hong Tao Tze, the FOWPAL is headquartered in Los Angles and has a large following.

Being quite aware that peace and love are necessary requirements in the quest for human rights, FOWPAL has for many years been striving towards the promotion of harmony amongst and between people of all continents irrespective of race, colour, creed and/or religious believes. With this in mind, the dedicated members of FOWPAL and Tai Ji Men under the Zhang Men Ren, Dr Hong Toa Tze have made maiden trips to the Americas , Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania . In all their visits, the message was clear: to promote and enhance world peace through heart to heart contacts. It is understood that the lack of heart to contacts is a major stumbling block in the achievement of human rights, peace and harmony. Until this is achieved amongst people and nations, the idea of peace will ever be elusive.

Man's destructive habits leading to environmental degradation – green house emissions, depletion of forest cover, depletion of the ozone layer etc will forever be a threat to human existence. There is therefore an urgent need to devote more attention here with focus on convincing the big industrialized nations of the north to cut back emissions and implement appropriate measures to better protect the environment both for the present and future generations, rather than insistence on joint equal measures by industrialised and non-industrialised nations alike as this constitutes a way of killing any prospects of industrial development by underdeveloped nations.

FOWPAL could also play a role in enlisting support and mobilising world leaders in a similar manner as it continues to do with ringing of the bell of peace by important personalities. However there is need to go beyond the symbolic gesture of ringing the bell of peace to concrete and real actualisation of the objectives, albeit with support both at the domestic and international levels. This is the real challenge of humanity, the real challenge of human rights and the real threat to peace and love.

There are volumes of international instruments on the subject of environmental law starting from the UN Stockholm Conference on 1972 on Human Environment to the 1982 UN Convention of the Law of the Sea; from the 1969 convention on the prevention of Marine Pollution by dumping of wastes and other matter to the 1991 OAU Bamako Convention on the ban of the import into Africa and management of hazardous wastes within Africa. The relevance of these is that derogation will impinge adversely on the environment and by extension on human life (the right to life), hence the need to tackle the problem with more seriousness.

The efforts of the Federation of World Peace and Love and the Tai Ji Men are very much laudable and worthy of emulation. As we proceed through the twenty-first century, it is my hope that the technological achievements especially in the field of information and communications technology will be used to further enlighten more and more people on the need to show concern and love to one another, on the need to show concern and compassion to the needs of others.