Constitutional Protection of the Right to a Healthy Environment in Light of the 2016 Algerian Constitutional Amendment

Abstract

The Algerian constitutional framers, through the 2016 Constitution, took a step forward by explicitly recognizing the citizen’s right to live in a sound environment that guarantees a dignified life. This was affirmed in the Preamble of the Constitution, which emphasized “building a productive and competitive economy within the framework of sustainable development and environmental protection.” This protection was further strengthened in Article 68, which expressly recognizes the citizen’s right to a healthy environment and the necessity for the State and its institutions to protect this right. Thus, Algeria has inaugurated a new era by granting environmental rights a supreme constitutional value binding on both the State and its institutions.