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VOL. 12, ISSUE 1 (2026)
Beyond Symbolism: The procedural power of bio-cultural community protocols in Cameroon's environmental governance
Authors
Nah Anthony Tetinwe
Abstract
Bio-Cultural Community Protocols (BCPs) have emerged as a promising tool,
grounded in international norms like the Nagoya Protocol, for empowering local
communities to govern their traditional lands and resources. However, within
Cameroon's complex legal landscape, their practical impact remains fiercely
debated. This article moves beyond assessing BCPs on their ability to deliver
definitive substantive victories. Instead, it argues that the most significant
legal implication of BCPs in Cameroon is their procedural power their
capacity to reconfigure environmental governance processes in Favour of local
communities. By compelling communities to codify their customary laws, resource
rights, and decision-making structures, BCPs transform abstract rights into a
tangible platform for engagement. This analysis demonstrates how BCPs legally
fortify the principle of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC), create a
documented standard against which state and corporate consultations can be
judged, and provide a critical evidence base for strategic litigation. Through
this lens, the article reframes BCPs not as a panacea for community rights, but
as a sophisticated procedural weapon that, even without formal statutory
recognition, enhances community agency and challenges the top-down paradigms of
resource governance in Cameroon.
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Pages:449-459
How to cite this article:
Nah Anthony Tetinwe "Beyond Symbolism: The procedural power of bio-cultural community protocols in Cameroon's environmental governance". International Journal of Law, Vol 12, Issue 1, 2026, Pages 449-459
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