The Nationalist Party has launched a public consultation ahead of moving a bill to introduce the 'right to the environment' as an enforceable human right in the Constitution. 

In a statement, the party said there is a need for more responsibility and accountability in the way administrative decisions affecting the environment are taken.

At present, decisions involving the environment were only being taken by the government and the past few years had seen such decisions causing unprecedented harm.

The party said it had started consultation talks with environmental organisations and was asking all interested in improving public administration of the environment to forward their suggestions.  

Once the consultation is over, the party plans to move a bill to amend the constitution to introduce the right to the environment as a fundamental human right.

This, the party said, was the highest form of protection the environment could have. It would bring about a radical change in the way the environment was protected and require better scrutiny of the government's decisions affecting the environment.  

The PN said that through this process it was also confirming its commitment to a better standard of living for the people, protecting the environment, conserving land and introducing government accountability and responsibility.