The hydrocarbons sector remains a crucial drive for the economic development of the world. Especially as the global demand for fossil fuels is rising, though companies are facing complex investment challenges because of the harsh operational environment of the exploration and production activities. As these activities are causing local and global environmental risks like groundwater contamination, or climate change in broader scale. On this base, the paper has identified and examined the critical challenges and drivers of sustainable development in the hydrocarbon sectors. So as to proffer the way forward for the emerging sector in Cameroon, in terms of accountability, transparency and sustainability. By x-raying “how the concept of ‘sustainable development’ is articulated, interpreted, and implemented in the hydrocarbons sector within the international and national legal regimes? With specific interest on the issue of pollution - by examining the role of the international conventions on the protection of the environment, with particular focus on civil liability and compensation. Since despite the adaptation and coming into force of these conventions directly dealing with the right of the users and its amenities against hydrocarbons pollution, there is dilemma in terms of application of the conventions by the various States. That being the case, the challenges facing the application were examined, in line with what can be done to improve such state of affair to achieve a meaningful hydrocarbons sustainability in Cameroon. With the paper concluding that this can only be successfully achieved if a viable legal regime is adopted and implemented - along the lines of the globally accepted sustainable development principles.