Legislation
Directions
Disaster Management Act 57 of 2002 – Gen Not 18 in GG 44096 of 22 January 2021 – Directions: Measures to address, prevent and combat the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19: Re-opening of schools for the 2021 Academic Year under Adjusted Alert Level 3
Notices
National Environmental Management: Waste Act 59 of 2008 – GN 20 in GG 44078 on 15 January 2021 – Amendment of the Regulations and Notices Regarding Extended Producer Responsibility, 2020
Superior Courts Act 10 of 2013 – Gen Not 11 in GG 44086 of 22 January 2021 – Notice for the Western Cape Division of the High Court of South Africa
Tourism Act – Gen Not 12 in GG 44088 of 22 January 2021 – Draft National norms and standards for the safe operations of tourism sector in the context of COVID-19 and beyond – for comment by 21 March 2021
Legal Practice Act 28 of 2014 – Gen Not 6 in GG 44068 of 15 January 2021 – Rules: Amendment
Cases
National
Albertse and Others v Members of the Executive Council: Economic, Small Business Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Free State Province and Others (2452/2019) [2021] ZAFSHC 2 (21 January 2021)
Environmental authorisation – filling station – appeal regulations
“[1] The first to sixth applicants launched an application in this Court, seeking to declare unlawful and review and set aside the environmental authorisation number EMB / 14. 2728 (ii) issued on 20 March 2018 (EA) by the second, alternatively first respondent in favour of the fourth and / or seventh respondent in relation to Portion 5 of the farm Avenham 2187 (portion 5 of Avenham) and the first respondent’s refusal of an appeal against the granting of the aforementioned environmental authorization. They further request, in the alternative, that the EA be remitted to the first respondent for consideration subject to the applicants’ right to submit comments on the EA application in terms of regulations 40 and 44 of the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations and that such comments shall be considered by the first and / or second respondent when the EA is reconsidered.”
Van Zyl v Minister of Local Government , Environmental Affairs and Development Planning , Western Cape and Others (A24/2020) [2021] ZAWCHC 2 (15 January 2021)
Planning law – servitudes – height restrictions – restrictive conditions
Ezulwini Mining Company Pty Ltd v Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy and Others (53379/2019) [2021] ZAGPPHC 4 (15 January 2021)
Environmental authorisation – water use licence – pumping of underground water
“[1] In these proceedings applicant (hereinafter “EMC”) instituted motion proceedings on 24 July 2019 in terms of which the following relief was sought:
‘1. Declaring that:
1.1 neither an environmental authorisation in terms of the National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998 and the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations published in GN R982 in GG 38282 of 4 December 2014;
1.2 nor an amendment to the water use licence issued to the Applicant in terms of the National Water Act 36 of 1998; are required by the applicant to cease the pumping of the water from the defunct underground workings of Ezulwini mine located on the farms Jachtfontein 344, Klipgat 700, Modderfontein 345 and Waterpan 292, Registration Division IQ, situated in the Rand West City Local Municipality, within the West Rand District Municipality.
2. Alternatively, and to the extent that the Court find that an environmental authorisation or a water use license amendment is required by the applicant to cease the pumping of water from the defunct underground workings at the Ezulwini mine, declaring that:
2.1 in light of the prejudicial financial consequences, physical constraints and potential health and safety consequences of the continued pumping, as well as the findings of the extensive impact assessment studies completed by the applicant, the applicant is entitled to cease the pumping of water from the defunct underground workings at the Ezulwini mine in the absence of such environmental authorisation or water use license amendment;
3. Further alternatively, and to the extent that the Court finds that an environmental authorisation or a water use license amendment is required by the applicant to cease the pumping of water from the defunct underground workings at the Ezulwini mine, and that the applicant is not entitled to cease the pumping of water from the defunct underground workings at the Ezulwini mine in the absence of such environmental authorisation or water use license amendment, directing that:
3.1 the fifth and sixth respondents either cover the costs of pumping water from the defunct underground workings at Ezulwini mine or contribute to such cost together with the applicant, the fifth and sixth respondents being jointly and severally liable, alternatively, directing the first and/or second and/or third and/or fourth respondents to order the fifth and sixth respondents to do so.”
Maluti-A-Phofung Municipality v Eskom Holdings SOC Limited and Others (2719/2020) [2021] ZAFSHC 3 (15 January 2021)
Application for leave for appeal dismissed – Eskom contractual agreement with Municipality for repayment for electricity
International
American Lung Association v Environmental Protection Agency Case No 19-1140 Decided 20 January 2021:
“As the Supreme Court recognized nearly fourteen years ago, climate change has been called “the most pressing environmental challenge of our time.” Soon thereafter, the United States government determined that greenhouse gas emissions are polluting our atmosphere and causing significant and harmful effects on the human environment. Endangerment and Cause or Contribute Findings for Greenhouse Gases Under Section 202(a) of the Clean Air Act. And both Republican and Democratic administrations have agreed: Power plants burning fossil fuels like coal “are far and away” the largest stationary source of greenhouse gases and, indeed, their role in greenhouse gas emissions “dwarf[s] other categories”. … The question in this case is whether the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) acted lawfully in adopting the 2019 Affordable Clean Energy Rule (ACE Rule), 84 Fed. Reg. 32,520 (July 8, 2019), as a means of regulating power plants’ emissions of greenhouse gases. It did not. Although the EPA has the legal authority to adopt rules regulating those emissions, the central operative terms of the ACE Rule and the repeal of its predecessor rule, the Clean Power Plan, 80 Fed. Reg. 64,662 (Oct. 23, 2015), hinged on a fundamental misconstruction of Section 7411(d) of the Clean Air Act. In addition, the ACE Rule’s amendment of the regulatory framework to slow the process for reduction of emissions is arbitrary and capricious. For those reasons, the ACE Rule is vacated, and the record is remanded to the EPA for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.”
Publications
International
US Energy Information Administration: “Levelized Cost and Levelized Avoided Cost of New Generation Resources in the Annual Energy Outlook 2020” (21 February 2020)
Blumm Michael C and Wood Mary C The Public Trust Doctrine in Environmental and Natural Resources Law 3rd edition (Carolina Academic Press 2021) Abstract available at SSRN
2020 11(3) Journal of Human Rights and the Environment – Special Issue: From Student Strikes to the Extinction Rebellion
Ribes A, Qasmi S and Gillett NP “Making climate projections conditional on historical observations” 2021 7(4) Science Advances DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abc0671
Rosa MR et al “Hidden destruction of older forests threatens Brazil’s Atlantic Forest and challenges restoration programs” 2021 7(4) Science Advances DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abc4547
De Herdt Sandrine W and Ndiaye Tafsir Malick “The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea and the Protection and Preservation of the Marine Environment: Taking Stock and Prospects” 2020 57 Canadian Yearbook of International Law/Annuaire Canadien De Droit International 353-385 doi:10.1017/cyl.2020.23
Kamphuis C “The Transnational Mining Justice Movement: Reflecting on Two Decades of Law Reform Activism in the Americas” 2020 57 Canadian Yearbook of International Law/Annuaire Canadien De Droit International 286-352 doi:10.1017/cyl.2020.17
Burleson Elizabeth, Robinson Nicholas & Lin Heng Lye (eds) Comparative Environmental Law and Regulation (Thompson Reuters: 2021) View Introduction View West Law Summary (Chapters are available on Westlaw) They are receiving submissions on an ongoing basis. Feel free to email chapters in Microsoft Word to ">Elizabeth Burleson
Harris NL et al “Global maps of twenty-first century forest carbon fluxes” 2021 Nat. Clim. Chang https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-020-00976-6
Blogs, Discussions, Websites, Videos, ETC
South Africa
Biodiversity
GroundUp: Sellig S “To bee or not to bee: South African beekeepers face tough odds” 22 January 2021
Mail & Guardian: Bega S “New tool finds best places to build wind farms to protect birds of prey” 20 January 2021
Mail & Guardian: Bega S “Why great white sharks are disappearing from South Africa’s coastline” 19 January 2021
Mail & Guardian: Bega S “Poachers in prisons tell their stories” 16 January 2021
One News Page: Bosaletswe C “‘Gold rush’ as Botswana meets appetite for lion goods” 20 January 2021
Environmental enforcement
DEFF: “Upgrades to the DEFF Screening Tool were deployed on 7 January 2021” Find the document outlining the changes here [IAIAsa News 2020/2021 | 22 January 2021]
Local government
Thomas Reuters Foundation: Harrisberg K “Taxis for ladies: Putting the brakes on crime in South African city” 18 January 2021
ICLEI: “Circle City Scan Tool”
Daily Maverick: Budlender N “Salt River Market: An affordable housing project stonewalled by the City of Cape Town” 21 January 2021
Mining
GroundUp: Kockott F “Trial will shed light on Wild Coast violence” 22 January 2021
Mail & Guardian: “Sisulu: Third of audited mines violate conditions of water use licence” 5 January 2021
Daily Maverick: Chelin R and Els W “South Africa can’t afford more delays on controlling the use of explosives” 21 January 2021
Lexology: Baker McKenzie “South Africa: The High Court limits diesel refund claims for mining activities” 15 January 2021
Water, waste, and chemicals
Mail & Guardian: Harper P “R100-billion needed to staunch KZN’s water woes” 19 January 2021
WKC: Marine Modelling [IAIAsa News 2020/2021 | 22 January 2021]
Bizcommunity: “Groundwater increasingly important, needs to be used wisely” 22 January 2021
Africa
Biodiversity
The Conversation: Murray-Hudson M and Dauteuil O “Botswana’s Okavango Delta is created by a delicate balance, but for how much longer?” 14 November 2019
IOL: Frykberg M “One out of three African tropical plants faces extinction” 21 November 2019
allAfrica: Truscott R “Namibia: Amazing Albatrosses – ‘Scarecrows’ Cut Seabird Deaths By 98%” 16 January 2021
Reuters: Nyarota D “Zimbabwe: ‘Wildlife Management Reforms Long Overdue” 19 January 2021
Climate Change and Energy
IOL: Magome M “Pics: Deadly drought is leaving millions in southern Africa hungry” 21 November 2019
allAfrica: Matthews HD and Tokarska K “Africa: New Research Suggests 1.5C Climate Target will be out of Reach without Greener Covid-19 Recovery Plans” 18 January 2021
allAfrica: Shupler M “Africa: Air Pollution – Over Three Billion People Breathe Harmful Air Inside Their Own Homes” 20 January 2021
allAfrica: Shigwedha A “Namibia: Climate Change and Namibia’s Aquifers” 21 January 2021
Local government
ICLEI CityTalk Blog: “Mainstreaming nature in Malawi: Bringing local-level knowledge to national decision-making” 19 November 2019
Thomas Reuters Foundation: “Kenya slum dwellers battle COVID-19 downturn with virtual currency” 20 January 2021
ICLEI: “Video series: Climate Finance Insights for Cities”
ICLEI: “Video series: Adapting to climate change and enhancing resilience”
Mining
The Conversation: Boafo J “Ghana’s traditional and state powers must collaborate to halt illegal mining” 12 November 2019
Place: Ndhlovu L “Homes, land destroyed as desperate Zimbabweans turn to illegal gold mining” 20 November 2019
Mining Weekly: “Corruption, child labour risk in Congo’s cobalt industry, OECD warns” 15 November 2019
Mail & Guardian: “Gold rush destabilises central Sahel” 22 November 2019
BBC: “Vedanta mine settles Zambian villagers’ pollution claim” 20 January 2021
Extractives Baraza: “Mozambique’s Army Combats Insurgents Near Total’s $20B LNG Project” 19 January 2021
Extractives Baraza: “Senegal: Country Already Produces Gas: Investors Should Look Onshore” 19 January 2021
Extractives Baraza: “DRC: What China’s Increasing Control Over Cobalt Resources in the DRC Means for the West – Report” 19 January 2021
Water, sanitation, oceans, and chemicals
IISD SDG Knowledge Hub: Paul D “On World Toilet Day, UN Highlights Plight of Sanitation Workers” 21 November 2019
Bizcommunity: “How the Replenish Africa Initiative aims to secure billions of litres of water over the next decade” 18 January 2021
Miscellaneous
The Conversation: Kimani D and Areneke G “African multinationals bring home much more than profits” 17 November 2019
My Engineers: Ngumbi E “African governments must invest in science for future growth” 23 November 2019
allAfrica: Schwikowski M “Africa: Dwindling Number of Africans Own Land” 19 January 2021
The Independent: Merrick R “Brexit: £100,000 of tariffs slapped on Fairtrade bananas from Africa threatening farmers with ruin” 23 January 2021
International
Biodiversity, protected areas, and culture
Xerces Society: Pelton E and McKnight S “Western Monarch Population Closer to Extinction as the Wait Continues for Monarchs’ Protection Under the Endangered Species Act” 19 January 2021
Science: Alex B “No more cuddly selfies with our ape cousins, top conservation body warns scientists” 19 January 2021
Lexology: “Service Removes Interior Least Tern from Endangered Species List” 20 January 2021
Lexology: “New Rule on Incidental Take Under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act Likely to be Short-Lived” [USA] 19 January 2021
Nature: Bonar SA “More than 100 aquatic-science societies sound climate alarm” 19 January 2021
Lexology: “NMFS Proposes Rule to Reduce North Atlantic Right Whale Entanglements in Fishing Gear” 19 January 2021
IISD SDG Knowledge Hub: “High-Ambition Coalition, Financial Disclosure Framework Gain Momentum” 18 January 2021
IISD SDG Knowledge Hub: “Tracking Platform Assesses Australia’s Progress on 56 SDG Indicators” 20 January 2021
New Scientist: Lu D “Australian lungfish has largest genome of any animal sequenced so far” 18 January 2021
Thomas Reuters Foundation: Lambertini M “Opinion: COVID-19 has shown what happens when we destroy nature – 2021 must be the year we change course” 18 January 2021
Thomas Reuters Foundation: Parvaiz A “Kashmir forest dwellers look to long-delayed law to stop evictions” 15 January 2021
The Guardian: Greenfield P “How creating wildlife crossings can help reindeer, bears – and even crabs” 23 January 2021
The Independent: Smith J “Capturing the last of Mongolia’s eagle hunting tribes” 24 January 2021
Climate change and energy
Science: Voosen P “Trump downplayed the costs of carbon pollution. That’s about to change” 22 January 2021
White House Presidential Orders: “Executive Order on Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis” 20 January 2021
Wood Mackenzie: Maghani R “Total eclipse – How falling costs will secure solar’s dominance in power” January 2021
Lexology: “Trends in global climate change litigation” 20 January 2021
Lexology: “Pension fund agrees settlement in landmark Australian climate change case, McVeigh v Rest” 20 January 2021
The Guardian: Milman O and Harvey F “John Kerry commits US to climate crisis fight but warns world is way off pace” 21 January 2021
Lexology: “Treasury Releases Final Regulations on Carbon Capture Credits” [USA] 19 January 2021
Lexology: “D.C Circuit Court of Appeals Vacates Affordable Clean Energy Rule” [USA] 19 January 2021
Lexology: “LMA guidance on green loans” [EU] 19 January 2021
Lexology: “Improving minimum energy efficiency standards (MEES) update” [UK] 19 January 2021
Lexology: “Canadian Environmental Law Blog: The Feds’ $15-billion Climate Change Plan” 13 January 2021
Lexology: “European Court of Justice Ruling on Defeat Devices in Diesel Vehicles” 14 January 2021
Lexology: “Can contract clauses change the world? We think they can!” 15 January 2021
Environmental enforcement
Lexology: “Biden Administration Environmental Justice Focus: Enforcement Impact” [USA] 20 January 2021
Lexology: “The long-awaited judgment following the conclusion of A-G Bobek” [EU] 15 January 2021
Lexology: “New Jersey’s New Environmental Justice Law Set to Resonate Throughout 2021” 11 January 2021
Lexology: “Fast-tracking development assessments: NSW Rapid Assessment Framework now on exhibition” 12 January 2021
Local government
IUDF: “DDG, Mr Themba Fosi’s address at the Launch of the Guides to Designing Integrated Violence Prevention Interventions” 20 December 2020
Lexology: “Considerations for Selling Contaminated Property in NJ” 20 January 2021
ICLEI: “Barcelona Cycle Logistics: Last-Mile Solution for Urban Freight Delivery” 21 January 2021
ICLEI City Talk: “Sustainability officers respond to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis with renewed determination” 20 January 2021
Thomas Reuters Foundation: Elks S “Toxic air seen cutting thousands of lives short each year in Europe’s cities” 19 January 2021
ICLEI City Talk: Fyfe A “Five things the Biden-Harris Administration could do to use the strength of cities to help meet the Paris Goals” 20 January 2021
TheMayor.Eu: Vigran D “In Finland, cities are part of a broad coalition working towards circular economy” 13 January 2021
ICLEI City Talk: “2021: Expectations and advances in sustainability in South America” 18 January 2021
The Guardian: Harvey F “Buyers of brand-new homes face £20,000 bill to make them greener” 23 January 2021
Mining
Extractives Baraza: “Biden May Cancel Keystone Xl Pipeline Permit as Soon as His First Day in Office: Source” 19 January 2021 – see also News
Water, oceans, waste, and chemicals
Lexology: “U.S. EPA’s Interim Guidance on PFAS Destruction and Disposal Lacks Adequate Precision” 20 January 2021
Lexology: “Supreme Court grants Certiorari in Guam CERCLA Case” 19 January 2021
IISD SDG Knowledge Hub: “Global Agreement on Marine Pollution from Land-based Sources Yields Lessons: Policy Brief” 20 January 2021
IISD SDG Knowledge Hub: “Tools Improve Data Availability in Pacific for Decision Making and Environmental Reporting” 20 January 2021
IISD SDG Knowledge Hub: “IPEN, SAICM Report on Chemicals’ Disproportionate Impacts on Women” 20 January 2021
IISD SDG Knowledge Hub: “Bringing a Sea of Change: Ocean Ecosystem Services’ Contribution to Sustainable Food Systems” 18 January 2021
Lexology: “Local resource recovery drives bioplastics standards globally” [Canada] 12 January 2021
Lexology: “2021 Impact of NJDEP 2020 C-1 Water Quality Designations for Additional Waterways” [USA] 12 January 2021
IISD ENB: “16th Meeting of the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC-16) to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants | 11-16 January 2021 | Online
The Guardian: McVeigh K “Chris Packham joins fight to end UK’s ’embarrassing’ plastic waste exports” 22 January 2021
Miscellaneous
White House Presidential Orders: “Proclamation on the Termination of Emergency With Respect to the Southern Border of the United States and Redirection of Funds Diverted to Border Wall Construction” 20 January 2021
Washington Post: Eilperin J, Brady D and Muyskens J “Tracking Biden’s environmental actions” 21 January 2021
Science: Wu J “What might Earth’s next supercontinent look like? New study provides clues” 21 January 2021
IISD SDG Knowledge Hub: “UNECE Launches People-First Scoring Method for Infrastructure Projects” 18 January 2021
Thomas Reuters Foundation: Teixeira S ‘In Brazil’s Amazon, indigenous people fear surge in COVID-19 deaths” 19 January 2021
Conferences, Workshops, Study Opportunities
National
SBE2021: Sustainable Built Environments Focus on the Future – The Future is Now!
Date: 16 – 24 February 2021. More information, or contact the conference organiser Glaudin Kruger.
CBSS Training Courses in Water Governance scheduled for 2021
9 – 11 March 2021, near Stellenbosch. Registration closes 8 February 2021. Early bird payment discount applicable until 26 January 2021 (and discounts are available for bona fide students, WISA-members, and group registrations). Refresher: 11 March 2021. Other venues can be arranged, depending on sufficient numbers – contact Carin for more details. Register here.
IAIAsa KZN Student Branch: CV WRITING WORKSHOP
28 January 2021, 18h00 – 20h00.
IAIAsa WC Student Branch: Upcoming Event…ISO 14001 and 9001
During Week of 22 – 26 Feb 2021. More information will follow later.
University of Pretoria Centre for Human Rights Webinar: Community-led accountability in Africa
Date: Tuesday 26 January 2021 Online (Zoom). Time: 08:00 EST / 13:00 GMT / 14:00 WAT / 15:00 SAST / 16:00 EAT. Click here to register.
Enterprises at University of Pretoria, online short course in Environmental Law
Date: 8 to 19 March 2021 (Online with roughly 2.5 hours of virtual classroom time each day and online assessment). Click here for more information.
International
Florida State University: Mapping the New Urban Commons: Law and Resource Stewardship in the City
Date: Wednesday 24 February 2021. Time: 3:30-4:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) via Zoom. Registration
Free IAIA Webinar: Human Rights in Impact Assessment
Wednesday, 27 January 2021. Time: 08:00 US CST. Registration
News
National
Biodiversity
Environmental: Biodiversity policy documents still not available
“A draft national biodiversity framework approved two months ago by Cabinet for public comment and a revised national protected areas expansion strategy adopted at the same meeting for implementation have yet to be made electronically available. Although a rather muddled Department of Environment, Forestry & Fisheries press release at the time did provide some insight into the documents, the officials concerned have since chosen not to respond to repeated requests for access to them. The only expansion strategy document available on the department’s website is dated 2016. This notwithstanding, according to the departmental statement the two policy documents are expected to go some way towards addressing ‘threats to SA’s biodiversity’.” Read full report in Legalbrief Policy Watch Legalbrief 21 January 2021]
Climate change and energy
Nombembe P “Severely burnt suspects bust for siphoning fuel from Transnet pipeline” TimesLive 23 January 2021
“Zeerust Solar commences commercial operations” Bizommunity 21 January 2021
Creamer T “2021 poised to be significant year of transition for SA’s energy and minerals sectors” Mining Weekly 22 January 2021
“After pandemic, oil firms even less willing to cover $3.9bn cost of South Africa’s clean fuel plan” Engineering News 22 January 2021
“Regulatory, policy constraints continue to bedevil SA’s distributed generation market” Engineering News 22 January 2021
Environmental enforcement
Nomembe P “Port Elizabeth cop bust for illegally dealing in copper” TimesLive 23 January 2021
Local government
Mbovane T “Shack dwellers disrupt water and electricity project in Uitenhage” GroundUp 20 January 2021
Water, waste, oceans, and chemicals
Chiguvara T “Families affected by dam construction are unhappy with state’s compensation” GroundUp 19 January 2021
“Amendment of the regulations and notices regarding extended producer responsibility in the Waste Sector, 2020” Polity 19 January 2021
Miscellaneous
“Farmers reminded to vaccinate animals against Rift Valley Fever” SA News 21 January 2021
“SA welcomes prohibition of nuclear weapons treaty” SA News 22 January 2021
International
Biodiversity, protected areas, animal rights, and culture
Barkham P “Quarter of known bee species have not been recorded since 1990” The Guardian 22 January 2021
Barkham P “Farmers lead plan to reintroduce white-tailed eagle to Norfolk” The Guardian 22 January 2021
Harvey F “Only a third of UK’s key fish populations are not overfished” The Guardian 22 January 2021
Weston P “Building a green economy could stop ‘nightmare’ degradation of Amazon” The Guardian 21 January 2021
Wood V “Stop the Illegal Wildlife Trade: Technology to count elephants from space offers anti-poaching hope” The Independent 22 January 2021
Bulbulia T “Unctad updates principles to promote biodiversity-friendly trade” Engineering News 21 January 2021
Climate change and energy
De Beaupuy, Blas J and Wethe D “Total quits API over climate change differences” BusinessDay 15 January 2021
“EU nations consider calling for global coal phaseout, US plans spring climate summit” Carbon Pulse 22 January 2021
Carrington D “Legal bid to stop UK building Europe’s biggest gas power plant fails” The Guardian 21 January 2021
Taylor K “‘Gas is over’, EU bank chief says” EurActiv 21 January 2021
Simon F “Avoid hydrogen for heating homes, urges energy efficiency coalition” EurActiv 21 January 2021
“Biden recommits US to Paris Agreement as part of inaugural climate orders” Carbon Pulse 21 January 2021
“US federal court strikes down Trump administration’s power sector GHG rule” Carbon Pulse 19 January 2021
Morton A “Coalition quietly adds fossil fuel industry leaders to emissions reduction panel” [Australia] The Guardian 22 January 2021
Carrington D “Electric vehicles close to ‘tipping point’ of mass adoption” The Guardian 22 January 2021
Dunne D “‘Human fingerprint’ covers global heating seen from before industrial era to today, research says” The Independent 19 January 2021
Liedtke S “Report views decarbonising supply chains as ‘major opportunity’” Engineering News 21 January 2021
Environmental enforcement
Lakhani N “‘No more broken treaties’: indigenous leaders urge Biden to shut down Dakota Access pipeline” The Guardian 21 January 2021
Boyle L “Biden blocks cross-border Keystone XL pipeline, ‘disappointing’ Canadian PM Justin Trudeau” The Independent 22 January 2021
Mining
Germmingen K “Switzerland court convicts Israeli diamond tycoon of corruption and forgery for obtaining mining rights” The Jurist 23 January 2021
Gillett MT “Federal appeals court strikes down Trump administration’s pro-coal rule” The Jurist 21 January 2021
Cockburn H “Mining giants accused of ‘serious human rights abuses’ and ‘devastating environmental pollution’ at Colombian mine” The Independent 19 January 2021
Dunne D “Business secretary admits ‘tension’ between UK’s climate commitments and plans for coal mine” The Independent 20 January 2021
Hastie H “Global infrastructure fund lands in Australia to feed gas to energy-hungry remote mines” Sydney Morning Herald 19 January 2021
Liedtke S “Responsible Mining Foundation seeks ‘more ambitious’ standards for TSFs” Mining Weekly 22 January 2021
Iannucci E “Lake Wells EPA issues cleared” [Australia] Mining Weekly 22 January 2021
Amelang S “German city fights coal mine in neighbouring Poland” Clean Energy Wire 21 January 2021
Water, waste, oceans, and chemicals
Laville S “George Eustice says water firms must cut sewage releases into rivers and sea” [UK] The Guardian 22 January 2021
Mercado A “One-third of US rivers have changed color in recent decades, research finds” The Guardian 22 January 2021
Hannam P “‘Inadequate’: Indigenous survey for Warragamba Dam plan found wanting” Sydney Morning Herald 24 January 2021
“Judge gives preliminary approval to $641 million Flint, Michigan, water settlement” Reuters 21 January 2021
Sharma G “Nepal to turn Everest trash into art to highlight mountain’s garbage blight” Reuters 21 January 2021
Miscellaneous
Gillett MT “Two million people internally displaced by violence in West Africa’s Sahel region: UNHCR” The Jurist 23 January 2021
Petkar V “UN treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons enters into force” The Jurist 22 January 2021
Agrawal A “India government offers to suspend new farm laws for 18 months” The Jurist 22 January 2021
Vacancies, Bursaries, Funding, Opportunities, etc.
National
North-West University and University of Fort Hare: NWO-NRF Project Water-Energy-Food Nexus: Postgraduate (M&D) and Post-doctoral bursaries
Closing date: 28 January 2020. Contact Willemien du Plessis (NWU) or Prof Leocadia Zhou (UFH).
Vacancy: University of Mpumalanga: Senior Lecturer/Lecturer in Environmental Science
Closing Date 29 January 2021. More information
Vacancy: Mine Closure Consultant: Bryanston, Johannesburg
Closing Date 31 January 2021. More information
Admitted Attorney: Professional Assistant to CEO – Technology – Stellenbosch
More information
Deloitte Internal Client Services – Risk, Independence & Legal – Resources Relation Consultant
More information
The Water Research Commission (WRC) and the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA): Water Seed Fund programme
Higher education institutions and small and medium-sized enterprises in the water sector have until 29 January to submit an expression of interest to be considered for funding. The Water Seed Fund will award up to R200 000 a project for innovation-oriented projects, with the aim of supporting commercialisation of water-related intellectual property generated from South African research and development aligned to addressing SA’s water challenges. [Engineering News]
International
China: Chinese Government Scholarship 2021 Undergraduate and Postgraduate: Climate Change, Renewable Energy
More information
France-South Africa: Master’s and PhD – all fields
Closing date: 2 February 2021. More information
European Union: Sustainable Ship and Shipping 4.0 Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Degree Programme
Closing date: 1 March 2021. More information
ACU: Climate Research Cohort – 24 Participants needed
More information
Commonwealth Peace & Reconciliation Challenge Grants
More information
Commonwealth Early Career Conference Grants
Closing date: 9 February 2021 More information
End
