Newsletter Example

25 March 2025

World Water Day | 22 March 2025

Legislation

Acts

Climate Change Act 22 of 2024 – Proc 251 in GG 52319 of 17 March 2025 – Date of commencement: 17 March 2025, excluding ss. 12 (6), 13 (1), 13 (2), 13 (3) (b), 14 (3) (a), 15 (5), 15 (6), 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 25 (4) (c), 26 (2) to (6), 27, 28 and 30 (2) (a) and (b): to be proclaimed – Amends s. 1 of the National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998

Notices

Plant Improvement Act 53 of 1976 – GN R6002 in GG 52342 of 20 March 2025 – Varieties in respect of which certification is required published 

Animal Diseases Act 35 of 1984 – GN 5997 in GG 52318 of 17 March 2025 – Control measures relating to foot and mouth disease published and GN 5064 in GG 50977 of 26 July 2024 repealed 

Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993 – GN R6004 in GG 52343 of 19 March 2025 – Explosives Regulations, 2024 published in GN R5048 in GG 50960 of 23 July 2024 corrected 

National Water Act 36 of 1998 – GenN 3079 in GG 52350 of 20 March 2025 – Revised pricing strategy for raw water use charges published in GN 4992 in GG 50852 of 21 June 2024 corrected 

National Environmental Management: Waste Act 59 of 2008 – GN 6007 in GG 52346 of 19 March 2025 – Applications received for the exclusion of a waste stream or a portion of a waste stream for beneficial use from the definition of waste published for comment 

South African Geographical Names Council Act 118 of 1998 – GN 5998 in GG 52320 of 17 March 2025 – Approval of official geographical names published 

National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act 57 of 2003 – GN 6000 in GG 52335 of 18 March 2025 – Board of South African National Parks: Nominations invited

National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act 10 of 2004 – GN 5999 in GG 52334 of 18 March 2025 – Board of the South African National Biodiversity Institute: Nominations invited

Provinces

Eastern Cape

Nature and Environmental Conservation Ordinance 19 of 1974 – PN 1161 in PG 5379 of 17 March 2025 – Hunting seasons, daily bag limits and hunting by prohibited hunting methods, 2025 published 

Local Government: Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000: Emalahleni Local Municipality:

• Accommodation By-law published and previous by-laws repealed LAN 1348 in PG 5379 of 17 March 2025
• By-Law on Liquor trading days and hours published LAN 1349 in PG 5379 of 17 March 2025
• Waste Management By-Law published LAN 1350 in PG 5379 of 17 March 2025

Gauteng

Gauteng Enterprise Propeller Amendment Bill, 2023 and Explanatory Memorandum on the Objects of the Bill published for comment – PN 220 in PG 99 of 19 March 2025

Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Act 56 of 2003 – PN 235 in PG 102 of 19 March 2025 – Gauteng Provincial Treasury: Adjustment allocations to municipalities for the financial year 2023/24 published

KwaZulu-Natal

Ulundi Local Municipality: Pounds By-law published and previous by-laws repealed – MN 553 in PG 2793 of 20 March 2025

Limpopo

Limpopo Environmental Management Act 7 of 2003 – PN 1036 in PG 3652 of 14 March 2025 – Open Season for hunting and catching of wild and alien animals published 

Mpumalanga

Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 & Local Government: Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000: Msukaligwa Local Municipality – LAN 492 in PG 3784 of 14 March 2025 – Draft By-law for Township Economies published 

Northern Cape

National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act 57 of 2003 – GenN 703 in PG 2759 of 17 March 2025 – Declaration of protected environments: Strandfontein and Grasberg Protected Environments published

INTERNATIONAL LAW AND MEETINGS

IISD ENB: International Seabed Authority | 1st Part of the 30th Annual Session of the International Seabed Authority | 17–28 March 2025 | Kingston, Jamaica

CASES

National

Northern Cape Ranchers (CC) v Sol Plaatje Municipality and Others (118/2024) [2025] ZANCHC 25 (24 March 2025)
Summary:  Application for contempt of court – whether the respondent adduced sufficient evidence to discharge the onus to prove that they were not in wilful and mala fide contempt– contempt of court against the second respondent, cited in his official capacity, not competent – first and second respondent not wilful and mala fide – structured interdict necessitated and granted – claims for monetary damages dismissed – dispute of fact – claim for a constitutional breach dismissed – cost order against the first and second respondent just in the circumstances.
2.  The first and the second respondents are ordered to file, by no later than 12:00 on 30 May 2025, a report on the progress made in respect of the sewage/sewerage discharge on the farms and the Kamfersdam;
3. The report must contain the following information: –
3.1 The steps taken as at 20 May 2025 to ensure that:
3.1.1. No untreated sewage/sewerage or waste water with an E. Coli content exceeding the legally prescribed limit (1000 CFU/100 megaliters) is discharged into any portion of the Kamfersdam or any part of the Farm or Kenilworth;
3.1.2. The amount of treated sewage/sewerage or waste water discharged into the Kamfersdam on the Farm is limited to 30 megaliters per day, alternatively to the extent that the water levels in the Kamfersdam should return to their 2015 levels;
3.1.3. The sewerage- and/or reticulation systems and infrastructure in and about the area of the Homevale Waste Water Treatment Works (“the HWWTW”) are repaired and/or reinstated to be fully optimal and at full operational capacity in order to ensure that no spillage, irregular discharge or overflow of sewerage and effluent water occurs over or on to the land in the area surrounding the water resource;
3.1.4. To ensure that the HWWTW and the area around it are properly secured, including the installation of CCTV cameras

Aveng Mining Shafts & Underground v The Commissioner for the South African Revenue Service (1192/2023) [2025] ZASCA 20 (17 March 2025)
Summary:  Value-Added Tax Act 89 of 1991 (the Act) – vendor conducting enterprise of shaft sinking and mining construction activities – whether input tax on charges for accommodation and food acquired by vendor for specific project employees deductible from output tax – s 17(2)(a)(i)(bb) of the Act – whether accommodation and food acquired for making taxable supplies of entertainment in the ordinary course of vendor’s enterprise – whether supplied to employees for a charge – if so, whether all direct and indirect costs of such entertainment covered.   

Changing Tides 74 (Pty) Ltd v City of Johannesburg (40135/2016) [2025] ZAGPJHC 279 (14 March 2025)
FLYNOTES: CIVIL LAW – Delict – Pure economic loss – Owner of hijacked building secured eviction order – City ordered to provide temporary shelter – City agreed to date it was required to provide accommodation – In full knowledge of its financial resources – City failed to secure accommodation – Submitted that City lacked political will or intention to comply with its legal and constitutional duty – Owner could not renovate property and rent it out to students – Owner suffered loss of income for three years – City to pay damages of R12,374,993 with mora interest.

International

Iron Bar Holdings LLD v Bradley H Cape and others Case: 23-8043 United States Court of Appeals Tenth Circuit March 18, 2025
The American West contains millions of acres platted into alternating squares of public and private land in a manner resembling a checkerboard.  The question presented is whether a private landowner can prevent a person from stepping across adjoining corners of federal public land—a technique called “corner-crossing.” …
Iron Bar seeks to prevent elk hunters, like Appellees, from corner-crossing under the theory that diagonal moves on the checkerboarded land are a trespass.  The district court granted Appellees access.  While the dispute may seem trivial, at its core, it implicates centuries of property law and the settlement of the American West. This case turns on the interplay of state and federal law enacted against the backdrop of private settlement of public lands and the property disputes that inevitably followed among rival interests.  Over a century ago, the Supreme Court held that private landowners cannot erect barriers which bar complete access to public lands based on the 1885 Unlawful Inclosures Act.  And the Tenth Circuit has interpreted the UIA to allow corner-crossing if access to public lands is otherwise restricted.  Those cases control and require us to affirm the district court.

Natalie v. State of Utah 2025 UT 5 (20 March 2025)
1 Several young Utahns brought this lawsuit challenging statutory provisions and government conduct relating to fossil fuel development. The youth plaintiffs allege that the challenged provisions and conduct are designed to maximize fossil fuel development in Utah, which endangers their health and shortens their lifespans by exacerbating the effects of climate change. Based on this harm, the youth plaintiffs asked the district court to declare that the provisions and conduct violate their rights under the Utah Constitution.
2 In response to the lawsuit, the government defendants moved to dismiss the case, arguing in part that the requested relief would not redress the alleged injuries. The district court agreed and dismissed the claims with prejudice.
3 We affirm on the ground that the district court does not have subject-matter jurisdiction.
4 First, the youth plaintiffs may not proceed with their challenges to the statutory provisions. One of their challenges is now moot because the legislature has significantly changed the statute since the complaint was filed. And they lack standing to challenge the remaining statutory provisions because success on those challenges would not provide relief that is likely to redress their injuries. The challenged provisions do not—as the youth plaintiffs claim—limit the government defendants’ discretion in making decisions about fossil fuel development. Thus, even accepting as true the allegation that less fossil fuel development will ameliorate the adverse health effects of climate change, we can only speculate that striking these specific provisions would lead to less fossil fuel development in this state. The youth plaintiffs try to address this deficiency by asking the court to instruct the government defendants on how they must act “going forward,” but such instruction would amount to an impermissible advisory opinion.
5 Second, the challenges to the government defendants’ conduct are not justiciable because they are not supported by a concrete set of facts. The youth plaintiffs identify general categories of conduct without tying their claims to any specific government actions.
6 When a district court does not have subject-matter jurisdiction over a claim, ordinarily the proper course is for the court to dismiss the claim without prejudice. Because we hold that the district court here does not have subject-matter jurisdiction, we instruct the district court to modify its ruling to reflect that the dismissal is without prejudice.

Publications

National

Birdlife “Wind energy’s impacts on birds in South Africa” (BirdLife South Africa Occasional Report Series No. 2 February 2025)

Lavrik, M., & Saurombe, A. (2025). BRICS and Climate Change Law: An Opportunity to Save the Planet. Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal, 28, (Published on 14 March 2025) pp 1-51. https://doi.org/10.17159/1727-3781/2025/v28i0a17634 

Murray, R. and Ruppel, O.C., 2025. “Country report for South Africa” in O.C. Ruppel, H. Ginzky and R. Murray, eds. Legal pathways to sustainable soil management in Africa. Baden-Baden: Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft, pp. 549–646. Available at: https://doi.org/10.5771/9783748951230-.  

Sahani, Arvind Kumar, et al. “Indigenous Knowledge and Water Conservation Practices in South Africa: A Systematic Literature Review.” Journal of Environmental & Earth Sciences| Volume 7.02 (2025).

International

Abioye, F., & D’Orsi, C. (2025). Deportation of aliens from South Africa: state practise and state power. Griffith Law Review, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/10383441.2025.2477943 

El-Kady, R. (2025). Leveraging Artificial Intelligence for Enhanced Detection and Mitigation of Illicit Activities on the Dark Web. In: Hassanien, A.E., Rizk, R.Y., Darwish, A., Alshurideh, M.T.R., Snášel, V., Tolba, M.F. (eds) Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Systems and Informatics (AISI 2025). AISI 2025. Lecture Notes on Data Engineering and Communications Technologies, vol 238. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-81308-5_8 

Harvey, N., Garmestani, A., Allen, C.R. et al. Identifying untapped legal capacity to promote multi-level and cross-sectoral coordination of natural resource governance. Sustain Sci 19, 325–346 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-023-01424-y 

Lie, D., & Alam, M. (2025). Legal Framework and Practical Challenges of Bangladesh Environmental Legislation: A Critical Examination of Climate Change Adaptation, Environmental Judiciary, and Enforcement. Environmental Claims Journal, 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/10406026.2025.2454662

World Economic Forum “State of Nature  and Climate 2025 Centre for Nature and Climate” (Briefing Paper January 2025)

World Meteorological Organization “State of the Global Climate 2024” (Report 19 March 2025)

News, Blogs, Discussions, Websites, Videos, etc.

South Africa

Biodiversity / Animal Rights / Human Rights /  Indigenous Rights

GroundUp: Haffejee I “Campaign launched to help stateless people become citizens” 24 March 2025

Polity: Shomolekae T “Ramaphosa says false narrative on S Africa’s human rights culture must be challenged” 24 March 2025

Eskom: “Eskom adds 800MW of new capacity to the grid for the first time with the addition of Kusile Power Station’s final unit to the national grid” 23 March 2025

News24: Matundu Q “WATCH | Weevils released into Crocodile River to tackle invasive plants” 23 March 2025 (Read more: Mail & Guardian)

News24: Omarjee L “Deadly bird flu detected on SA’s Marion Island, but so far no mammals affected” 23 March 2025

IOL: Ruiters T “Understanding the impact of Bovine Tuberculosis on lion populations in Kruger National Park” 22 March 2025

SA Government: “Minister Dion George announces initiatives promoting sustainable management of South Africa’s plantations” 20 March 2025

Mongabay: Joubert L “Bleak future for Karoo succulents as desert expands in South Africa” 20 March 2025

GroundUp: Human L “Political will needed to save lives amid USAID funding cuts, say activists” 20 March 2025

Daily Maverick: Cruise A “Pie in the sky — why South Africa’s Draft Elephant Heritage Strategy won’t work” 19 March 2025

News24: “Meet the SA duo leading the Middle East’s most ambitious rewilding project” 18 March 2025

Daily Maverick: Pooley S, Alberts R and Retief F “Ndumo Game Reserve facing mounting pressure amid fight for sustainable conservation” 18 March 2025

News24: “Dehorning programme sees 60% drop in rhino poaching at KZN reserve” 18 March 2025

Conservation: Wattled Crane downlisted to ‘endangered’ in KZN – Concerted and targeted conservation efforts by the Endangered Wildlife Trust/International Crane Foundation partnership, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (EKZNW), other NGOs and farmers and landowners across the Drakensberg, have delivered another success – the downlisting of the Wattled Crane from Critically Endangered to Endangered. A Cape Times report notes that the regional downlisting will be published in the latest edition of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species at the end of May 2025. Wattled Cranes (Bugeranus carunculatus) were listed as regionally Critically Endangered in 2015 with only 267 individuals recorded in the KZN aerial survey of that year. This aerial survey has been conducted for 32 years in partnership with Eskom and EKZNW as KZN is the stronghold for the species in SA. ‘A regional downlisting means that in South Africa, the Wattled Crane is no longer declining, but the population remains small and vulnerable to threats with an estimate population of only 304 being counted in 2024,’ EWT said. Despite this positive trend in KZN, the global population, including, but not limited to SA, remains on the decline and urgent conservation attention is required to safeguard populations outside of KZN, EWT added. Full Cape Times report (subscription needed) [Legalbrief Environmental 18 March 2025]

The Conversation: Rebelo A “Lost fynbos seeds from underground ‘time capsules’ in South Africa can grow again – new study” 17 March 2025

Climate Change and Energy

News24: Kubheka-Chauke B “OPINION | ‘Slow violence’ of climate change threatens human rights in SA” 21 March 2025

News24: Omarjee L “Despite major failures in its R1bn solar water heater programme, govt wants a new one in 2027” 21 March 2025

Daily Maverick: Smetherham J “Climate breakdown is the greatest threat to human rights” 21 March 2025

News24: Omarjee L “SA still scrambling to find new sources of gas – and it hasn’t ruled out Russia” 20 March 2025

Polity: Shomolekae T “DA reiterates need for competitive energy generation market with return of loadshedding” 20 March 2025

News24: Bloomberg “US stalls R47bn climate finance package for South Africa” 20 March 2025

Procurement fraud and theft Eskom – In a separate matter, police have arrested six people for procurement fraud and theft linked to an allegedly dodgy Eskom tender for a pump at Kusile Power Station in eMalahleni, Mpumalanga. ‘During 2018, a pump was procured through the procurement process at Kusile Power Station. Investigations revealed that the same pump with the same unique number had in fact already been procured by Eskom in 2015,’ Major General Nonkululeko Phokane said in a statement on Saturday. News24 notes that Phokane said service providers also appeared to have colluded with the perpetrators by providing the quotations. Full News24 report [Legalbrief Forensic 20 March 2025]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has proclaimed the Climate Change Act, which therefore became effective on Monday, but the commencement of a large part of the Act has been deferred to a later date so that regulations can be promulgated. A BusinessLIVE report notes that the President signed the Bill into law in July last year but did not proclaim it. The DFFE said yesterday that some of the draft regulations were at an advanced stage of development and would be gazetted for public input and comment soon. Significant among the deferred sections are those relating to the determination of sectoral emission reduction targets and carbon budgets. The deferred sections also relate to the functioning of the PCC, the responsibilities of MECs and mayors of metros for drawing up a climate change response, the financing of the response by national, provincial and local government, national adaptation obligations and the formulation of a national adaptation strategy and its risks. Forestry, Fisheries & Environment Minister Dion George said that the proclamation was important despite the deferred sections ‘so we can implement what we are ready to implement’. The Act will, among other things, enable the Environment Minister to set emissions targets for various sectors, such as energy and transport, as well as prescribe emission thresholds or carbon budgets at a company level. It provides the legal means to monitor emissions and mitigation plans, which could compel heavy emitters to begin decarbonising their businesses. The Act is the first piece of legislation in SA that is specifically aimed at addressing the effects of climate change by setting out a national climate change response, including mitigation and adaptation actions. Full BusinessLIVE report (subscription needed) [Legalbrief Environmental 18 March 2025]

Engineering: “Graham-Maré expects Cabinet to adopt long-awaited industrialisation masterplan for renewables ‘within the month’” 13 March 2025 [Legalbrief Environmental 18 March 2025]

Energy: Eastern Cape wind farm reaches financial close – A wind farm in the Eastern Cape that reached financial close recently will generate enough electricity to power 30-40 major malls such as Sandton City or Gateway Mall, or 3-5 mining operations. A BusinessLIVE report notes that when the R4.9bn 140MW Ishwati Emoyeni Wind Farm starts generating electricity in 2026, it will be supplying power to large power users all over the country through NOA Group Trading, an aggregator licensed by Nersa earlier this year. Being the first sizeable renewable energy project selling all the electricity it generates to an electricity trader, Ishwati is pioneering a new phase in the rapidly developing private participation electricity supply market in SA. Construction on Ishwati has already commenced, which was led, co-sponsored and developed by African Clean Energy Developments (ACED), with the African Infrastructure Investment Managers managed IDEAS Fund and Reatile as shareholders. ACED CEO James Cumming said the deal was extremely complex and required ‘a leap of faith’ to contract with the trader. ACED has a large pipeline of wind projects in the Cape provinces, including another large wind cluster in the Karoo, but it needs clarity on the framework for connecting to the national grid. Nersa has not yet approved a curtailment framework submitted by Eskom that is aimed at freeing up more grid capacity and the rules for grid allocation have also not yet been finalised. Full BusinessLIVE report (subscription needed) [Legalbrief Environmental 18 March 2025]

Engineering News: “South Africa to incentivise local EV production” 12 March 2025 [Legalbrief Environmental 18 March 2025]

Cape Argus: “Nersa approves Eskom tariff hikes that will impact consumers” 18 March 2025 (also read News24)

GroundUp: “Eskom suspends services in part of Khayelitsha after hijacking” 18 March 2025

Mining Weekly: Creamer Media Reporter “Electricity 2024/25: Tariffs, renewables and transmission challenges” 11 December 2024

Environmental Enforcement

IOL: Ruiters T “South African Peoples Tribunal to address agrochemical crisis and government accountability in court of public opinion” 22 March 2025

Daily Maverick: Dlamini L “Environmental rights are fundamentally human rights and pertain to real lives” 21 March 2025

IOL: Ruiters T “Latest rhino poaching report reveals progress and persistent threats in South Africa” 21 March 2025

Daily Maverick: Evans J “BP ordered to pay costs in addition to R53m fine in landmark private prosecution case” 20 March 2025

GroundUp: Yeld J “Developer sues Sedgefield environmentalist for R5-million” 19 March 2025

The Conversation: Field T “South Africa’s unsafe water supplies: licensing service providers won’t solve the issue” 19 March 2025

Daily Maverick: Pinnock D “Lion bones back in the crossfire after breeders challenge sales ban” 18 March 2025

GroundUp: Yeld J “Court limits fishing to protect African Penguins” 18 March 2025 (More by IOL and Mail & Guardian)

Local Government

Energy: Emfuleni loses millions in alleged power heist –  Bags of cash totalling R14m a year were allegedly handed over as bribes to Emfuleni Municipality employees to help a company hook up an illegal electricity connection and tamper with meter readings. The Sunday Times reports that the illicit agreement is believed to have saved Yellow Star Manufacturing – a Vereeniging-based metal castings producer for big mining and steel firms – millions of rands a month, effectively cutting its power bill in half. So brazen was the scam that a transformer was allegedly stolen from an Eskom depot in the Free State and installed on the company’s premises. The power heist is believed to have contributed to tanking the delinquent municipality’s finances to such an extent that Eskom attached its bank accounts last year to recoup R8bn in debt. The claims against Yellow Star Manufacturing (YSM) were made by the company’s former CEO, Andries Marx, in a statement to police in 2023. He claims the company’s owner, Hanno van Dyk, brokered the deal with municipal officials. However, Van Dyk has denied having any knowledge of the deal and has accused Marx of carrying out the bribe scheme undetected because he trusted him as the CEO. He made the statement after Van Dyk opened a case of fraud against him for allegedly stealing millions from the company. The Sunday Times has seen both official and fraudulent municipal accounts for YSM, which are contained in Van Dyk’s forensic investigation used to open a case against Marx. Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Nomthandazo Mbambo said a case of tampering with essential infrastructure is being investigated by a team established to investigate Eskom-related incidents. Full Sunday Times report [Legalbrief Forensic 20 March 2025

GroundUp: “Removal of illegal connections sparks protests in Khayelitsha” 20 March 2025

News24: “92% of KZN municipal budgets ‘spent in way that isn’t consistent with the law’ – Auditor-General” 19 March 2025

Polity: Odendaal N “Cogta committee calls for sustainable solutions for municipalities’ water challenges” 19 March 2025

IOL: Partnered Content “The 14th IWA International Conference on water reclamation and reuse: A beacon of innovation in Cape Town” 19 March 2025

Daily Maverick: Evans J “Jail or fines coming for sewage pollution of waterways, deputy minister warns municipal officials” 18 March 2025

GroundUp: “Families charged R5 to use mobile toilets in Dunoon” 18 March 2025

Daily Maverick: Ledger T and Mahabir J “Joburg’s failing water infrastructure a result of poor prioritisation, not lack of funds” 17 March 2025

Mining

Mining Weekly: Bulbulia T “Minerals Council launches Ex-Mineworkers Occupational Lung Disease Guide” 24 March 2025

Mining Weekly: Burger S “dtic calls for public comment on proposed designation of Fetakgomo-Tubatse SEZ” 24 March 2025

GroundUp: “Big oil find in Limpopo? Or just false hope?” 20 March 2025

Polity: Creamer M (Mining Weekly) “Beneficiation: Govt, mining companies must get on with it – together, analyst urges” 20 March 2025

Polity: Bodeux M “Preventing mining on agricultural land” 19 March 2025

Business Day: Webster J “‘Drill baby drill’: Gwede Mantashe calls for more oil and gas drilling” 19 March 2025

Polity: Creamer M (Mining Weekly) “Exxaro bullish on renewables, foresees decade of significant green energy growth” 18 March 2025

News24: Bloomberg “WWF sues SA’s environment minister over Motsepe mine” 17 March 2025

GroundUp: “Here’s how we can move to renewable energy in a just way – Mining companies could fulfil their social obligations by investing in these projects” 17 March 2025

Daily Maverick: “Mantashe says ‘King Coal is back’ as Seriti launches a new colliery” 16 March 2025

Mining Weekly: Creamer Media Reporter “The role of Gauteng-based SEZs in driving mining beneficiation” 6 March 2025

Water / Oceans / Waste / Pollution

IOL: “Hyacinth at Hartbeespoort Dam signals the slow death of our environment” 22 March 2025

IOL: Ruiters T “South African Peoples Tribunal to address agrochemical crisis and government accountability in court of public opinion” 22 March 2025

The Conversation: Field T “South Africa’s unsafe water supplies: licensing service providers won’t solve the issue” 19 March 2025

The Citizen: “30 million litres of raw sewage flowing into Jukskei River and Hartbeespoort Dam” 12 March 2025

Miscellaneous

News24: Phekelela S “Fossil discovery of tiny ancestors who walked upright and battled sabre-toothed cats, giant hyenas” 23 March 2025

Polity: Bloomberg “South Africa, facing mill closures, begins steel tariff review” 20 March 2025

Africa

Biodiversity / Animal Rights / Human Rights / Indigenous Rights

Mongabay: Mukpo A “In ‘The Battle for Laikipia,’ the human face of resource conflict in Kenya” 24 March 2025

Mongabay: Degraff M “Tanzania’s marine reserves offer long-term benefits to communities, study finds” 24 March 2025

phys.org: “Massive, long-lived trees discovered in the Tanzanian rainforest are a new species” 21 March 2025

The Conversation: “Chimpanzee genes have changed over time to suit local conditions – new study”  19 March 2025

Africa NbS project – A new project to develop nature-based solutions (NbS) for sustainable agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa has been launched by partners, including scientists from CABI, the University of Abomey-Calavi in Benin, Exotic Green Enterprises in Zambia, and Twiga Chemical Industries in Kenya. The initiative aims to increase the use of NbS in agrifood systems and will focus on four products in Benin, Kenya, and Zambia. The partnership aims to increase crop yield through better soil productivity, improve biodiversity, and consumer safety. Biostimulants and biofungicides will form a key part of the initiative. (CABI) [CP Daily: Monday March 17, 2025]

The Conversation: “Rwanda has moved people into ‘green’ villages: is life better there?” 17 March 2025

Ghana calling – Ghana is calling on the private sector to boost investments in wildlife conservation, Further Africa has reported. Hugh Brown, acting chief Executive at the Forestry Commission, urged businesses to step up, as private funding is essential to protect endangered species like Bongos, leopards, lions, chimpanzees, and African elephants, which inhabit the country’s national parks and reserves. The Forestry Commission oversees 21 protected areas, including 7 national parks, 6 resource reserves, and 5 coastal wetlands. [CP Daily: Monday March 17, 2025]

Climate Change and Energy

Daily Maverick: Sow D and Kone FR “Research unveils climate change’s indirect role in Central Sahel’s escalating security crisis” 24 March 2025

Fair balance – African nations need to advocate for fair and equitable carbon-pricing mechanisms that balance climate action with sustainable development, given the continent’s socio-economic realities, argues Elizabeth Khumalo in Further Africa. Africa faces unique energy and economic challenges, with nearly 600 mln people lacking electricity and biomass accounting for 45% of its energy supply. If not carefully structured, carbon taxes could raise energy costs for rural and low-income households, hinder industrialisation, and slow down the renewables transition. Carbon revenue should be strategically invested in education, health, clean energy, and rural electrification, and there’s a need for robust regulatory frameworks to prevent fraud and market instability. A phased approach with modest initial pricing would help economies gradually adapt, whilst also making the most of their natural ecosystems to generate carbon finance. The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Bank can play a vital role in technical training and infrastructure development, whilst a pan-African carbon market could possibly be coordinated through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). [CP Daily: Monday March 17, 2025]

African Climate Wire: “Updated Zambian NDC has No Increased Mitigation Ambition” 17 March 2025

Engineering News: Arnoldi M “Africa’s solar capacity grows, but falls well short of potential – council” 14 March 2025

African Climate Wire: Amadi VT and Vundamina MND “Climate Induced Migration In Africa: How Can The Law Enable Free Movement” 14 March 2025

African Climate Wire: Stephenson PK “Transactional Multilateralism: Africa’s Quest for Sustainable Climate Finance” 11 March 2025

Lexology: “At a glance: natural gas pipeline transportation and storage in Mozambique” 7 February 2025

Environmental Enforcement

allAfrica: “Liberia: EPA Urges Senate Climate Action At Lawmakers’ Forum” 24 March 2025

Local Government

The Conversation: “Rwanda has moved people into ‘green’ villages: is life better there?” 17 March 2025

World Resources Institute: Takele E et al “3 African Cities Restore Nature to Revitalize Their Rivers” 12 March 2025

allAfrica: Agbo E “Nigeria: Building Collapse – Lagos Government Launches Certified Accreditor Programme” 11 March 2025

allAfrica: Agbo E “Nigeria: Lagos Government Demolishes Homes, Many Residents Rendered Homeless” 10 March 2025

Mining

GroundUp: Gagare O “Deaths, cover-ups and bribes at Zimbabwe’s lawless Redwing Mine” 24 March 2025

The Conversation: “Nigeria’s oil-rich Rivers State under emergency: sending in the army isn’t the answer” 20 March 2025

News24: AFP “Giant mine machine swallowing up Senegal’s fertile coast” 19 March 2025

Wilson Centre: “There’s Mining, Then There’s Illegal Mining” 4 February 2025

Lexology: “In review: oil and gas exploration and production in Nigeria” 18 November 2024

Lexology: “A general introduction to Mining Law in Tanzania” 24 October 2024

Water / Oceans / Waste / Pollution

allAfrica: “Air Quality in Africa: Challenges, Impact, and Innovative Monitoring Solutions” 24 March 2025

allAfrica: “Nigeria: Oyo Govt Restates Commitment to Sustainable Access to Clean Water” 24 March 2025

allAfrica: “East Africa: Kenya to Benefit From Sh142.5mn Water Project Grant” 23 March 2025

allAfrica: “Africa: How Aid Cuts Will Shatter Global Water and Sanitation Progress” 21 March 2025

The Conversation: “Earth’s lungs are choking on plastic and smoke – scientists hope to unblock them” 19 March 2025

Miscellaneous

allAfrica: Kentish A “Africa: World Meteorological Day – Closing the Early Warning Gap to Save Lives” 24 March 2025

The Conversation: “South Africa hasn’t given individuals access to the African Court – this needs to be fixed” 20 March 2025

Polity: Reuters “Ethiopia PM rules out war with Eritrea over sea access” 20 March 2025

IISD SDG Knowledge Hub: “UN Forum Calls for Reform to Improve Development Cooperation” 19 March 2025

Polity: Bloomberg “Trump aid pull-back prompts talk, not action, from African leaders” 19 March 2025

IISD SDG Knowledge Hub: “Summit Seeks to Unlock Public Banks’ Potential for Sustainable Development” 18 March 2025

The Conversation: “Ethiopia’s war may have ended, but the Tigray crisis hasn’t” 18 March 2025

International

Biodiversity / Animal Rights / Human Rights / Indigenous Rights

News24: Reuters “UK detects first case of bird flu in a sheep, stoking fears of spread” 24 March 2025

Mongabay: Mpaka C “As apes adapt to human disturbance, their new behaviors also put them at risk: Study” 24 March 2025

The Guardian: Barkham P “Hundreds of nominations for invertebrate of the year whittled down to 10” 24 March 2025

The Guardian: Demming A “‘They have no one to follow’: how migrating birds use quantum mechanics to navigate” 23 March 2025

The Guardian: Readfearn G “Ningaloo and Great Barrier Reef hit by ‘profoundly distressing’ simultaneous coral bleaching events” 22 March 2025

The Guardian: Luscombe R “Scientists identify ‘tipping point’ that caused clumps of toxic Florida seaweed” 22 March 2025

ENN: University of South Florida “Viruses Identified in Red Tide Blooms for the First Time” 21 March 2025

The Guardian: Horton H “Use of pesticides on UK farms to be cut by 10% by 2030 to protect bees” 21 March 2025

ENN: British Antarctic Survey “Thriving Ecosystem Discovered Following Iceberg Calving” 21 March 2025

Science: “When honey bees ‘disappeared’ on this small Italian island, wild bees feasted – Unusual experiment suggests managed bees can outcompete wild bees and contribute to their decline” 20 March 2025 [remember to delete search history if you are not allowed to read more articles]

Inside Climate News: Hurdle J “Oystercatcher Recovery Campaign Offers a Rare Success Story about Shorebird Conservation” 20 March 2025

The Guardian: Wilkinson T “‘Don’t call it zombie deer disease’: scientists warn of ‘global crisis’ as infections spread across the US” 20 March 2025

ENN: Kobe University “Marine Animals Help Solve Ocean Issues” 20 March 2025

Science: “This fuzzy hummingbird chick may be in disguise—as a caterpillar – Researchers discover rare example of defensive mimicry in birds” 19 March 2025

IOL: The Washington Post “Burlington, Canada, closes road for Jefferson Salamander migration” 19 March 2025

ENN: Washington University “New Biosensor Can Detect Airborne Bird Flu in Under Five Minutes” 19 March 2025

earth.com: “Conservation success stories offer hope for biodiversity” 19 March 2025

The Conversation: “Cameroon’s Baka people say they are part of the forest: that’s why they look after it” 18 March 2025

Carbon Pulse: “Digital asset fund secures $100 mln to advance Amazon protection” 17 March 2025 [free to read but registration necessary]

Nature: “How researchers can work fairly with Indigenous and local knowledge” 17 March 2025

Lexology: “Warning: DoC’s approach to issuing most Wildlife Act Permits for ‘inadvertent killing’ found to be unlawful” 13 March 2025

BBC: “Operation Atacama: The $1m cactus heist that led to a smuggler’s downfall” 10 March 2025

abcNews: “Earth’s oldest-known crater discovered in outback WA is 3.47 billion years old, study finds” 6 March 2025 – read more here

Climate Change and Energy

The Conversation: Morton A “Australians deserve answers on climate before they vote. Here are five things we still don’t know” 25 March 2025

Inside Climate News: Kusnetz N “Congress Is Searching for Trillions of Dollars in Cuts. Will the Oil Industry’s Tax Breaks Skate By?” 24 March 2025

Polity: Creamer M (Mining Weekly) “Namibia, India, China, Europe, Australia, Scotland, Bulgaria advancing green hydrogen” 24 March 2025

News24: AFP “Trump advances another LNG project, drawing environmentalist ire” 24 March 2025

The Guardian: Stock P “Green hydrogen has stalled in nearly every corner of Australia. So why is the government still revving it up?” 24 March 2025

Grist: “The climate movement is talking about carbon all wrong, a new book argues” 21 March 2025

Trellis: Clancy H “Amazon now sells carbon credits. Here’s what you need to know” 21 March 2025

EcoWatch: Jaynes C “World’s Melting Glaciers Threaten Food and Water Supply for 2 Billion People: UN Report” 21 March 2025

Lexology: “German Landmark Climate Change Litigation Case Continues” 20 March 2025

Lexology: “Montana Supreme Court Holds State Constitution Includes Protections Against Climate Change” 20 March 2025

ENN: Florida Atlantic University “Top Locations for Ocean Energy Production Worldwide Revealed” 20 March 2025

The Guardian: “More than 150 ‘unprecedented’ climate disasters struck world in 2024, says UN” 19 March 2025

Mail & Guardian: Bega S “World Meteorological Organisation warns of irreversible climate deterioration” 19 March 2025

ENN: Princeton University “AI Technique Boosts Climate Change Defenses”19 March 2025

Lexology: “Recent Developments in Japanese/Global Climate Change/Carbon Credit Regulations Focusing on Japanese ETS (GX League Phase 2) and other developments” 19 March 2025

ENN: Yale Environment 360 “Carbon Dioxide Levels Highest in 800,000 Years” 19 March 2025

Nature Index: “What is stopping a complete switch to clean energy? Investment in renewables is hitting new heights, but uneven funding and geopolitical uncertainty are clouding the boom” 19 March 2025

UN: “State of the Global Climate report: new records and almost irreversible consequences” 19 March 2025

Lexology: “Mexico’s New Energy Sector Reform” 19 March 2025

Lexology: “Energy – What you need to know from around the world” 19 March 2025

Lexology:  “Australia’s future prosperity hinges on stable and bipartisan climate policy for economic growth and innovation” 18 March 2025

abcNews: “The complex history of returning Mungo Man and Australia’s oldest skeletons to country” 18 March 2025

Nature: “Governments must stop hoarding climate data” 18 March 2025

Lexology: “Mexico Energy Reform From Regulatory Independence to Centralised Oversight” 18 March 2025

Carbon Pulse: “South Africa likely to face carbon credit shortage for another decade, analysts find” 17 March 2025

Porthos permit – The Dutch Emissions Authority (NEa) has issued a permit to the Porthos project to store CO2 underground, marking the first time such an emissions permit has been granted in the Netherlands and EU. Porthos will store about 2.5 mln tonnes of CO2 annually in empty natural gas fields under the North Sea from 2026. It’s a partnership between the Port of Rotterdam Authority, Gasunie, and Energie Beheer Nederland (EBN). The CO2 will come from industrial processes in the Rotterdam port area and the quantities of received and stored CO2 that Porthos must report on annually must be accurately determined, in line with the monitoring required under the EU ETS. This is so that companies capturing the CO2 do not have to surrender emissions rights for it. Further CCS projects are expected, such as Aramis, where work is underway to store CO2 in several smaller natural gas fields in the North Sea. [CP Daily: Monday March 17, 2025]

See you in court – Belgian fertiliser company EuroChem Antwerp has launched legal proceedings against the European Commission in the EU Court of Justice, saying the EU executive denied the company an exemption to surrender allowances for certain fertiliser products under the EU ETS. A Commission regulation, published last year, says CO2 should be considered non-emitted if the gases are stored underground or “are permanently chemically bound in a product”. A short annex to the regulation lists eligible products, including aggregates, cement, concrete, blocks, pavers, bricks, tiles or other masonry units that are made with mineral carbonates. EuroChem Antwerp argues that the Commission committed “a manifest error of assessment” by not including precipitated calcium carbonates, for the amount of CO2 that remains permanently chemically bound, in the Annex of the regulation. The company also contends that the Commission exceeded its powers and breached its obligations to conduct a thorough impact assessment and expert consultation before putting forward its regulation. With the action brought before the ECJ, EuroChem Antwerp is requesting the annulment of the regulation in question. [CP Daily: Monday March 17, 2025]

Lexology: “Proposed updates to the AMF’s Climate Risk Management Guideline: A recap for insurers” 17 March 2025

Lexology: “The Energy Transition | The Planning and Infrastructure Bill is tabled before UK Parliament” 17 March 2025

Just Security: “A Matter Of Global Security: Why Action on Climate Displacement Cannot Wait” 17 March 2025

Lexology: “The future of Canadian energy: A review of 2024’s top energy issues and what to expect in 2025” 14 March 2025

Lexology: “In brief: energy contract performance and liability in Indonesia” 14 March 2025

Aljazeera: “‘Unexpected’ rate of sea level rise in 2024: NASA” 14 March 2025

Lexology: “EU Platform on Sustainable Finance publishes recommendations on core elements for assessing climate transition plans” 13 March 2025

Lexology: “Mexico: General administrative provisions on the integration of energy storage systems are published” 13 March 2025

Lexology: “Korean 11th Basic Plan for Power Confirmed” 13 March 2025

Lexology: “Energy storage in the Central American region” 11 March 2025

Lexology: “Government proposal to amend the Electricity Market Act – Clarification of the definition of a connection line for improved energy storage solutions” [Finland] 10 March 2025

Lexology: “Regulatory trends to watch: Climate-related disclosure requirements in Canada” 24 February 2025

Lexology: “Vietnam Master Plan on Atomic Energy: Strengthening Nuclear Development for a Sustainable Future” 24 November 2024

Environmental Enforcement

The Washington Post: “Oil Firms Seize Chance to Fight State Climate Laws—With Trump’s Help” 22 March 2025

Inside Climate News: Doering J “What Gutting Environmental Justice Means for the Future of the EPA” (US) 22 March 2025

EcoWatch: Bennett P “Jury Finds Greenpeace Liable for $660 Million in Defamation Lawsuit” 20 March 2025 (Read more: Inside Climate News)

Mongabay: Dahl M “Colombia’s top oil company concealed environmental damages: Investigation” 20 March 2025

The Conversation: “Revoking EPA’s endangerment finding – the keystone of US climate policies – won’t be simple and could have unintended consequences” 19 March 2025

Lexology: “Things are moving forward in environmental law!” [Switzerland] 19 March 2025

Lexology: “Supreme Court Waves Goodbye to Clean Water Act End-Result Requirements” 18 March 2025

Lexology: “The silence of the Ministry of Culture in the EIA procedure is equivalent to silent consent” 18 March 2025

Lexology: “Indiana Gov. Braun Orders Limits on State Environmental Regulations” 18 March 2025

Lexology: “EPA Announces New National Enforcement Policies” 17 March 2025

Lexology: “Texas court upholds Biden administration’s rule on ESG Investing for ERISA fiduciaries” 13 March 2025

Lexology: “Proposed U.S. sustainability due diligence blocking statute – Steering the course” 13 March 2025

Lexology: “We recycle ourselves! – OLG Frankfurt a.M. on mislea-ding advertising of an ecological cleaning agent” [Germany] 12 March 2025

Lexology: “Textualism Is More Than Dictionaries: The Supreme Court’s Latest Clean Water Act Decision Looks to History and Context” [USA] 10 March 2025

Local Government

The Guardian: “‘Global weirding’: climate whiplash hitting world’s biggest cities, study reveals” 12 March 2025

CitieswithNature: “Bringing nature back into urban life for healthier, happier communities” 12 March 2025

Mining

Mining Weekly: Webb M “BC unveils mineral claims consultation rules” 24 March 2025

Inside Climate News: Myskow W “Trump Executive Order Streamlines Mining Permits. Environmentalists Fear What Comes Next” 21 March 2025

Lexology: “Mining – The energy transition and demand for critical minerals continue to drive activity” 19 March 2025

Lexology: “Prorogation and the Mineral Exploration Tax Credit: A Warning”  [Canada] 11 March 2025

Amazon Watch: “Illegal Mining in the Amazon: ‘Criminal Governance Is Expanding and Becoming Increasingly Violent’” 2 March 2025

Lexology: “In review: oil and gas exploration and production in Greenland” 18 November 2024

Lexology: “In review: oil and gas exploration and production in Iraqi Kurdistan” 18 November 2024

Water / Oceans / Waste / Pollution

Inside Climate News: Baddour D “Treating Texas’ Oilfield Wastewater Could Require More Energy Than Most U.S. States” 24 March 2025

Mongabay: Mongabay Latam “5 takeaways from the 2022 Repsol oil spill in Peru” 24 March 2025

econotimes: “Thousands of satellites are due to burn up in the atmosphere every year – damaging the ozone layer and changing the climate” 22 March 2025

The Guardian/inkl: “‘A deliberate poisoning’: how a banned pesticide haunts the French Caribbean” 21 March 2025

ENN: Florida Atlantic University “Coastal Guardians Pioneer Method to Protect Florida Keys’ Shorelines” 21 March 2025

The Guardian: Monbiot G “What’s in the millions of tonnes of sludge spread on to UK farmland? Toxic waste – and ministers don’t care” 21 March 2025

The Guardian: Horton H “Use of pesticides on UK farms to be cut by 10% by 2030 to protect bees” 21 March 2025

Nature: “Light pollution threatens fleet of world-class telescopes in Atacama Desert” 19 March 2025 (Read more here)

IISD SDG Knowledge Hub: “Organizational Session Launches Preparations for 2026 UN Water Conference” 19 March 2025

Inside Climate News: Berwyn B “New Study Reinforces Worries About Pulses of Rapid Sea Level Rise” 19 March 2025

IISD SDG Knowledge Hub: “Fifth UN Ocean Forum Tackles Trade-related Aspects of SDG 14” 19 March 2025

The Conversation: “Earth’s lungs are choking on plastic and smoke – scientists hope to unblock them” 19 March 2025

Nature: “Space debris is falling from the skies. We need to tackle this growing danger – Why failing to control defunct satellites leaves everyone at risk from their impacts” 18 March 2025

Inside Climate News: Price K “Rising Seas and Land-Based Salt Pollution Pose Dual Threats for Drinking Water” 18 March 2025

Nature: “Kakhovka dam attack exposed ‘toxic time bomb’ of heavy metal pollution” 18 March 2025

Lexology: “Federal Court Orders Review of PMRA Decision Renewing Glyphosate Pesticide” 17 March 2025

Lexology: “French Ban on PFAS” 17 March 2025

Lexology: “New offences and stiffer fines to be introduced under amendments to the Water Services Industry Act 2006” 14 March 2025

Lexology: “Canada moves to add PFAS to list of toxic substances; proposes risk management strategy” 13 March 2025

The Conversation: Bid E “Plant-based plastics could help reduce the millions of tonnes of medical waste hospitals generate each year” 13 March 2025

UNEP: “Understanding and controlling mercury trade in Latin America for a cleaner, healthier planet” 11 March 2025

Nature: “How a vast digital twin of the Yangtze River could prevent flooding in China” 11 March 2025

Trellis: Clancy H “What Starbucks, KFC and others learned from testing reusable cups” 6 March 2025

Trellis: Wilcox M “Buildings are full of plastic. Some companies are working to change that” 22 January 2025

Miscellaneous

News24: AFP “What is dark energy? One of science’s great mysteries, explained” 22 March 2025

White House: “Preventing Abuses of the Legal System and the Federal Court” 22 March 2025

Nature: “Trump team ‘survey’ sent to overseas researchers prompts foreign interference fears” 20 March 2025

IISD SDG Knowledge Hub: “First Draft of FfD4 Outcome Available” 19 March 2025

Lexology: “New Tailwinds for Activists: Market Volatility, Policy Shifts and Geopolitical Challenges” [USA] 18 March 2025

The Conversation: Shmeier S “Water cooperation is essential when countries share lakes and rivers – yet it’s been deteriorating in many places, with serious consequences” 18 March 2025

Lexology: “Green tech on your plate: How cultivated meat is reshaping sustainability” 14 March 2025

The Conversation: Wright C “The world regulated sulfur in ship fuels − and the lightning stopped” 11 March 2025

Center for International Environmental Law: Geoengineering Governance: Restrictive Framework Must Be Upheld and Strengthened” 5 March 2025

 Abstracts, Calls, Conferences, Workshops & Study Opportunities

National

International

6th Global Climate & SDG Synergies Conference
Register by 18 April 2025 to join the conversation
Dates: 27-28 May 2025 in Copenhagen, Denmark
Visit the official website for more info

Human Rights Defenders Working on Climate Change and a Just Transition – issued by Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders
Purpose: To inform the report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders on human rights defenders working on climate change and a just transition, to be presented to the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in October 2025. Deadline: April 30, 2025. See more here.

University of Southampton:  SDGs+10: A Global Legal Stocktake of Achievements, Opportunities and Challenges”. We welcome interdisciplinary submissions to one of our seven panels
Date: 17-18 September 2025 University of Southampton, Southampton, UK (Hybrid) – The deadline for submissions is the 31st of MAY 2025. Please send your abstracts to Hwon Lee (  

Stetson Law School: 21st International Wildlife Law Conference
Date: 8-9 April 2025 Stetson Gulfport campus, Tampa Bay area,  agenda and registration

Handling PFAS from a Compliance and Enforcement Perspective (Webinar)
Date: Mon, 04/07/2025, 10:00 AM ET – registration

UNEP FI Regional Roundtable for Africa and Middle East 2025
Dates: 6–7 May 2025 in Marrakech, Morocco
Register for in-person

SABIN COLLOQUIUM ON INNOVATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL LAW SCHOLARSHIP
On June 12-13, 2025, we are hosting our 13th Sabin Colloquium on Innovative Environmental Law Scholarship, which will allow junior environmental law scholars to present early-stage work and receive constructive feedback from a panel of senior scholars and from each other. To enter, please submit a cover letter, an outline or concept paper of 5-15 double-spaced pages, and a C.V. to  by March 15.  Authors of selected papers will be notified by April 15.  All Colloquium participants will be expected to participate in the full program the afternoons (ET) of June 12 and 13 and to read and comment on each others’ proposals.  In view of the desire to practice what we preach by keeping our carbon footprints low (as well as the continuing uncertainty over COVID-19), the Colloquium will be conducted virtually via Zoom. Details are available here. 

Call for Papers: Annual Postgraduate Conference in International Law and Human Rights
The International Law and Human Rights Unit of the University of Liverpool’s School of Law and Social Justice has issued a call for papers for its Annual Postgraduate Conference in International Law and Human Rights, to take palce July 21-22, 2025, in Liverpool. The call is here.

CALL FOR PAPERS Special Issue on Climate Change and Environmental Impact Assessment Contributions should explore any of the links between the two concepts, such as the use of EIA as a tool for climate change mitigation or adaptation, and the application of EIA to climate projects. Contributions could consist of fully fledged research articles of up to 8,000 words, footnotes included, or of shorter manuscripts such as case notes. All relevant legal methodologies are welcome, including doctrinal and comparative research, as well as interdisciplinary perspectives, whether theoretical or empirical. Send a short description of your project and CV to Benoit Mayer () and Mateusz Slowik () by 5 April 2025. Manuscripts will be due by mid-September 2025 and, subject to peer-review, published in May 2026. See more info on submissions.

Vacancies, Bursaries, Funding, Opportunities, etc.

National

C40 – Inclusive Climate Action Project Officer: Inclusion and Global Leadership – South Africa, United Kingdom (Hybrid). Closing date for receipt of applications is Friday, 28th March 2025 at 5pm GMT.

Eduvos Bedfordview Campus – contract lecturer in various disciplines

Senior Director, I&T GRC, NTT DATA, Durban 

Post-doctoral Research Fellowship Wits and GELC, University of the Western Cape
Prof. Tracy-Lynn Field (Claude Leon Research Chair in Earth Justice and Stewardship, University of the Witwatersrand) and Prof. Angela van der Berg (Director of the Global Environmental Law Centre, University of the Western Cape) are inviting applications for a two-year postdoctoral fellowship in Water, Climate Change, and Environmental Law, generously funded by the Claude Leon Foundation.
The fellowship is valued at R359,000 per annum and is open to candidates with a doctoral degree from a recognized institution. The successful candidate will work under the joint supervision of Profs. Field and van der Berg, supporting research activities at the Chair and the Global Environmental Law Centre. They will also be expected to publish at least four high-impact journal articles during their tenure.
Application details: Deadline: 31 March 2025 –  Applications should be sent to both   and 
Application requirements:

• Cover letter outlining research interests and motivation for applying
• Updated CV
• Summary of PhD research
• Full academic records
• Contact details of two academic referees

For further information on the research focus or scholarship criteria, please feel free to contact Prof. Tracy-Lynn Field ( ) or Prof. Angela van der Berg ( ).

University of the Western Cape: 2 vacancies in the Department of Public Law and Jurisprudence (PLJ) –  Associate Prof, Professor and Snr Lecturer Level – permanent staff positions. At least one of the vacancies must be filled with someone who has experience in Environmental Law – this person will be affiliated with the Global Environmental Law Centre (GELC)  and with the Department PLJ. The person will then also supervise and teach the GELC environmental law students. https://uwc.hua.hrsmart.com/hr/ats/Posting/view/1958 

DHET: International scholarships for Australia, China, Erasmus +, Germany, Intra-Africa, Mauritius, Russia, Thailand and the United States of America now open

Global Environmental Law Centre (GELC) at the Faculty of Law, University of the Western Cape, two-year Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Environmental Law and/or Climate Change Law (or a closely related field)
This is an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic and collaborative academic environment dedicated to advancing legal scholarship and teaching on the global environmental crises of our time.
Minimum requirements include:

• A PhD/LLD in Environmental Law, Climate Change Law, or a related field (obtained within the last five years)
• A strong publication record or evidence of articles under review
• Teaching and supervision experience (or willingness to gain it)
• A demonstrated interest in academic administration and research collaboration

Key responsibilities:

• Conducting independent and collaborative research aligned with GELC’s focus areas
• Publishing at least two peer-reviewed articles per year
• Contributing to postgraduate teaching and supervision (particularly in our Master’s Programme in Environmental Law)
• Supporting the Centre’s academic events and curriculum development
• Engaging with international research networks and partners

Fellowship Details:

• Duration: Two years (non-renewable)
• R 240,000 per annum (tax-free)
• Residence at UWC is expected for the duration of the fellowship

To apply, please submit:

1. A cover letter outlining your research interests and relevant experience
2. A detailed CV with a list of publications
3. Copies of academic transcripts and PhD/LLD certificate
4. A summary of your PhD/LLD research
5. A reference letter
6. Contact details for two academic referees

Deadline for applications: 4 April 2025
Applications should be sent to: 
For further information about the position, please feel free to contact Prof Angela van der Berg at  .

2026/27 Venns Candidate Attorneys

Webber Wentzel Candidate Attorney Programme 2027

Post-doctoral fellowship at the University of the Western Cape’s Department of Anthropology
Closing date: 31 March 2025. The Department of Anthropology from the University of the Western Cape is offering a post-doc position for 18 months with a thematic focus on social justice, environmental politics and socio-ecological transformation, as part of the research project Transforming environmental governance in the Anthropocene: an action research in the field of Access and Benefit-Sharing.
Together with actors directly concerned by the Access and Benefit-Sharing regime put in place under the Nagoya Protocol of 2010 (e.g. policy-makers, companies, community leaders, NGOs), our team combines social theory and empirical research with the agency of non-academic actors to:

• deepen our understanding of the limits and deficiencies of the ABS regime,
• elaborate and enact strategies to induce actual transformative change, and
• produce and disseminate theoretical, methodological, as well as practical knowledge derived from this real-life experiment.

Candidates with qualification and experience in the abovementioned fields are invited to apply for the post-doctoral research fellowship. Download the information flyer here.

VACANCY-Postdoctoral Research Fellow-Climate Change, Air Quality and Impacts Research Group
The North-West University’s Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management hosts a world-renowned group of researchers and invites three suitable applications for the Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in the Climate Change, Air Quality and Impacts Research Group, hosted in Potchefstroom, North-West Province.
More information on Climate Change, Air Quality and Impacts: https://lnkd.in/dEXBZURS
For further inquiries, contact Prof. Roelof Burger: 
To submit you application, follow the link
Closing date for applications: 13 April 2025

International

Technical Officer for Protected and Conserved Areas (SOMACORE Project), Fiji

Postdoctoral Position in Law –  University of Antwerp

Vice-President, Research and Innovation – University of Ottawa

Lecturer in Business Law –  Ryerson University

Postdoctoral Position in Law –  University of Copenhagen

Researcher in Law –  University of Luxemburg

Assistant/Associate/Full Professor in Law – Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University

Postdoctoral Position in Law –  University of Gothenburg

Professor of Private Law –  United Arab Emirates University

Professor of law –  United Arab Emirates University

Assistant Professor of Psychology –  United Arab Emirates University

Associate Professor of Public Law –  United Arab Emirates University

Research Associate in Law –  University of Cambridge

Green Climate Fund – multiple vacancies

The Regional Information for Society (RIfS) Core Project of the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) is looking for a Science Officer, based in Africa, to coordinate activities with regional foci in Africa. This key coordination role requires someone with a working knowledge about physical climate science, and comfortable with engaging a wide range of disciplines, individuals, projects, and organizations across the continent already active in relevant work. The goal of the Science Officer is to serve as the connecting glue for various communities of practice that touch on producing robust information for decisions in the face of climate change. For more information, please see https://www.wcrp-rifs.org/africa-science-officer/. Applications deadline: 31 March 2025 (ACDI Newsletter)

**Photo featured in this newsletter: contribution by ELA member Margot Slabbert

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