Environmental Law Association of South Africa

The planet is changing and so too must our approach to human rights, including environmental rights. That’s what the latest UN Human Rights Council resolution tells countries around the world.

The City invites residents, the business community and all stakeholders to comment on the draft local spatial development framework (LSDF) for the Cape Town CBD. This framework encapsulates the City’s vision for the CBD’s future growth and will guide decisions about land use and development, density, the public realm including streets, and urban design. Once approved, it will also inform public investment in infrastructure to ensure that the CBD transitions into a more sustainable, equitable, inclusive, liveable and resilient space to the benefit of current and future generations of Capetonians. See: https://bit.ly/4i1LD9l #CTNews #SpatialPlanningandEnvironment

Our annual conference seeks to highlight the significance of the landscapes and communities of Limpopo, including the Soutpansberg Mountains, during our conference this year, themed “The Environment and Justifiable Limits on Development”. Join us between 8 and 11 October in Thohoyando. See: https://lnkd.in/d5Y-zVJ8.

Members and friends of the ELA based in the Western Cape are invited to attend the Philippi Horticultural Area Food and Farming Campaign’s AGM on 13 April. The keynote address is by our chairperson, Dr Melanie Murcott, also an Associate Professor, UCT Law. Dr Murcott will talk on "The Environment and Justifiable Limits on New Developments: The Importance of the PHA Food & Farming Campaign's Legal Mobilisation Efforts". The PHA is preparing a delicious farm fresh Sunday lunch that will cater for vegans, vegetarians and animal protein lovers. To plan and prepare the food, please RSVP phaletters@gmail.com by Friday 11 April.

We encourage members who are students to participate in the Law Students for Climate Accountability inaugural event on 9 April at UWC and online. RSVP here: https://lnkd.in/d4EkM-C9.

Please join us for what promises to be an informative discussion on a very crucial environmental governance issue.

🌍 (Another) Exciting Postdoctoral Opportunity in Environmental & Climate Change Law 🌱 The Global Environmental Law Centre (GELC) at the University of the Western Cape’s Faculty of Law is inviting applications for a two-year Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (2025–2027)! This is a unique opportunity to join a dynamic and growing centre dedicated to advancing legal scholarship and teaching on global environmental challenges in the context of the Anthropocene. 🔎 We’re looking for a scholar who: ✔️ Holds a PhD/LLD in Environmental Law, Climate Change Law, or a related field ✔️ Has a strong publication record (or promising work under review) ✔️ Is passionate about teaching, curriculum development, and postgraduate supervision ✔️ Brings experience or interest in research collaboration, academic events, and international partnerships 💼 Key responsibilities include: 📚 Conducting independent and collaborative research 📝 Publishing in peer-reviewed journals 🎓 Teaching and supervising in our Master’s in Environmental Law 🌐 Supporting GELC events, curriculum design, and research networks 🗓 Application Deadline: 4 April 2025 💸 R240,000 per annum (tax-free) 📍 In-residence position at UWC, Cape Town 📩 Apply by sending your documents to admin-gelc@uwc.ac.za AND COPY avanderberg@uwc.ac.za 📬 For queries, contact Prof Angela van der Berg: avanderberg@uwc.ac.za We encourage applications from scholars from underrepresented groups. Let’s reimagine environmental law and governance together. #IamUWC #postdoc #environmentallaw #climatelaw #adacemicjobs #legalresearch #highereducation #uwc UWC Faculty of Law

Useful summary 📝

An important settlement has been achieved in a case brought by the Biodiversity Law Centre for BirdLife South Africa and the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) against the state to protect endangered African penguins, with novel arguments introduced by Animal Law Reform South Africa. We commend all those involved in this case aimed at the protection, promotion and fulfilment of the environmental right entrenched in South Africa’s Constitution.

HIGH COURT VICTORY FOR AFRICAN PENGUINS! 🐧 BirdLife South Africa and Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB), represented by the Biodiversity Law Centre, today secured a historic victory for South Africa’s Critically Endangered African Penguin when a hard-won settlement agreement – reached by the conservation NGOs with commercial sardine and anchovy purse-seine fishers – was made an order of the Pretoria High Court. 🐧 The court order provides for the delineations of no-take zones – for the next ten years – for the commercial sardine and anchovy fishery around six key African Penguin breeding colonies that lie within coastal areas where this commercial fishery operates. Six closures work together to secure biologically meaningful foraging areas for African Penguins in each of the west coast, southern Cape and Algoa Bay regions to help bring the species back from the brink of extinction. 🐧 The imposition of scientifically-informed fishing closures, to limit commercial purse-seine anchovy and sardine fishing activities around key African Penguin breeding colonies, is a long-overdue step towards securing their survival in the wild. 🐧 We look to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment and the Minister to ensure full implementation of this order, and to follow-through on taking all necessary steps to protect the African Penguin. Doing so is not only important for the wellbeing and survival of this iconic species but is critical to ensure that our ocean ecosystem is protected for the benefit of future generations. #lawfornature #conservation #litigation https://lnkd.in/dn_hTBCW