Applicants in South Africa’s first youth-led climate change case have learned that the Minister of Mineral Resources & Energy will oppose their application to compel the release of documents about the Minister’s decision to include new coal power in the 2019 IRP, and the Ministerial determination for new coal issued under the IRP. The #CancelCoal case demands that the … [Read more...]
Oil and gas exploration threatens coastal livelihoods
Following President Ramaphosa’s Youth Day speech last week – which mostly focused on the unprecedented high unemployment rate and lack of opportunities – young small-scale fishers, along the coast, say they are concerned that government does not recognise their value as South Africans who are self-employed and trying to create sustainable livelihoods for themselves and their … [Read more...]
Vaal communities protest dirty steel plant
Long-suffering communities in Sharpeville and Bophelong in the Vaal area have gathered outside ArcelorMittal South Africa Limited’s (AMSA’s) main steel plant in Vanderbijlpark today to protest against ongoing pollution, non-compliance with environmental laws, failure to engage meaningfully with fence line communities and unclear plans to decarbonise AMSA’s operations. The … [Read more...]
It’s time to uproot the DMRE
Solutions to South Africa’s crippling energy and climate crisis exist. Yet they are being blocked by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) under the leadership of Minister Gwede Mantashe. Mantashe’s DMRE is holding back a rapid and just transition to renewable energy - the fastest, most affordable way to solve load shedding. Instead, they are working to lock … [Read more...]
Protecting SA’s oceans from offshore oil and gas
Yesterday, The Green Connection launched its public awareness and information sharing campaign – which is part of a bigger initiative, called Who Stole Our Oceans – in a bid to stop further government investment in fossil fuels, particularly offshore oil, and gas. According to The Green Connection’s Strategic Lead Liziwe McDaid, the goal of the public campaign is to … [Read more...]
Floating gas-to-power plant hits rough water
The South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA), groundWork and Friends of the Earth South Africa, represented by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), have approached the Pretoria High Court to review and set aside an environmental authorisation granted for Phinda Power’s proposed 320MW gas-to-power plant, proposed for the Richards Bay Industrial Development … [Read more...]
NPO takes fight against Karpowerships to court
On Monday (25 April), The Green Connection launched an application in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria seeking to review and set aside the National Energy Regulator of South Africa’s (Nersa) decision to grant three electricity generation licenses to the Karpowership SA companies to operate powerships in the ports of Saldanha, Ngqura (Coega) and Richards Bay. Among other … [Read more...]
Protesters arrested after oil terminal actions
Five supporters of Just Stop Oil were remanded in custody over the Easter weekend and appeared in court on charges related to actions at oil terminals in support of the demand that the UK government end new oil and gas projects in the UK. Kathryn Dowds, 28, Jake Handling, 27, and Joshua Smith, 29, were charged with aggravated trespass after being arrested during an action at … [Read more...]
Civil society braces for another West Coast seismic battle
Just months after two separate High Courts granted interim urgent interdicts against two different seismic surveys off the East and West Coasts – both predominantly as a result of insufficient consultation with affected communities – Tosaco Energy received authorisation from the Department of Mineral Resources and Environment (DMRE) to proceed with seismic blasting in Block 1 … [Read more...]
Court stops Amazon-backed development on sacred land
The R4.5-billion development at the River Club site in Observatory has been stopped, with a court ruling that the developers must “consult meaningfully” with all affected people. The interim interdict granted by Western Cape deputy judge president Patricia Goliath, will remain in place pending a review of the relevant environmental land use authorisations for the development … [Read more...]
Community-based just transition dialogues are a must
Last year, with the climate crises getting worse, Earthlife Africa Johannesburg kicked-off – in various communities in Limpopo, Gauteng, and Eastern Cape – what may be its most important campaign yet, the Just Transition Public Participation Dialogues. In a bid to ensure that communities are not left behind as the country moves toward the just transition, Earthlife Africa is … [Read more...]
Seismic court ruling another win for small-scale fishers
On Monday after “incredibly tense” court arguments, the Western Cape High Court ruled that the ban – originally issued on 7 February – on Searcher’s seismic blasting of the west and south-west coast of South Africa, stays in place. Foreign companies Searcher Geodata UK Limited and Searcher Seismic (Australia) challenged the earlier interim order directing it to discontinue … [Read more...]
Stop the imminent seismic survey off the Western Cape coast
Civil society movement We Are South Africans has begun the process to seek an interdict to stop Australian company Seismic Searcher from its 2D/3D seismic survey, planned to commence off the Western Cape coast on 15 January. A Reconnaissance Permit in terms of Section 74 of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (No. 28 of 2002) was granted by the Petroleum … [Read more...]
