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The report warns that bulk marine sediment mining in the Western Cape would likely cause the 'effective destruction and removal of the benthic ecosystem' within mined areas, with recovery potentially taking decades or being permanent. It highlights significant spatial overlaps between proposed prospecting areas and vulnerable benthic habitats, priority conservation regions, and commercial trawl fisheries. Potential impacts include acoustic disturbance to marine mammals and fish, water-column chemistry alterations leading to hypoxia, and the re-suspension of heavy metals. The author argues that the permanent alteration of sea floor habitats is 'inevitable' with deep-sea dredging and calls for a cautious approach to protect biodiversity and sustainable fishery resources.

The Escarpment Environment Protection Group (EEPOG) and other appellants have filed an internal appeal to the Minister of Mineral Resources to suspend and set aside the granting of a mining right and the approval of an Environmental Management Programme (EMPR) to William Patrick Bower (Pty) Ltd (WPB). The appellants argue that the process was procedurally unfair, lacked meaningful consultation, and ignored critical environmental and socio-economic risks in the sensitive Steenkampsberg area of Mpumalanga.

This document is a statement of grounds of appeal filed by eight environmental and community organisations against an environmental authorisation (EA) granted on 7 June 2016 to Atha Africa Ventures (Pty) Ltd for the Yzermyn underground coal mine near Wakkerstroom, Mpumalanga. The appellants argue that the EA was granted without lawful authority, based on a deficient Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR), and ignores critical biodiversity and socio-economic risks.

The document details a progression of severe climate impacts in South Africa, moving from initial disruptions in marine resources, agriculture, and water availability to eventual large-scale uninhabitability, infrastructure collapse, and mass migration as temperatures rise toward 4°C+ by 2100.

BirdLife South Africa submitted a formal objection on 5 April 2013 to the draft scoping report for the proposed Yzermyn Underground Coal Mine, operated by Atha Africa Ventures (Pty) Ltd. The organization argues that the mine's location in the Grassland Important Bird Area (IBA) and its proximity to protected environments and endangered ecosystems make the application unsustainable and legally flawed.

An email from Glenn Ramke of the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) to WSP Environmental (Pty) Ltd providing comments and objections regarding the proposed Yzermyn Underground Coal Mine.

The document outlines the severe climate risks facing Southern Africa, noting that warming in the region's interior is occurring at approximately twice the global average rate. It projects reductions in agricultural production and freshwater availability, an increase in the frequency and intensity of heat waves and severe storms, and a higher risk of long-duration droughts. The text highlights that these risks are significantly exacerbated in 'low mitigation futures' where global warming exceeds 3 °C, compared to scenarios limiting warming to 1.5 °C or 2 °C. Specific vulnerabilities include food insecurity, which affected 6.5 million South Africans in 2019, and the threat of extinction for thousands of species.

The Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DAFF) issued a formal objection on 18 October 2018 to the proposed extension of the Tormin Mine and its infrastructure expansion. The Department cites the applicant's history of unlawful expansions and non-compliance with existing environmental authorisations as primary reasons for adopting a 'risk-averse and cautious approach' and objecting to the development.

This terrestrial ecology EIA report, produced by Simon Todd Consulting in June 2017, assesses the ecological impacts of expanding the Tormin mineral sands mine operated by MSR. The project involves expanding beach mining across ten discrete beaches and implementing inland strip mining on farm Geelwal Karoo 262, alongside infrastructure expansions including a Mineral Separation Plant and a 22 kV powerline.

The assessment concludes that the Yzermyn underground coal mine is 'fatally flawed' from a biodiversity perspective and recommends a 'NO GO' decision. The project is located in a highly sensitive area, including the Enkangala Grassland Important Bird Area (IBA) and several Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Areas (FEPAs). Key risks include the potential for extensive wetland loss or deterioration due to groundwater drawdown (cones of depression) and long-term groundwater contamination from acid mine drainage (AMD) post-closure. The report highlights a significant disconnect between the findings of independent specialists—who identify high-significance impacts and irreplaceable habitats—and the Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR), which downplays these risks by focusing narrowly on the surface infrastructure footprint. The assessment notes that the project threatens numerous 'Conservation Important' (CI) species of birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.

The document asserts that natural gas is not a clean energy source, detailing how its production, transport, and combustion cause significant environmental degradation and health issues. It highlights the potency of methane leaks and the high carbon emissions from LNG and gas-to-power plants, particularly in the South African context. The author recommends a holistic lifecycle impact assessment to counter the misconception that gas is a viable strategy for reducing emissions.

The Belém Declaration, signed by city and regional governments, NGOs, and other stakeholders, urges national governments to establish National Action Plans For Plant-Based Foods. The document argues that transitioning to plant-rich diets is a critical lever for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, protecting biodiversity, and improving public health. It specifically calls for these plans to be tabled for discussion at COP32 in 2027 and for the use of agrifood promotion budgets to fund their implementation.

The report finds that Swiss retailers largely fail to ensure sustainable aquaculture supply chains, with none meeting half of the assessed sustainability indicators. It highlights the ecological and social risks of using wild fish for aquaculture feed, the inadequacy of current certification labels, and the poor state of fish welfare in farms. The authors advocate for the decoupling of aquaculture from wild fisheries through alternative feeds and the promotion of herbivorous fish species.

The document argues that oil and gas activities threaten biodiversity at every stage, from exploration to end use, and calls for an immediate halt to new projects, particularly in high-biodiversity areas. It highlights the specific risks to the Amazon and the Verde Island Passage, and advocates for a just phaseout of fossil fuels to meet the 2050 goals of the Global Biodiversity Framework.

The report details the environmental and social harms of offshore oil and gas, from seismic exploration and production to transportation and decommissioning, asserting that these activities exacerbate the triple planetary crises of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss.

The report examines the critical role of land and resource tenure in community-based conservation, contrasting the often-destructive nature of state-owned 'public' tenure with the adaptive and sustainable characteristics of community-based systems. It argues that when states delegitimize local tenure, they often create 'open access' conditions that lead to biodiversity loss and resource pillaging. Conversely, secure community tenure—characterized by flexible, overlapping rights and deep ecological knowledge—tends to support long-term resource stability. The authors advocate for the official state recognition of community perimeters rather than the detailed codification of customary laws, which can disrupt local flexibility. While acknowledging that tenure alone does not guarantee conservation success, the text concludes that the erosion of community rights is a primary driver of environmental degradation in many developing nations.

The document catalogues alleged human rights implications across numerous international projects in sectors such as mining, energy, and forestry. It organizes these cases by the specific right implicated, including the rights to adequate food, housing, health, and life, as well as freedoms from forced labor and torture. The case studies highlight recurring issues such as forced resettlement, environmental contamination of water and land, the use of military force to suppress protests, and inadequate compensation for displaced populations.

The document argues that the petrochemical industry's expansion is unsustainable and harmful, urging financial institutions to stop financing petrochemical expansion, require client transition plans, and adopt environmental justice policies. It highlights the severe health and environmental impacts in US 'sacrifice zones' and the financial risks of stranded assets.

The document assesses the UK's proposed law to minimise deforestation linked to 'forest risk commodities', arguing that its reliance on 'relevant local laws' creates a loophole that would allow commodities from Brazil to enter the UK market even if they result from legalised deforestation. It details several Brazilian legislative proposals (such as PL 2633/2020 and PL 490/2007) that aim to legalise land grabbing and restrict Indigenous land rights. ClientEarth recommends that the UK adopt an objective standard covering all deforestation, mandate free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) for Indigenous Peoples, and explicitly include cattle, soy, and non-agricultural commodities like mining and oil and gas in the framework.

The document argues that the European Union is risking its international credibility by potentially reintroducing harmful fisheries subsidies through the 2021-2027 European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). The authors highlight that 69% of European fish stocks are currently subject to overfishing and that the former European Parliament's position included subsidies for new fishing vessel construction, which would increase fishing effort. They call on the new European Parliament to amend this position to align with WTO multilateral prohibitions on subsidies that encourage overcapacity and the UN Sustainable Development Goal 14.6.