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This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) argues that Brazilian presidential decrees from February 2022 exacerbate a regulatory gap in the mining sector, allowing gold mining cooperatives to operate as industrial entities while benefiting from lenient regulations intended for vulnerable individual miners. The authors call for the revocation of these decrees to better protect the environment and improve oversight in the Amazon.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), acting for Earthlife Africa and groundWork, has formally raised concerns regarding the notification process and timelines for appealing the National Air Quality Officer's (NAQO) October 2021 decisions on Eskom's applications for postponement or suspension of compliance with Minimum Emission Standards (MES).

This document contains the Short Heads of Argument filed on 11 March 2021 by the First Respondent, Uthaka Energy (Pty) Ltd, in the High Court of South Africa (Gauteng Division, Pretoria). Uthaka argues against an urgent application for an interim interdict brought by the Mining and Environmental Justice Community Network of South Africa and others, which seeks to stop the commencement of the Yzermyn Underground Coal-mining Project. Uthaka contends that it possesses all necessary statutory authorisations and that the application lacks urgency, a prima facie right, and a reasonable apprehension of irreparable harm.

This case study by the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines mine waste management legal frameworks in Ghana and British Columbia, Canada. It outlines international best practices for minimizing waste volume and ensuring long-term stability, while analyzing how both jurisdictions apply these principles to manage risks associated with tailings facilities and legacy mining sites.

This case study by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines mine waste management frameworks in Ghana and British Columbia, Canada. It outlines international best practices, such as the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM), and compares how these two jurisdictions implement standards, corporate accountability, and financial mechanisms to mitigate the environmental and social risks of mine waste.

A statement from the Life After Coal campaign (LAC) to the South African Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, objecting to Eskom's attempts to seek exemptions from the Minimum Emission Standards (MES) under the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act 39 of 2004.

A legal notice from MacRobert Inc, acting on behalf of ArcelorMittal South Africa (Pty) Ltd (AMSA), addressed to the Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries regarding an appeal filed by the Centre for Environmental Rights. The notice argues that the appeal against the postponement of compliance timeframes for Minimum Emission Standards at the Vanderbijlpark facility was submitted late and is therefore invalid unless condonation is granted.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) filed a notice of appeal on 21 September 2020 against a decision by the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy (or delegated official) to grant Mineral Sands Resources (Pty) Ltd (MSR) and Tormin Mineral Sands (Pty) Ltd an amendment to their mining rights under section 102 of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA). The appeal seeks to set aside the amendment and suspend operations at the Tormin Mine extension, arguing that the process was used to unlawfully expand mining areas without proper public participation or consideration of the site's high biodiversity value.

A tribute from Natural Justice honoring Mzee Abubakar Al-Amudy, the Chair and co-founder of Save Lamu, following his death on June 21, 2020.

This document consists of a practice note and heads of argument filed by Tendele Coal Mining (Pty) Ltd in the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa. Tendele is responding to an appeal by the Global Environmental Trust and others who seek an interdict to close the Somkhele Coal Mine, alleging that the mine operates without necessary environmental, land use, waste management, and heritage authorizations.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) submitted a statement to the Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries on 28 April 2020, providing expert analysis of air quality and health impacts resulting from emissions at Eskom's Kendal power station. The document presents findings from two expert reports by Dr Ron Sahu and Dr Andrew Gray, highlighting significant exceedances of particulate matter (PM) limits and associated premature deaths and health risks in the Highveld Priority Area.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) provides a supplementary table of comments on the National Environmental Management Laws Amendment Bill, 2017 [B14D-2017]. The document details proposed amendments to several South African environmental laws, including the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), the Protected Areas Act (NEMPAA), and the Integrated Coastal Management Act (NEMICMA), offering specific critiques and alternative wording to strengthen environmental protection and enforcement.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) outlines seven principles for a green recovery in Canada, focusing on net-zero commitments, social equity, and environmental regulation.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) analyzes the implementation of the Brazilian Forest Code (Law 12.651/2012) across Brazilian states, focusing on the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) and the Environmental Regularization Program (PRA). It evaluates state-level regulations, the progress of CAR validation, and the operational status of PRAs, highlighting significant regional disparities in progress and the technical challenges facing state environmental agencies.

This legal investigation, conducted by Front Advokater for the Stockholm Environment Institute, analyzes the legal protections available to Swedish samebyar (Sami villages) against land exploitation for hydropower. It examines the historical context of hydropower development in northern Sweden, the fundamental rights of the Sami people, the current environmental permit process, and the implications of new legislation effective January 1, 2019, regarding the review of existing hydropower plants to establish modern environmental conditions.

This report by Dr. Ranajit Sahu provides technical comments on the Provisional Atmospheric Emission License (PAEL) issued to Thabametsi Power Company (Pty) Ltd. The author argues that the PAEL permits the use of outdated, inefficient sub-critical Circulating Fluidized Bed (CFB) technology and relies on flawed Atmospheric Impact Reports (AIRs) that underestimate pollution impacts. Sahu contends that the plant will exacerbate existing air quality violations in the Waterberg Bojanala Priority Area and that the license lacks adequate emissions monitoring and control requirements.

The Penhalonga Community Environmental Audit Report describes a community-led 'ground-truthing' process conducted over 16 months to examine company compliance with environmental laws and regulations in Penhalonga, Zimbabwe, a region historically impacted by gold mining.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) filed an appeal on July 9, 2019, against an integrated environmental authorisation (IEA) granted by the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) to Mineral Sands Resources (Pty) Ltd (MSR). The authorisation allows MSR to extend mining operations at Tormin Mine, affecting ten beaches and inland areas on the Farm Geelwal Karoo 262 and other farms in the Varhynsdorp Magisterial District, Western Cape. The CER argues that the authorisation was granted through an unlawful circumvention of the mining right application process and fails to protect Critical Biodiversity Areas (CBAs).

A formal submission by the Vaal Environmental Justice Alliance (VEJA) and groundWork (gW) objecting to ArcelorMittal South Africa's (AMSA) application for postponements and alternative emission standards at its Vanderbijlpark Works facility.

This 2019 report, commissioned by the Estonian Ministry of the Environment and conducted by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) Tallinn and the Environmental Law Centre (KÕK), evaluates the effectiveness of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA/KMH) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA/KSH) processes in Estonia. Based on 78 questionnaires and five focus group discussions, the study identifies systemic strengths, such as the licensing of lead experts, and critical bottlenecks, including conflicting perceptions of the expert's role, prolonged procedural durations, and challenges in establishing realistic alternatives.