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Friends of the Earth International criticizes the July 16, 2019, Revised Draft of the UN Binding Treaty on Transnational Corporations and Human Rights, arguing that it dilutes the focus on transnational corporations and fails to establish direct obligations for these entities to be regulated and prosecuted.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing groundWork, Earthlife Africa Johannesburg, and the Vukani Environmental Justice Movement in Action, issued a formal request to the Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries for immediate enforcement action against Eskom's Kendal power station. The letter alleges flagrant and chronic non-compliance with Atmospheric Emission Licence (AEL) conditions, specifically regarding particulate matter (PM) limits, and argues that previous government interventions have failed to compel compliance.

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).

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) filed an appeal on July 9, 2019, against an environmental authorisation granted by the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) to Mineral Sands Resources (Pty) Ltd (MSR). The authorisation concerned the unlawful commencement of activities (Section 24G) at Tormin Mine on the Farm Geelwal Karoo 262 in the Western Cape. The CER argues that the authorisation is flawed due to a lack of practitioner independence and a failure to account for the site's location within critical biodiversity areas and a global biodiversity hotspot.

This case study details a 2019 South Gauteng High Court judgment in which an application by the Distressed Mining Community of Ogies to stop Glencore Operations South Africa (Pty) Ltd from creating a nuisance through coal mine blasting was dismissed.

This working paper models the impact of removing fossil fuel subsidies across 26 countries and reviews 60 research papers to estimate global greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions. It finds that subsidy removal alone leads to a national average emission reduction of 6 per cent, which increases to 13.2 per cent when combined with a modest energy tax and investments in renewables and energy efficiency.

The Centre for Environmental Rights, acting for applicants groundWork and Vukani Environmental Justice Movement in Action, provides written consent for the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment, Mr David Boyd, to be admitted as an amicus curiae in the case of The Trustees for the Time Being of GroundWork Trust and Another v The Minister of Environmental Affairs & Four Others (NGHC case no. 39724/19).

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing the Life After Coal campaign and several environmental justice alliances, formally objects to a proposed amendment by the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries to double the Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) Minimum Emission Standard (MES) for new plants in sub-category 1.1 from 500 mg/Nm3 to 1000 mg/Nm3. The CER argues that this weakening of standards is unlawful, violates the South African Constitution's right to a healthy environment, and would lead to significant premature deaths and exacerbated air pollution in priority areas.

This report by the Greenpeace Global Air Pollution Unit assesses the public health and environmental consequences of a proposal by South Africa’s Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries to double the Minimum Emissions Standards (MES) for SO2 from 500mg/Nm3 to 1000mg/Nm3 for power plants and industrial sources.

Lawyers for Human Rights requested consent for UN Special Rapporteur David Richard Boyd to act as amicus curiae in a South African court case (NGHC case no 39724/19). Boyd intended to provide international and comparative legal perspectives on State obligations regarding air pollution and the right to a healthy environment to assist the court in interpreting the NEM: Air Quality Act and the South African Constitution.

This report by the Centre for Environmental Rights evaluates water use licence (WUL) compliance among eight large coal mining operations in South Africa's Mpumalanga province. It concludes that the regulatory system has effectively disintegrated, characterized by massive failures by the Department of Water & Sanitation (DWS), non-compliance by mining companies, and misleading reports from independent auditors.

This integrated report, published by the Institute for Security Studies in July 2019, details multi-sectoral efforts in South Africa to prevent and reduce violence against children using the INSPIRE framework. Based on workshops with government departments, NGOs, researchers, and children, the report maps current activities across seven strategies and identifies systemic gaps, such as a lack of inter-sectoral trust and a critical shortage of therapeutic services.

This report, produced by the South African Civil Society Working Group on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, provides a 'Citizens’ Report' to offer an alternative perspective to the government's Voluntary National Review (VNR). It evaluates South Africa's progress on six specific Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Quality Education (Goal 4), Decent Work and Economic Growth (Goal 8), Reduced Inequalities (Goal 10), Climate Action (Goal 13), Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions (Goal 16), and Partnerships for the Goals (Goal 17). The report generally finds that while South Africa possesses strong policy and legal frameworks aligned with the 2030 Agenda, there is a significant gap in implementation, public awareness, and the inclusion of civil society in the monitoring and review processes.

This briefing by Niall Reddy provides a commentary on the Public Affairs Research Institute's (PARI) position papers regarding state reform in South Africa. Reddy argues that public procurement (PP) should be transitioned from a tool for simple outsourcing or black business growth toward a strategic instrument of industrial policy (IP) and 'Procurement for Innovation' (PPfI) to drive high-productivity, innovation-led growth.

This research paper assesses the progress and challenges of the institutional reform process of the African Union (AU) led by Rwanda's President Paul Kagame. Based on the 2017 'Kagame Report', the reforms aim to address inefficient bureaucracy, funding shortages, and overlapping mandates. The paper analyzes specific achievements, such as the reduction of AU commissioners and the restructuring of NEPAD and the APRM, while highlighting significant resistance from member states—particularly within SADC—and the ongoing struggle for financial autonomy through the Kigali Financing Decision.

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines the challenges and pitfalls associated with relying on private sector investment to bridge Africa's infrastructure financing deficit. It argues that while private capital is often promoted for its speed and lack of conditionalities, it is significantly more expensive, risk-averse, and less focused on development outcomes than public or multilateral funding. The document recommends that African policymakers strengthen domestic capacity and strategically use public funds for social infrastructure and project preparation to enhance regional agency.

The June 2019 Bonn negotiations aim to build a foundation for higher climate ambition ahead of the UN Climate Action Summit. Key priorities include refining the Paris Rulebook's tools and rules to prevent double-counting of emissions, integrating IPCC science into national commitments (NDCs), and addressing the funding and operational effectiveness of the Green Climate Fund, the Adaptation Fund, and the Warsaw International Mechanism for loss and damage.

A media statement from the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) announcing the August 2019 release of three position papers proposing structural reforms to South African regulatory and administrative institutions to reduce corruption and patronage.

A letter from the Centre for Environmental Rights, on behalf of the Life After Coal Campaign, to the South African Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, urging the prioritisation of a coal phase-out and a just transition to sustainable energy systems.

This policy brief examines the intersection of mining, the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), and the transition to a low-carbon circular economy, using South Africa as a primary case study. It argues that while a low-carbon future requires increased mineral extraction, this must be decoupled from environmental degradation through green industrialisation and technological innovation.