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The document details how residents of Ras-Kitau, supported by Natural Justice, successfully halted a sand mining operation that caused beach erosion and mangrove degradation by proving the project lacked the legally required Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and license.

This policy recommendation by Natural Justice advocates for the creation of a specific legal framework in Kenya to protect Environmental Human Rights Defenders (EHRDs), arguing that current protections are only inferable through the interpretation of various existing laws.

This legal guide, published by Natural Justice, is designed to inform environmental and land rights defenders in the Democratic Republic of the Congo about their constitutional and statutory rights and the legal mechanisms available to them in the event of judicial proceedings or detention.

The document provides a comprehensive legal framework for environmental and land rights defenders in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), detailing the risks they face from extractive industries, agribusiness, and conservation efforts. It outlines fundamental rights guaranteed by the DRC Constitution and international treaties, and lists specific judicial and non-judicial mechanisms for seeking justice, including the role of civil society and international bodies like the UN and the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights.

The document details how quarrying by H-Young for the Malindi-Lamu road project in Kilifi County, Kenya, exacerbated water scarcity and health risks for the Bora Imani community, despite promises of poverty alleviation. While interventions by Natural Justice led to temporary remedies from NEMA and the Public Health Office, the company's eventual decommissioning of the site in February 2023 left the community struggling with water scarcity. The case emphasizes the need for sustainable environmental remedies, robust decommissioning plans, and climate-sensitive Environmental Impact Assessments.

The Climate Change (Amendment) Bill, 2023 aims to integrate carbon markets into Kenya's climate response to attract investment and achieve low-cost emissions reductions. However, Natural Justice warns that without robust legislation, these markets could allow developed nations to continue burning fossil fuels while negatively impacting the global south. The document identifies several critical flaws in the Bill, including the removal of specific requirements for civil society and marginalized community representatives on the National Climate Change Council, which may contravene the Constitution of Kenya 2010. It also highlights a lack of clear role distinctions between national and county governments and insufficient procedures for effective public participation. Regarding the forestry sector, the Bill suggests that afforestation and reforestation will be part of an emissions trading system, necessitating strict monitoring of emissions. Natural Justice urges the government to delay implementing carbon market mechanisms until all necessary regulations are adopted through a transparent public participation process.

The community biocultural protocol of Sahandrazana establishes a framework for the management of genetic resources and traditional knowledge in the Vatovavy region of Madagascar. It outlines the community's governance structure, the role of traditional leaders (Rois), and the specific steps external researchers or entrepreneurs must follow to obtain consent. The document emphasizes the integration of customary laws with national legislation, such as the Nagoya Protocol and Decree 2017-066, to ensure equitable benefit-sharing and the protection of biodiversity and cultural heritage.

The document outlines TEEPSA's plan to drill up to ten exploration wells in the Deep Water Orange Basin off the West Coast of South Africa. It details the regulatory process for obtaining Environmental Authorisation, warns of potential risks to marine biodiversity, local livelihoods, and the climate, and encourages affected parties to submit comments by June 12, 2023.

The policy brief highlights the increasing violence and criminalization of Environmental Human Rights Defenders (EHRDs) globally and specifically in Kenya. It identifies a lack of specific national legislation for EHRD protection, corruption, and restrictive laws as key enablers of these threats. The document recommends the enactment of a dedicated national protection law, the domestication of international human rights obligations, and the repeal of laws that limit civic space to ensure the safety of activists and the rule of law in environmental governance.

The community audit documents widespread violations of environmental, land, and human rights resulting from Société Minière de Boké (SMB) operations in Guinea. Key findings include severe air and water pollution, illegal land dispossession, inadequate compensation, and negative health outcomes for local populations. The report concludes with specific community demands for restoration, fair compensation, and the abandonment of a proposed coal-fired power plant.

The report documents widespread environmental degradation and human rights violations resulting from SMB's bauxite mining in Guinea. Key findings include severe air and water pollution, illegal land dispossession, inadequate compensation, and negative health outcomes for local communities. The audit concludes that SMB has violated multiple Guinean laws and international standards, leading to a loss of livelihoods and food security. The affected communities demand a restoration plan for livelihoods, rehabilitation of water sources, and the abandonment of a proposed coal-fired power plant for an alumina refinery.

The report details extensive violations of human and environmental rights caused by the Société Minière de Boké (SMB) in Guinea's Boké region. Key findings include severe air, soil, and water pollution leading to respiratory diseases and agricultural decline, illegal land dispossession with inadequate compensation, and a lack of community participation in environmental impact assessments. The document concludes with demands for SMB to implement resettlement and livelihood recovery plans and for the Guinean state to conduct independent impact studies.

The document details how bauxite mining by the Société Minière de Boké (SMB) has led to severe environmental degradation, health crises, and systemic human rights violations across 24 villages in the Boké region. Key findings include widespread air and water pollution, the illegal dispossession of customary lands with inadequate compensation, and a lack of community participation in environmental and social impact assessments. The report concludes with demands for the SMB to implement resettlement and livelihood restoration plans and for the Guinean state to conduct independent impact studies and finalize regulatory frameworks.

The 2023 Community Biocultural Protocol of Fokontany Ampangalantsary establishes a framework for external actors to access genetic resources and traditional knowledge. It outlines a mandatory process for obtaining prior informed consent through community meetings, defines the roles of local leadership (such as the President of the Fokontany and Tangalamena), and details the community's traditional taboos and customary land rights. The protocol emphasizes the fair and equitable sharing of benefits, preferring non-financial contributions like infrastructure development, and maintains community registers to document medicinal, cosmetic, agricultural, and food-related genetic resources.

The document defines a just energy transition as a shift toward sustainable energy that incorporates environmental justice, ensuring marginalized groups are central to decision-making. It analyzes South Africa's current energy system, which is dominated by coal (approximately 80%), and outlines the legal frameworks, such as the Constitution and NEMA, that support community rights. The guide provides practical steps for accessing information via PAIA, securing free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC), and participating in Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs). It also highlights the potential for community-based renewable energy initiatives, using a case study from Kenya to illustrate successful local ownership.

The document serves as a community guide to South Africa's energy transition, explaining the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy through the lens of environmental justice. It details the current energy mix—dominated by coal—and the legal frameworks, such as the Constitution and NEMA, that protect community rights to information and a healthy environment. The guide provides practical steps for accessing government information via PAIA, ensuring Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), and participating in Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs). It also highlights the potential for community-led renewable energy projects, using a case study from Kenya to illustrate successful local energy ownership.

The document serves as a legal resource for South African communities to navigate the transition from fossil-fuel-based energy to renewable sources. It defines the Just Energy Transition (JET) and environmental justice, analyzes South Africa's current energy mix—which is 80% coal-dependent—and outlines the legal frameworks, such as the Constitution and the National Environmental Management Act, that support community participation. The guide provides practical steps for accessing information via PAIA requests, securing Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), and engaging in Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs). It also highlights the potential for community-based renewable energy initiatives and the importance of Community Development Agreements to ensure local benefits.

The document analyzes the gap between the formal legal recognition of climate justice and its practical application in Africa's mining and petroleum sectors. It highlights systemic failures in enforcement, the limitations of current judicial and administrative sanctions, and the marginalization of local communities. The report advocates for a shift toward 'active' judiciaries, the adoption of specific climate laws, and the strengthening of corporate due diligence to protect vulnerable populations from the environmental and social impacts of extractive activities.

The document calls for the recognition of the link between the climate crisis and violence against environmental defenders. It proposes specific actions within the Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) plan and the Global Stocktake to protect defenders' rights to information and participation, while urging COP host governments to guarantee freedom of assembly for civil society observers.

The document presents a series of demands from African Environmental Defenders, calling for the recognition of their rights as equal rights holders, the implementation of the Paris Agreement, and an end to large-scale investment in oil and gas. It advocates for a global mandatory legal framework to protect defenders from harassment and killings, reparations for climate-induced loss and damage, and the integration of Traditional Knowledge into climate change solutions.