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441 documents from Natural Justice
ARGENTINA SEISMIC TESTING CASES
Three lawsuits were filed in Argentina against the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development to stop offshore seismic testing by Equinor. The cases raised concerns regarding the protection of the Southern Right Whale, climate impacts, Argentina's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement, and procedural rights under the Escazú Agreement. On 11 February 2022, the Federal Court of Mar del Plata ordered a halt to exploration based on the precautionary principle and violations of the rights to information and public participation, though it did not cite climate concerns. However, on 18 February 2022, a different court allowed activities to continue pending an appeal.
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Document type: Case study
SOUTH AFRICA'S GAS MASTERPLAN COMMENTS
Natural Justice argues that South Africa's Gas Master Plan perpetuates fossil fuel dependence and undermines the Just Energy Transition and the Global Methane Pledge. The organization highlights significant gaps in the plan regarding community compensation for land expropriation, the lack of free, prior and informed consent (FPIC), and the failure to address fugitive methane emissions. Furthermore, it criticizes the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy for an inadequate public comment period and the absence of risk mitigation strategies for gas explosions or economic fluctuations.
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Document type: Statement
Submission on the Amendments to National Environmental Management Act of 1998
Natural Justice argues that proposed amendments to the s24H Registration Authority Regulations under the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) would create prohibitive financial and procedural barriers for the public. Specifically, the requirement that only a registered environmental assessment practitioner (EAP) may perform tasks related to appeals under section 43 of NEMA would effectively bar impoverished communities and landowners from appealing Environmental Authorisations (EAs) and subsequently seeking judicial review. The organization contends this violates the constitutional right to procedurally fair administrative action and undermines South Africa's Just Energy transition by complicating the oversight of large-scale solar and wind energy projects.
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Document type: Statement
Submission on the Gas Master Plan, 2022
Natural Justice argues that South Africa's Gas Master Plan is incompatible with the country's climate commitments and the Climate Change Bill. The submission highlights risks including fugitive methane emissions, fossil fuel dependency, and the potential for inadequate compensation for land expropriation. It calls for a transition toward renewable energy, the adoption of the 'free prior and informed consent' (FPIC) principle for affected communities, and a more transparent public participation process.
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Document type: Statement
THE PROPOSED REPEALING OF SECTION 34(2A) OF THE FOREST CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT ACT 2016
The document examines the Forest Conservation and Management (Amendment) Bill, 2021, which seeks to remove the requirement for the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) to recommend petitions for the variation of public forest boundaries before they are forwarded to the National Assembly. While proponents argue that KFS has used its power to block legitimate petitions and that the Constitution does not require such recommendations, Natural Justice and other opponents warn that this change would politicize the process and remove mandatory safeguards, including Independent Environmental Impact Assessments and public consultation. The document asserts that such changes could exacerbate climate challenges like prolonged droughts and extreme heat by compromising forest integrity.
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Document type: Fact sheet
D.G. KHAN CEMENT COMPANY V. GOVERNMENT OF PUNJAB
The Supreme Court of Pakistan rejected a constitutional challenge by the D.G. Khan Cement Company against a Punjab government notification barring cement plant construction or expansion in "Negative Areas". The court ruled that the ban was a proper climate resilient measure based on a consultant report warning of groundwater depletion and other environmental harms. The decision integrated the precautionary principle, the rights of nature, and the concept of "climate democracy" into the interpretation of fundamental rights under Pakistan's Constitution, emphasizing intergenerational justice and the need to protect water resources from climate change.
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Document type: Case study
FRENCH COURT ORDERS TOTAL TO STUDY CLIMATE IMPACTS OF IMPORTED PALM OIL, PARTIALLY INVALIDATES COMPANY'S PERMIT TO OPERATE BIOREFINERY
The Administrative Court of Marseille partially invalidated Total's permit to operate a biorefinery, ruling that the original authorization relied on insufficient information regarding climate impacts. The court ordered a new study on the cumulative direct and indirect climate effects of palm oil production, importation, and use to enable the Prefect of Bouches-du-Rhône to make an informed decision.
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Document type: Case study
GLOBAL LEGAL ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE V. THE PHILIPPINES GOVERNMENT
Global Legal Action on Climate Change (GLACC) filed a lawsuit against several Philippine government agencies, including the Climate Change Commission, seeking a writ of mandamus to force compliance with Republic Act 6716 and Act 7160. These laws mandate the maintenance of rainwater collectors and define local government water management responsibilities to mitigate flooding risks intensified by climate change. To avoid a court order, the defendant government departments signed a Memorandum of Understanding and submitted a work plan committing to the required actions.
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Document type: Case study
ENVIRONMENTAL COURT CASES ACROSS THE WORLD
The Supreme Court of Spain rejected a motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed by environmental activists who argued that Spain's National Energy and Climate Plan failed to align with the Paris Agreement and IPCC recommendations. The court ruled that the government's inactivity persists because it has not fully complied with the Paris Agreement, allowing the challenge to the plan's ambition to proceed.
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Document type: Case study
LEGHARI V. FEDERATION OF PAKISTAN
The case of Leghari v. Federation of Pakistan centered on the government's failure to implement the National Climate Change Policy of 2012 and the Framework for Implementation of Climate Change Policy (2014-2030). The Lahore High Court ruled in September 2015 that this delay violated citizens' fundamental rights to life and human dignity. To ensure compliance, the court mandated the appointment of climate change point-persons in government ministries and established a Climate Change Commission. By January 2018, a report indicated that 66% of the priority actions from the Framework had been implemented between September 2015 and January 2017. The case is noted for emphasizing climate adaptation rights in the global south.
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Document type: Case study
NEUBAUER ET AL. V. GERMANY
A group of German youth successfully challenged the Federal Climate Protection Act, leading the Federal Constitutional Court to rule that the law violated fundamental rights by failing to specify sufficient emission cuts beyond 2030.
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Document type: Case study
KLIMAATSAKSIE HANDBOEK
The 'Klimaatsaksie Handboek' is a practical guide designed to empower South African communities to combat climate change using legal tools. It explains the science of climate change, identifies specific vulnerabilities and potential impacts—such as water scarcity and food insecurity—and outlines a framework for 'climate action.' The document details South Africa's constitutional rights, relevant environmental legislation, and international commitments. It provides a step-by-step toolkit for community organizing, including methods for gathering evidence, accessing government information via PAIA, participating in Environmental Impact Assessments, lobbying, and taking legal action as a last resort.
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Document type: Guide
CLIMATE ACTION HANDBOOK
The Climate Action Handbook is a guide designed to empower South African communities to respond to climate change by combining scientific understanding with legal action. It defines climate vulnerability and resilience, outlines South Africa's specific climate risks and legal framework—including constitutional rights and environmental legislation—and provides a ten-step practical framework for community-led climate action, ranging from advocacy and information gathering to formal legal proceedings.
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Document type: Guide
NOTRE AFFAIRE À TOUS AND OTHERS V. FRANCE
The Administrative Court of Paris ruled that the French government's failure to implement effective measures to address climate change caused ecological damage. In October 2021, the court ordered the State to take immediate and concrete actions by December 31, 2022, to comply with emission reduction commitments and repair damage by subtracting excess emissions from its 2021 and 2022 targets.
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Document type: Case study
SHRESTHA V. OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER ET AL.
The Supreme Court of Nepal ordered the government to enact a new climate change law after finding that the Environmental Protection Act of 1997 was inadequate for mitigation and adaptation. The court ruled that inaction violated constitutional rights to a dignified life and a healthy environment, as well as international commitments under the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement. Following the decision, Nepal passed the Environment Protection Act of 2019 and the Forests Act of 2019.
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Document type: Case study
ASA RULING ON RYANAIR LTD
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled that Ryanair Ltd's claims of having "low CO2 emissions" and being the "lowest emissions airline" were misleading. While the ASA accepted the CO2 per passenger-kilometre metric, it found that the advertisements lacked sufficient information for consumers to verify emission reductions compared to other carriers and noted that the airline's data calculations omitted well-known competitors. The case is cited as an example of "greenwashing," where companies falsely brand services as climate-friendly to mislead consumers.
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Document type: Case study
ENVIRONMENTAL COURT CASES ACROSS THE WORLD
Six NGOs sued TotalEnergies, alleging the company failed to adequately assess human rights and environmental impacts of its Tilenga oil project in Uganda and Tanzania, in violation of France's 2017 Duty of Vigilance Law. The project involves drilling 400 boreholes—some in Murchinson Falls National Park—and is expected to displace approximately 100,000 people. After lower courts ruled the case belonged in a commercial court, the Court of Cassation overturned those decisions on December 15, 2021, ruling that the NGOs, as non-commercial claimants, have the right to choose between a commercial or civil court. The court reasoned that the duty of vigilance is not a commercial act, meaning the case can be heard by a judicial court, which is viewed as less sympathetic to corporate interests than a commercial court.
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Document type: Case study
Natural Justice Strategy 2020-2022
Natural Justice's 2020-2022 strategy focuses on reducing organizational silos and increasing flexibility to better support communities facing environmental injustice across Africa through legal empowerment, campaigning, and movement building.
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Document type: Report
Statement on arrest of our Uganda partners AFIEGO staff
Natural Justice and the Inclusive Green Economy Network (IGEN-East Africa) condemn the arrest of six staff members from the Africa Institute for Energy Governance (AFIEGO) in Uganda. The organization asserts that these arrests are part of a trend of harassment against environmental defenders challenging the East Africa Oil Pipeline (EACOP), which they describe as the longest heated oil pipeline in the world. The statement calls for global solidarity and urges the Ugandan government to operate within the law to protect human rights and environmental activists.
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Document type: Statement
ETUDE TECHNIQUE SUR LE SITE DES PROJETS DE CENTRALE A CHARBON, USINE DE SIDERURGIE TOSYALI ET LE PORT MINERALIER ET VRAQUIER DE BARGNY-MINAM
The report finds that the Bargny-Sendou area already suffers from severe air pollution, with PM10 levels exceeding national standards by 193% to 540% before the full operation of new industrial projects. It argues that the cumulative impact of the coal plant, mineral port, and steel plant will exacerbate health risks and degrade local resources, including the livelihoods of 1,000 women processing fish at the Khelcom site. The study recommends a strategic environmental assessment of the zone and the conversion of the coal plant to gas.
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Document type: Report