Environmental Focus
Eskom's appeal response stokes nuclear debate
Nuclear power has ricocheted back into the news, with Eskom arguing for a new nuclear plant at Koeberg in response to an Environmental Authorisation (EA) appeal against the project, first mooted a decade ago, writes Legalbrief. Civil society organisations (CSOs ...
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South Africa
Why is SA locked into 20-year powership deal?
A project to ease SA’s electricity supply constraints quickly by using floating powerships has come under fire by energy analysts, who have questioned why agreements will lock SA into using the ships until 2042. Minister of Energy Gwede Mantashe this ...
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Judgment reserved in key plantation size case
As the forest industry converts from pine to the thirstier eucalyptus, the government has stepped in to curb plantation size, saying that every drop counts – especially in a water-scarce country like SA. According to a Daily Maverick report, the ...
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Selati Game Reserve under threat from miner
The owners of the 28 000ha Selati Game Reserve are in a stand-off with the Tiara Mining company that has plans to excavate a series of open-cast pits on their land in order to mine for gold and emeralds. According to ...
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Yzermyn interdicted until all appeals finalised
Anglo American exits SA coal
Court challenge to Noordhoek wetlands road link
Msunduzi mulls 'off-loading' forestry unit
Cape Town inland water quality getting worse – data
Cannabis 'master plan' takes shape
Cape Town to spend R62m to clear alien invasive plants
Environmental plan for SKA development published
Lobby group flags demolition of Bantry Bay buildings
Cape Town draft integrated SDFs up for comment
Department to probe protected hyena's shooting
'Coldstunned' baby turtles wash up on Cape shores
Bright-green water spotted at Sesmylspruit
Legalbrief Policy Watch
SKA management plan changes unpacked
More light has been thrown on the rationale behind recent amendments to the 2019 integrated environmental management plan for Square Kilometre Array ongoing construction phase one. A Policy Watch report notes that, according to a somewhat belated media statement, the ...
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New plastic bag regulations in force
Only plastic carrier and flat bags compliant with amended compulsory specification VC8087 of 2013 may now be traded, distributed, manufactured locally or imported for use in SA. A Policy Watch report notes that this is according to amended regulations gazetted ...
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Analysis
Marketing experts could help shift to pro-nature behaviour
Marketing experts need to apply the human behaviour-change techniques they have mastered to convince everyone to start looking after the Earth. So writes environmental journalist Heather Dugmore, in a Mail & Guardian analysis, in which she analyses a research article ...
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Africa
GERD negotiations disintegrate
Sudan and Egypt have grown increasingly concerned by Ethiopia's stance during negotiations over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). The gravity dam on the Nile has been under construction since 2011. A report on the allAfrica site notes that ...
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Tunisia challenges Italian household waste matter
Tunisia has assembled a legal case on imported Italian household waste and plans to take it to international justice, Minister of Local Affairs & Environment Kamel Edoukh said last week. A report on the allAfrica site notes that, speaking at ...
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Green Livelihood Alliance launched in Liberia
Green Livelihood Alliance (GLA) 2.0, a programme tackling deforestation, human rights abuses and activists' safety, and the lack of policies that drive smallholder farming, has been launched. According to a report on the allAfrica site, campaigners at the Sustainable ...
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African companies must set transition targets – research
African universities team up to meet SDGs
Better transport can save lives in Accra – study
Namibia develops bio-economy strategy
World
China's bitcoin mines risk undercutting climate goals
China’s electricity-hungry bitcoin mines that power nearly 80% of the global trade in cryptocurrencies risk undercutting the country’s climate goals, a study in the journal Nature says. A report in The Guardian notes that Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies rely on ...
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XR announces direct action protests against banks
Extinction Rebellion will focus its direct action protests on the banking sector over the coming weeks after the group targeted the Bank of England and branches of high street banks over the bank holiday weekend, as it orchestrates a wave ...
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Developing countries urged to rethink targets
The 30th BASIC (Brasil, SA, India and China) Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change has urged developed countries to revisit their climate change mitigation targets while also urging them to provide support to developing countries. An SA News report notes that ...
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Northern Ireland consults on net zero carbon policy
Study warns on 'plastification' of the planet
Regulator dismisses VW emissions cheat fine appeal
US sued for failing to classify endangered species
Nepal celebrates growing rhino population
Dakota pipeline firm sued for breach of contract
First Nations declare development moratorium
Farmer damages ancient Aboriginal heritage site
Enviro Briefs
Two arrested for crayfish possession
* Two people have been arrested for being in possession of a large number of crayfish tails in Moorreesburg. Over the weekend, police pulled over a vehicle on the N7. The police's Frederick van Wyk said that crayfish tails worth ...
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Cape Town trials food waste diversion project
* Cape Town has appealed to the public to take part in its organic food waste project, aimed at diverting food waste from landfills. The food waste diversion project will operate from four City drop-off sites in Belhar, Killarney, Hout Bay ...
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Mystery of dead dolphins washing up on Accra beaches
* At least 80 dolphins and large numbers of fish washed up dead on beaches near Ghana's capital Accra last week, prompting investigations by the authorities. The cause of death was not yet clear. A team from the fisheries commission ...
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100 people killed after Indonesian volcano erupts
Side Bars
New monograph charts SA's marvellous sharks
Monograph charts SA's sharksTheir names are as marvellous as their lives are mysterious; shysharks, pyjama sharks and ghost sharks, flapnose houndsharks, frilled sharks, megamouth sharks, speckled guitarfish and ornate sleeper rays. And while they are little known, they are ...
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Bricks from waste
Bricks from wasteThe Centre for Regenerative Design and Collaboration (CRDC) SA has been awarded the prestigious Dow Business Impact Fund award worth R1.4m for their ground-breaking new concrete modifier made from mixed plastic waste. A Cape Argus report notes ...
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First five star rated green hospital in Africa opens
Africa's first five-star green hospitalGrowthpoint Properties is selling its newly developed specialist surgical hospital in Pretoria, Cintocare Private Surgical Hospital, to its 61.8% held subsidiary Growthpoint Healthcare Property Holdings for R515.6m cash. The Cape Times report notes ...
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Lufthansa plane converted into climate research aircraft