IMEL Participates in CER Case Law Workshop

Three of IMEL’s members attended and presented recent cases decided in the South African courts at the seminar hosted by the Centre for Environmental Rights in Cape Town. Prof. Loretta Feris focused on the customary right to fish and the problem of acid mine drainage, while Prof. Jan Glazewski also spoke about issues relating to fisheries crime and compliance and enforcement. Micha Young presented on the contentious issue of retrospective environmental authorisations and sought to distil practical lessons for interested and affected parties involved in Environmental Impact Assessments. The presentations were followed by discussions amongst the audience about the state of environmental law in our courts and the need for capacity-building among NGOs and other stakeholders with a view to improving environmental decision-making both within and outside of the courts.