Not on offer in 2024
Semester: Second Semester
Course Convener: Professor Alexander Paterson
Format: 3 hour contact session per week (Monday: 14h00-17h00)
The inclusion of an environmental right in South Africa's Constitution has led to the emergence of many environmental laws and court decisions in the past 15 years. These developments are of key relevance to those working in the environmental sector including developers, consultants, biologists, zoologists, planners, sociologists and anthropologists. This course provides students undertaking postgraduate studies relevant to the environment with an insight into relevant principles of international and domestic environmental law. Key content covered in the course includes: an introduction to basic legal principles and resources; constitutional aspects (environmental rights, access to information, administrative justice and access to courts); framework environmental laws; land-use planning laws (planning law, environmental impact assessment and protected areas); natural resource laws (biodiversity, water and marine living resources); and pollution laws (fresh water, land and air pollution).