Climate Justice Centred-Approach to Environmental Impact Assessment in Rural Southern Africa

This climate justice synthesis team will develop a climate justice-centred approach to environmental impact assessments (EIAs), ensuring that community concerns about land tenure and environmental health are centred.

Rural communities, whose lands are increasingly targeted by development projects, are often excluded from meaningful participation in EIA processes. As a result, they face negative impacts such as forced relocations, land degradation, water insecurity, and diminished crop yields. Despite constitutional protections for participation in environmental decision-making, the power imbalances between rural communities, developers, and governments often marginalise these communities, reinforcing existing vulnerabilities and causing climate injustices through projects that do not account for their environmental and livelihood needs under climate change.

This synthesis team project explores the adequacy of EIAs in addressing climate justice concerns for rural communities in Southern Africa, focused on Lesotho, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. While South Africa has started incorporating climate change considerations into EIAs following a 2017 court ruling, countries like Zimbabwe and Lesotho have yet to introduce similar measures. This study will synthesise EIA laws, practices, and community experiences to propose improvements that empower rural communities, ensuring they are actively involved in climate-related decisions and better protected against the adverse effects of development projects.

Project Team:

• Melanie Murcott – University of Cape Town, Institute of Marine and Environmental Law
• Ncedo Mngqibisa – University of Cape Town, Land and Accountability Research Centre
• Brandon Abdinor – Centre for Environmental Rights
• Amon Taruvinga – University of Fort Hare
• Lindokuhle Gwala – University of Fort Hare
• Norbet Rangarai Jere – University of Fort Hare
• Katlego Ramantsima – University of Cape Town, Land and Accountability Research Centre
• Wandile Zondo – Natural Justice
• Fezeka Ntsanwisi – University of Cape Town, Land and Accountability Research Centre
• Nokwanda Sihlali – University of Cape Town, Land and Accountability Research Centre
• Olivier Crespo – University of Cape Town
• Lerato Rabatho – Seinoli Legal Centre
• Mutuso Dhliwayo – Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association
• Shamiso Mtisi – Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association
• Nkwane Thobejane – Chairperson, Sekhukhune Combined Mining-Affected Communities