Centre for Environmental Rights – Advancing Environmental Rights in South Africa

In the first quarter of 2017, the Centre for Environmental Rights rolled out our pilot Environmental Rights & Remedies – a course for activists training course. In August 2017 we completed a full evaluation of the pilot project. The graduates indicated that the course significantly enhanced the way they approach environmental activism, with one describing it as the best training he had ever attended. As a result of the training, the graduates have been demanding compliance with environmental laws in their communities, and exercising remedies taught on the course.

We are now calling for nominations for our second course, which will take place in Cape Town from 22 August to 6 September 2018.

This course will continue to focus on practical training outcomes and provide participants with a range of skills to facilitate engagement with government and industry, including the use of statutory remedies (e.g. writing complaint and objection letters, reporting environmental violations, and using access to information laws). The course will include practical sessions on topics ranging from organising stakeholder meetings and media engagement, to effective presentation skills and record keeping.

Designed to capacitate seasoned activists from communities affected by environmental rights violations, the course will empower participants to use the law to assert their rights, push for compliance, and hold government and the private sector accountable for violations of environment law. Successful applicants will be asked to return to their communities and act as focal points for environmental rights.

To apply – or nominate – someone for this course, download the form Call for nominations: Environmental Rights and Remedies – a training course for activists.

For enquiries, please contact CER attorney, Matome Kapa, on [email protected].