Overview
The CER’s mining programme promotes environmental justice in the mining sector by advocating for better environmental laws and improved implementation of laws, litigating on behalf of mining-affected communities and civil society organisations, facilitating networking among relevant stakeholders and supporting activists. Our work is aimed at ensuring that adequate assessment and mitigation of detrimental impacts take place within reasonable timeframes before prospecting and mining are commenced, followed by predictable compliance monitoring of requirements set, and strong enforcement action taken when non-compliance is found. This is the only way to ensure responsible environmental practices at mines, in the interest of workers, communities and the country.
In addition to representing communities and civil society organisations, CER attorneys work within a broad and vibrant network of civil society, community organisations, academic institutions and law clinics concerned about the impacts of mining on the environment and on the communities that rely on those natural resources.
Since 2014, our mining work focuses almost exclusively on coal, and most of our cases relate to coal mining in Mpumalanga province.