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Mail & Guardian
environmental impactlatest news & developments
As demand for copper, cobalt and other minerals needed for electric vehicles and renewable energy surges, a new report warns that allegations of human rights abuses linked to mining in Africa are rising even faster
CRITICAL MINERALS

Africa bears growing human cost of the world's rush for critical minerals

A new report by the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre reveals that allegations of human rights abuses linked to transition mineral mining in Africa more than doubled in…

  • Sheree Bega
5 min read
Africa’s lithium boom won’t last forever. Photo: Dianah Chiyangwa
ALL RISE ATTORNEYS

KZN coastal communities demand withdrawal of SA Lithium mine expansion over legal, environmental concerns

A coalition of KwaZulu-Natal coastal organisations is calling for the withdrawal of SA Lithium’s Highbury Mine expansion near Umzumbe, citing alleged legal flaws, water risks,…

  • Sheree Bega
8 min read
Human-made chemicals have become woven into the chemistry of the ocean, a major new led by Jarmo-Charles Kalinski (above) study has found
CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION

Human-made chemicals embedded across global oceans, major study finds

A groundbreaking analysis of more than 2 300 seawater samples shows that industrial chemicals dominate ocean pollution signals, even far from land

  • Sheree Bega
3 min read
TotalEnergies SA’s proposed project ‘may drill the deepest offshore well in the world’
DEEP WESTERN ORANGE BASIN

Green groups slam ultra-deep oil, gas drilling off South African coast

TotalEnergies SA’s proposed project ‘may drill the deepest offshore well in the world’

  • Sheree Bega
7 min read
Mad dash: Most of the sudden influx of prospecting applications are for lithium, but include dozens of other critical minerals. Pictured here is the SA Lithium Mine near Umzumbe. Photo: Supplied
AFLI EXPLORATIONS

Mining red flags along KwaZulu-Natal’s South Coast

Thirteen prospecting applications have been submitted to the department of minerals and petroleum resources by seven companies since 2023

  • Andiswa Matikinca
11 min read
Brian van Wilgen, one of the authors of a new book on the ecology and management of one of Africa’s most destructive weeds, visited this heavily invaded area near Moshi in Tanzania in 2019. Prosopis trees form dense thickets to increase the difficulty that herbivorous mammals experience in gaining access to grazing or water or moving between different areas. Photo: Jano Barnard.
BIODIVERSITY LOSS

Prosopis invasions: Battle against Africa’s worst weed

In densely invaded areas, the trees can consume about 50% of the annual rainfall of the region, severely depleting groundwater

  • Sheree Bega
7 min read
Stranded birds, Robert Kigongo
BIODIVERSITY DESTRUCTION

Kampala’s tree felling is endangering egrets and biodiversity

Infrastructure development in Uganda’s capital should not destroy habitats and green spaces

  • Robert Kigongo
3 min read
BEE PROTECTION

Cape honey bees the guardians of South Africa’s food security

Honey bees are invaluable to the environment and the economy, and their protection is essential

  • Lesego Chepape
4 min read
A flotilla of hundreds of boats sailed effortlessly on the Vaal River at the weekend, without being hindered by invasive water lettuce and water hyacinth
ANTI POLLUTION FORUM

Invasive weeds cleared from Vaal River through community-government collaboration

This was achieved through a partnership involving the Vaal community, Rand Water, Rhodes University’s Centre for Biological Control, the water and sanitation department and the…

  • Sheree Bega
7 min read
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Environmental efforts pay off: study shows plastic loads in petrels remain stable over decades

New research uncovers surprising stability in plastic ingestion among seabirds on Inaccessible Island

  • Sheree Bega
5 min read
TotalEnergies, the French petro giant company with a legacy of destruction on the continent, this year celebrates 100 years. (Ernest Ankomah/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
CLIMATE ACCOUNTABILITY

TotalEnergies African legacy: 100 years of environmental destruction

Climate justice groups are leading the fight against those causing harm to our environment and climate

  • Ozayr Patel
5 min read
The United Nations Decade on Biodiversity has ended, paving way for the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030. (Nacho Doce/Reuters)
BRAZIL

Attacks on Brazil’s ecological paradises threaten biodiversity

Brazil’s rich biodiversity is under attack from multiple fronts

  • Pascale Trouillaud
4 min read
They allege that the British army and colonial administrators deployed rape
AFRICA

Africa needs to cool down – urgently

The continent must develop technologies for cooling that don’t contribute to global warming

  • Staff Reporter
4 min read
Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille accepts the nomination as new leader of the Democratic Alliance in the Western Cape on Saturday.
CHURCH

Pastor Shepherd Bushiri ministries fined R87 500

Church broke environmental law by going ahead with illegal construction.

  • Sipho Kings
2 min read
Eleven-month-old Akalapatan Kebo
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

​Why SA must push for renewables

Nuclear build dreams continue to stand in the way of the country being able to nourish itself with a mix of sun, wind and other energy sources.

  • Sipho Kings
5 min read
ECOLOGY

Europe’s lazy storks hooked on takeaways

As a result of human influences and global environmental change, the migratory bird has taken to a more sedentary lifestyle.

  • Sipho Kings
2 min read
ENDANGERED SPECIES

Motor engine noise severely impacts marine life

Levels of noise similar to those at a rock concert are bombarding the world’s marine life, making it harder for them to hunt and to detect predators.

  • Sipho Kings
3 min read
Political violence, including killings, in South Africa predominantly targets ANC members, and intensifies in the run-up to elections and conference. (Paul Botes/M&G)
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Companies guilty of air pollution get a five-year reprieve

The major air polluters had until April to get their act together, but a loophole in the law means corporates can ask for more postponements.

  • Sipho Kings
5 min read
CONSTITUTION

Citizen activists must lead

Enviromentalist Saliem Fakir looks at how attitudes to green issues have changed.

  • Staff Reporter
4 min read
Coal mining in the Gwayi area could damage the environment and disturb wildlife.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Mining may contaminate Zambezi water

A coal-mining venture in western Zimbabwe, allowed by a special presidential grant, could cause trouble with the country’s neighbours.

  • Stephen Chareka
5 min read