Inspiring Victories of 2019

11/26/19
ELAW Bulletin

A Win for Mpumalanga Grasslands, Waterways, and Communities in South Africa

Mpumalanga Wetlands. PHOTO: James Oatway.

Last week, ELAW partners in South Africa shared their latest victory: South Africa’s Constitutional Court slammed one door shut on plans to build a new coal mine inside an Mpumalanga Protected Area.

These vital grasslands are the source of water supplies to South Africa’s largest urban centers and agricultural areas, and support downstream economies and ecosystems.

This final victory follows a victory last year in which a High Court in Gauteng voided Ministerial approvals for the coal mine. The coal company attempted to challenge the High Court judgment four times, its last hope being to the Constitutional Court. That Court, however, rejected the appeal.

“Thank you ELAW for your ongoing support.”
- Melissa Fourie, Executive Director, Centre for Environmental Rights
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Czech Ministry of Environment Quashes the Exemption of Chvaletice Coal Plant from European Air Quality Standards

Chvaletice Power Plant. PHOTO: Pechristaner, Wikimedia Commons.

We also celebrated with ELAW partners last week when the Czech Ministry of Environment rejected an illegal pollution exemption for Chvaletice coal plant. Now it will be up to the regional authority to decide about the exemption again.

"We are very happy! Thank you ELAW for all the help you have provided us in this case and also all the others!"
- Laura Haiselová, Attorney, Frank Bold, Czech Republic
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We celebrated many more wins with ELAW partners this year:

UNESCO World Heritage sites in Lamu, Kenya and Lumbini, Nepal protected from polluting industries.
Coal mine expansion in Chhattisgarh, India on hold, and coal plant expansion in Karnataka rejected.
Victories for urban wetlands and dunes in Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, and Mexico.
Defending defenders in Malaysia, Mexico, and throughout the Americas.
Sri Lanka rejects contaminated UK waste.
One win in the ongoing fight to save Jamaica's Cockpit Country.
Court upholds Bali, Indonesia's single-use plastic ban.
Protecting dolphins in Ukraine.

Thank you to all the partners, supporters, and volunteers who made these victories possible!

Lamu, Kenya. PHOTO: Karl Ragnar Gjertsen, Wikimedia Commons.

ELAW partners in front of Indonesia's Supreme Court. PHOTO: ICEL.

Dolphins. PHOTO: Anson Antony, Unsplash.

It is an honor to collaborate with a global alliance of skilled, committed advocates who are challenging environmental abuses and helping communities forge a brighter future.

Warm wishes,

Bern Johnson
Executive Director
Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide

P.S. You can help win next year's victories by giving to ELAW this #GivingTuesday, December 3rd!