1. Environmental & Sustainability Studies (ESS) 122 Lecture 1 THE NATURE, SCOPE & HISTORY OF ENVIRONMENTAL LAW Prof TP van Reenen Faculty of Law

2. The Meaning of ‘Environment’ Legal Definition of the ‘ENVIRONMENT’ –Environment Conservation Act (ECA) 1989: s. 1 (Bio-centric) –National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) 1998: s. 1 (Anthropocentric)

3. Scope of Environmental Law Land-use planning and development Resource conservation and utilization Waste management and pollution control Types of Environmental Legislation

4. Sources of Environmental Law International Law Common Law The Constitution Statutory Law Custom

5. Distinctive Principles of Environmental Law Introduction Polluter Pays Principle Precautionary Principle Other Principles –Preventive Principle –Subsidiarity Principle

6. Important Concepts & Doctrines Introduction Duty of Care to Avoid Harm to the Environment Life Cycle Responsibility Sustainable Development (SD) Triple Bottom Line

7. Important Concepts & Doctrines Human Right to a ‘Decent’ Environment Legal Standing (locus standi) Environmental Justice Intra-generational equity Intergenerational Equity Public Trust Doctrine (PTD)

8. History of Environmental Law 1960s-1970s: Dawning of the ‘Age of Environmental Law’

9. Reasons for Environmental Law Utilitarian reasons Intrinsic value of nature & natural environment