Global Environmental Law Centre

On today, we are reminded that climate action requires more than ambition. It requires legal knowledge, institutional capacity, accountability and governance tools that can respond to the realities of climate change across South Africa, Africa and the world.

Our short course on Climate Law and Governance, developed and taught by Prof Angela van der Berg (Joubert), offers an important opportunity to build this capacity.

As climate impacts intensify, legal practitioners, policymakers, researchers and professionals working in environmental and climate-related fields have a critical role to play in shaping fair, effective and rights-based responses to the climate crisis.

Course details below 👇

We are pleased to present our short course on Climate Law and Governance, developed and taught by Prof Angela van der Berg (Joubert) Director of GELC.

As climate impacts intensify globally and across Africa, there is a growing need for legal and governance expertise that can respond to complex, multi-level challenges. This course is designed to equip participants with both critical knowledge and practical skills to engage in this evolving field.

🔍 What participants will gain:

• A strong foundation in climate change law, policy, and governance at national and international levels
• Critical insights into South Africa’s Climate Change Act and its legal context
• Engagement with climate litigation, human rights, and global climate frameworks
• Practical skills to navigate climate governance challenges and legal reform processes
• Tools to contribute meaningfully to climate action and climate justice

👥 Who should attend?
Legal practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and professionals working in environmental and climate-related fields.

📅 Dates: 10 June – 29 July 2026 (Wednesday evenings)
⏳ Duration: 7 weeks
💰 Fee: R6 000

**APPLY HERE: https://pillar7uwc.ac.za/courses/climate-law-and-governance-cid62

This course offers a valuable opportunity to engage with leading legal perspectives and strengthen capacity for impactful climate governance.



The University of the Western Cape
UWC Faculty of Law

We are pleased to present our short course on Climate Law and Governance, developed and taught by Prof Angela van der Berg (Joubert) Director of GELC.

As climate impacts intensify globally and across Africa, there is a growing need for legal and governance expertise that can respond to complex, multi-level challenges. This course is designed to equip participants with both critical knowledge and practical skills to engage in this evolving field.

🔍 What participants will gain:

• A strong foundation in climate change law, policy, and governance at national and international levels
• Critical insights into South Africa’s Climate Change Act and its legal context
• Engagement with climate litigation, human rights, and global climate frameworks
• Practical skills to navigate climate governance challenges and legal reform processes
• Tools to contribute meaningfully to climate action and climate justice

👥 Who should attend?
Legal practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and professionals working in environmental and climate-related fields.

📅 Dates: 10 June – 29 July 2026 (Wednesday evenings)
⏳ Duration: 7 weeks
💰 Fee: R6 000

**APPLY HERE: https://pillar7uwc.ac.za/courses/climate-law-and-governance-cid62

This course offers a valuable opportunity to engage with leading legal perspectives and strengthen capacity for impactful climate governance.



The University of the Western Cape
UWC Faculty of Law

⚖️CALL FOR APPLICATIONS - JABULA Moot Court Competition⚖️

Are you a postgraduate or final year law student enrolled at a South African university?

You can now apply to participate in the upcoming Animal Law Moot Court examining legal issues related to the commercial captive predator industry.

This event will be of particular interest to you if you are curious about animal law, environmental justice, constitutional litigation, and the role of law in regulating human–animal relationships.

🗓️ Date: 17-18 September 2026
📍 Venue: Law Department, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town
📄 Application form: https://tinyurl.com/ysfwhm7j
✅ Applications close: 31 May 2026

This is an in-person event and participation is free of charge. However, successful applicants will be required to self-fund their travel and accommodation.

Read more 👉 https://bloodlions.org/moot-application

We are incredibly proud to share that Celeste Viljoen, one of our LLM students, secured second place in the prestigious 2026 Cambridge Centre for Animal Rights Law Essay Competition!

Celeste’s essay, titled "The Lion's Claim: Rethinking Human Interests for Animal Flourishing", takes on a critical question in animal rights discourse: “How far should human interests be limited to enable animals to flourish?” Drawing from Martha Nussbaum's capabilities approach, Celeste explores the moral and legal dimensions of animal justice.
You can read the full essay here: https://lnkd.in/dA9k9cva

At GELC, we are committed to advancing environmental and animal rights law. We are very proud of our students who continue to push the boundaries of thought and action.
UWC Faculty of Law

Join us for an exciting upcoming webinar by Prof Edwin Egede (Professor of International Law and International Relations, Cardiff University, and Adjunct Professor in Public Law, Nelson Mandela University) titled “The BBNJ Agreement and Africa: Implications for Ocean Governance.”

This webinar will explore the significance of the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement), also known as the High Seas Treaty, following its entry into force on 17 January 2026. This webinar will examine what the treaty’s entry into force means for African countries and consider its broader implications for law, policy, governance, and implementation across the continent.

Date: 30 March 2026
Time: 13:00 SAST
Register here for online attendance: https://uwc.zoom.us/meeting/register/a6pGeSRZTtiaEPDd5rrsYg

UWC Faculty of Law

We are excited to invite you to an upcoming seminar by Prof Werner Scholtz (Head of School and Professor of Global Environmental Law, Southampton Law School, University of Southampton) titled “Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling and Whale Welfare: Culture Clashes.”

The seminar explores the emerging argument that the humane treatment of whales may be recognised as a general principle of international law, raising complex questions about whether Indigenous cultural rights to whaling can coexist with evolving global animal welfare norms.
Date: 24 March 2026
Time: 11:00 SAST
Register here for online attendance: https://uwc.zoom.us/meeting/register/wqEn54L4S66hB7i0hv0zxg #/registration

UWC Faculty of Law

We are pleased to share a student research achievement from the Global Environmental Law Centre (GELC).

Celeste Viljoen, an LLM Candidate in Environmental Law, has had a research article published on the EVE Modules blog, hosted by the University of Florence, following her participation in the EVE Fall School 2025. The EVE Fall School is an online postgraduate programme bringing together postgraduate students from across Africa and Europe and is funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ Jean Monnet Activities.

Celeste’s article, co-authored with Oluwatobi Oladipo-Ologundudu and titled “AI’s Hidden Costs: Environmental, Social and the Promise of Soft Law” examines the environmental and social resources underpinning artificial intelligence, including energy use, water consumption, mined minerals, and invisible human labour. It challenges the idea of AI as neutral and highlights its links to environmental harm, labour exploitation, and global inequality, while also considering the role of soft law in AI governance. The article is available here: https://www.eve-modules.eu/blog/ais-hidden-costs-environmental-social-and-the-promise-of-soft-law/

We congratulate Celeste on this publication and her contribution to critical scholarship on AI, environmental justice, and global governance.



Law Faculty UWC

AI’s Hidden Costs: Environmental, Social and the Promise of Soft Law | Eve Modules Following the end of EVE’s Fall School last edition, we are happy to open a new series of blog posts, which will constists in a review the final papers of the fall school’s partecipants. Oluwatobi Oladipo-Ologundudu & Celeste Viljoen are opening the floor, reporting on their research on AI’s H...

Happy World Wetlands Day!

Wetlands are essential to biodiversity, water security, climate resilience, and the wellbeing of communities.

This year’s theme, “Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage,” highlights something often overlooked in environmental governance: knowledge systems rooted in place, history, and lived practice. Across generations, indigenous peoples and local communities have protected, restored, and sustainably used wetlands through approaches that strengthen ecological integrity while sustaining cultural identity.

As we mark the day, we reaffirm the importance of recognising and supporting community-led stewardship, ensuring meaningful participation in decision-making, and strengthening legal and governance frameworks that safeguard wetlands for present and future generations.

Happy Birthday to Dr. Rochine Melandri Steenkamp 🎉

Today we celebrate not only an outstanding academic, but a colleague who is deeply respected and genuinely valued by the GELC community. Melandre is truly the backbone of the Centre – her dedication, intellectual rigour, generosity, and quiet leadership shape our work in ways that matter every day.

It is a real privilege to work alongside her, and to share another year of collaboration, learning, and growth. Our staff and students hold her in the highest regard, and we are incredibly fortunate to have her as part of the GELC.

We have no doubt that she will continue to do big, impactful things in the year ahead. Wishing her a year of success, fulfilment, and well-deserved recognition.

Today, as we celebrate World Cities Day under the theme "People-Centred Smart Cities”, we reflect on what justice and equity mean for Africa’s urban future. Across the continent, and especially in South Africa, cities still carry the weight of spatial inequality and environmental injustice. As we build smarter, greener, and more connected cities, the law must serve as both a guide and a safeguard, ensuring that innovation benefits all communities, not just a privileged few.

People-centred cities are built from the ground up, through inclusive participation, local knowledge, and legal frameworks that empower residents to co-create sustainable, resilient urban spaces. A truly smart city is one where technology, equity, and environmental stewardship work together to uphold justice and dignity for all.