Sibeko, Ziyanda Kgotso2024-06-142024-06-142023-02-15Sibeko, Ziyanda Kgotso. (2023). The development and application of the precautionary principle in south african environmental law [Master’s dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg]. WireDSpace. https://hdl.handle.net/10539/38661https://hdl.handle.net/10539/38661A research report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Laws by Coursework and Research Report at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023The Precautionary Principle has advanced considerably as an international environmental principle over the past few years, and it has been enacted in the international and domestic laws of several countries, including South Africa. Furthermore, the PP has been applied and tested in various judgments in different jurisdictions and fora. This research report seeks to interrogate the codification of the PP in international environmental conventions such as the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the Vienna Convention on the Protection of the Ozone Layer and other international statutory instruments. While this study does not purport to perform a comprehensive comparative analysis of other domestic environmental law frameworks, it does refer to environmental law frameworks in Canada, Australia, and the Netherlands with the overarching goal of drawing comparisons and eliciting best practises that may inform amendments to South Africa’s legal framework. The report also tracks and investigates the impact of the PP’s incorporation into South African statutes such as the National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998 and its application by courts and tribunals, including the Constitutional Court of South Africa. Lastly, the study draws conclusions from the findings and makes recommendations for how policymakers, legislators, and our courts can better use and apply the PP as an internationally recognised principle of environmental law to advance environmental sustainability and management.en© 2023 University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.Precautionary PrincipleEnvironmental Sustainability and ManagementInternational Environmental LawRio Declaration on Environment and DevelopmentUCTDSDG-16: Peace, justice and strong institutionsDissertationUniversity of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg