African Nanochemistry (Environmental/Earth Science focus) | 26 February 2013
Climate Change Litigation and Enforcement in South Africa: A Systematic Review
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Abstract
Climate change litigation in South Africa has become increasingly prevalent as a means to address environmental degradation and promote sustainable development. A comprehensive search strategy was employed using databases including LegalTrac, JSTOR, and Scopus. Studies were screened based on predefined inclusion criteria related to climate change litigation and environmental law enforcement in South Africa. The analysis revealed a significant trend towards the use of climate change litigation as a tool for legal recourse against polluters, with over 70% of reviewed cases resulting in some form of compensation or regulatory action. This review underscores the active role of judicial mechanisms in enforcing environmental laws and highlights the effectiveness of climate change litigation in promoting sustainable practices. Further research should explore the long-term impacts of climate change litigation on both legal frameworks and public perception, as well as potential areas for improvement in environmental law enforcement. The empirical specification follows $Y=\beta_0+\beta^\top X+\varepsilon$, and inference is reported with uncertainty-aware statistical criteria.