Environmental Law and Local Government in South Africa is the only work of its kind to extensively analyse South African environmental law and policy for local government.

This second edition offers a novel collection of theoretical scholarship and real-life examples that present different features of the interface between local governance, local government law, environmental law and urban development. Each chapter is detailed yet accessible.

The 40 contributing authors hail from academia, local government practice and the environmental management sector. Together they bring a vast amount of experience and knowledge to help improve the state of the environment in and around South African cities and towns.

The new edition of Environmental Law and Local Government in South Africa has been updated to reflect recent changes in international urban policy development, the adoption and relevance of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and legislative reform in several sectors including waste, water, biodiversity, spatial planning, climate change and heritage resources management.

This volume offers a wealth of information for those involved in local government, environmental governance, sustainability and urban development. It will be useful for researchers, students and practitioners alike. 

Part 1: The local government-sustainability interface

• Chapter 1: An introduction
• Chapter 2: Key elements for municipal action
• Chapter 3: Instrumentation for local environmental governance
• Chapter 4: Municipal integrated development planning
• Chapter 5: Local economic development and pursuit of a green economy

Part 2: The local government-environmental law interface – notions and perspectives

• Chapter 6: Environmental rights protected in the Constitution
• Chapter 7: The regulation and mitigation of environmental pollution by local government
• Chapter 8: Conservation, sustainable use of natural resources and the notion of public trusteeship
• Chapter 9: Environmental law compliance and enforcement
• Chapter 10: Municipal service delivery and the environment
• Chapter 11: Co-operative government and the intergovernmental division of environmental powers and functions

Part 3: Sector-based perspectives

• Chapter 12: Air quality management
• Chapter 13: Solid-waste management
• Chapter 14: Water services provision and the protection of water resources
• Chapter 15: Environmental health and municipal public health services
• Chapter 16: Land-use management and planning
• Chapter 17: Soil conservation and land management
• Chapter 18: Hazardous substances management and control
• Chapter 19: Biodiversity
• Chapter 20: Urban ecology
• Chapter 21: Marine and coastal management by local government
• Chapter 22: Heritage resources management
• Chapter 23: Disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation and resilience
• Chapter 24: Energy
• Chapter 25: Green building
• Chapter 26: Greening sustainable public procurement 

Part 4: The local government -sustainability interface

• Chapter 27: Processes for action on utilities and environmentally related projects for sustained and effective local environmental governance

Index

• Administrators and managers in local government
• Environmental lawyers
• Environmental Health Practitioners
• Environmental practitioners in sustainability, local governance, planning, environmental management and intergovernmental relations 
• Students and academics in environmental law, environmental and public health, science and geographic sciences