November 21, 2025 AFRICAN ACTIVISTS SAY: “G20 MUST CHOOSE PEOPLE-POWERED TRANSITION OVER FOSSIL FUEL EXPANSION” People took to the streets of Johannesburg ahead of this weekend’s G20 Summit, urging world leaders to end fossil fuel expansion and deliver real commitments on climate justice. As South Africa prepares to host the G20 Summit this weekend amidst […]

November 18, 2025 CIVIL SOCIETY TO PRESIDENT: “SA CANNOT AFFORD ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP GAPS AT COP30 & G20” Image Source: www.unops.org/geneva The Green Connection is of the opinion that the sudden dismissal of Dion George as South Africa’s Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment – announced last week, in the middle of COP30 could risk

November 14, 2025 HIGH COURT CONFIRMS TEEPSA 5/6/7 ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORISATION REMAINS INVALID – GRANTS LIMITED LEAVE TO APPEAL. On 12 November 2025, Judge Mangcu-Lockwood handed down her ruling, granting the State and Shell limited permission to appeal against her 13 August decision to set aside the Environmental Authorisation (EA) for offshore drilling in Block 5/6/7

October 23, 2025 Oceans At Risk: Oil And Gas Companies Fight Court Ruling. In a pivotal development in the fight for environmental justice, Shell and the Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources have applied for leave to appeal the recent judgment of Judge Mangcu-Lockwood of the Western Cape High Court, which found the environmental authorisation

October 20, 2025 THE GREEN CONNECTION AWAITS FULL IRP BUT RAISES CONCERNS ON GAS AND NUCLEAR FOCUS. Yesterday 19 October, Electricity Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa presented South Africa’s R2-trillion Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) to the media, stating that fossil fuels will continue to play a role as the country transitions to cleaner energy sources such

October 17, 2025 CIVIL SOCIETY TO G20: “SOUTH AFRICANS DEMAND A JUST, PEOPLE-CENTRED ENERGY FUTURE!” Before the G20 Climate and Environmental Sustainability Working Group Ministerial Meeting kicked off at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) yesterday, to discuss a range of technical papers on biodiversity, land degradation, drought and water sustainability, chemicals and waste

September 23, 2025 GREEN CONNECTION AND NATURAL JUSTICE REJECT “WORLD’S DEEPEST” OIL DRILLING AS RECKLESS AND UNJUST Fresh from their landmark victory in the Teepsa 5/6/7 case, where the courts set aside authorisation for another deep-water drilling project, Green Connection and Natural Justice are warning of an even bigger threat to people, the ocean and

September 16, 2025 NDCs MUST BE STRENGTHENED, CLIMATE ACTION CAN’T WAIT! In a recent submission to the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Environment (DFFE), The Green Connection is of the opinion that South Africa’s draft Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for 2030–2035 fall short of what is needed to address the climate crisis, arguing that the

September 5, 2025 High Court Victory Challenged: Civil Society Braces For Next Round In Block5/6/7 Case Just when civil society thought it could breathe a sigh of relief – believing that justice had prevailed for the ocean environment, the climate, and the people, the State and Shell are back. They want to appeal the court’s

August 25, 2025 Eco-Justice Groups Warn: Oil Survey Violates Climate Law And Jeopardizes Just Transition #KickTotalOutofAfrica. According to The Green Connection and Natural Justice, two eco-justice organisations committed to protecting the climate and safeguarding coastal livelihoods, even with the recent legal victory halting TotalEnergies’ attempt to exploit Block 5/6/7, the fight to ensure South Africa

August 14, 2025 Offshore Drilling Project Halted In Landmark High Court Victory for Coastal Communities Against Shell, TotalEnergies. In a landmark victory for civil society and coastal communities, the Western Cape High Court has set aside the South African government’s decision to grant environmental authorisation for offshore drilling in Block 5/6/7, along the South-West Coast.

August 6, 2025 Shell’s Deep-Sea Gamble: Civil Society Slams Approval of Ultra-Risky Oil Drilling Project Off SA Coast. Civil society organisations and coastal communities have launched a formal appeal against the government’s controversial decision to green-light Shell’s Northern Cape Ultra Deep (NCUD) oil and gas project. Led by The Green Connection and Natural Justice, and

July 15, 2025 The Green Connection Comments on Shell NCUD EIA Authorisation The Green Connection notes with deep concern and surprise the recent approval of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for Shell’s proposed Northern Cape Ultra Deep (NCUD) oil and gas exploration project. This approval comes despite repeated objections raised by coastal communities and civil

July 2, 2025 Civil Society Rejects Gas Expansion Plans In Draft IRP – Warns It’s A Costly Mistake The Public Cannot Afford. Civil society organisations are raising the alarm over the South African government’s renewed interest in gas-to-power projects in the draft Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). The Green Connection – along with the Southern African

May 30, 2025 Draft Petroleum Regulations Threaten Transparency, Eco-justice, and Climate Accountability. Cape Town, South Africa – The Green Connection is sounding the alarm about the Draft Regulations in the Upstream Petroleum Resources Development Act (UPRDA) – currently under review by the Department of Mineral & Petroleum Resources, following the Act’s passage by Parliament in

May 8, 2025 “African Coastal Livelihoods Deserve To Be Protected!” – Communities Challenge Offshore Oil Project Amid Legal Storm Over Environmental Authorisation. Cape Town – Court hearings unfold this week in the Western Cape High Court, small-scale fishers and coastal communities from across the Northern and Western Cape have united with civil society organisations The

April 10, 2025 Environmental Justice Organisations Question Viability Of Mossel Bay Oil And Gas Plans. As Earth Month unfolds, The Green Connection and Natural Justice are speaking out against yet another push to expand fossil fuel development — despite mounting evidence that such projects accelerate climate change and destroy ecosystems. On 4 April 2025, the

April 2, 2025 Systemic Corruption, The Real Human Rights Violation. As South Africa looks forward to Freedom Day, it would be an injustice to neglect to confront the glaring systemic corruption which continues to erode the nation’s economic freedom and undermine fundamental human rights of its citizens. With the current pressure on day-to-day affordability threatening

March 31, 2025 A Just Energy Transition Must Prioritize People Over Profits, A Bottom-Up Approach. South Africa’s Just Energy Transition (JET) has been riddled with top-down decision making while grassroots communities suffer from weak energy infrastructure and are in dire need of a stable energy supply and yet have no meaningful voice. Led by the

March 19, 2025 The Green Connection Welcomes Settlement to Protect African Penguin And Small-Scale Fisher Livelihoods. Small scale fishers and activists (Gansbaai) With South Africa stressing its commitment to social justice and human rights this month, The Green Connection says it welcomes the recent historic settlement in the legal challenge brought by the Southern African

March 7, 2025 TOTALENERGIES PULLS OUT – BUT THE THREAT TO OUR OCEANS REMAINS. The Green Connection welcomes TotalEnergies EP South Africa’s (TotalEnergies) withdrawal of its environmental authorisation (EA) application for Block 11B/12B but warns that the fight to protect South Africa’s oceans is far from over. While this may seem like a victory, the

February 28, 2025 Eco-Justice Organizations Reject Draft Scoping Report For Offshore Drilling On SA’S West Coast (TEEPSA DWOB South). Just more than a month into the new year and eco-justice organisations, The Green Connection, Natural Justice, and Masifundise are sounding alarm bells about yet another fossil fuel project application underway, warning of potentially severe environmental

January 24, 2025 Eskom’s Proposed Retail Tariff Plan: The Green Connection Joins Calls For Energy Justice And Stakeholder Engagement. Photo Credit: Trav Wade Part of National Energy Regulator of South Africa’s (Nersa) public hearings (on Friday, 24 January), regarding Eskom’s proposed Retail Tariff Plan (RTP), The Green Connection’s Strategic Lead, Liz McDaid says, “Affordable, reliable