Advancing the constitutional goal of social justice through a teleological interpretation of key concepts in the environmental rights in section 24

dc.contributor.advisorLiebenberg, Sandraen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorDonald, Megan Elizabethen_ZA
dc.contributor.otherStellenbosch University. Faculty of Law. Dept. of Public Law.en_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2015-01-13T11:46:28Z
dc.date.available2016-01-01T03:00:15Z
dc.date.issued2014-12en_ZA
dc.descriptionThesis (LLM)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractENGLISH ABSTRACT: The protection and conservation of the environment is essential for the continued existence of humankind, particularly in light of the challenges of climate change and environmental degradation. Along with these environmental concerns, South Africa faces challenges of poverty and inequality which can exacerbate environmental degradation. It is also often the poor who bear the brunt of the impacts of pollution and environmental degradation. Any effective approach to environmental protection must be mindful of the need for poverty alleviation, while any socio-economic development must bear in mind the absolute necessity of the environment for the existence of humankind. Section 24(a) of the Constitution provides for the right to an environment not harmful to health or well-being, while environmental protection is included in section 24(b). A handful of cases have dealt with this right, but its meaning has not been developed or sufficiently defined. This thesis looks at the interpretation of the key concepts of “environment”, “health or well-being”, and “sustainable development” in section 24. This is done through a teleological interpretation of the right which is mindful of the role of the interdependence of rights, and the context of the Bill of Rights and the Constitution as a whole. In light of the transformative goals of the Constitution it is important that section 24 is construed with due regard to the influences and challenges of socio-economic concerns such as poverty, unemployment and inequality. This thesis argues that the environmental right in section 24 can and should be interpreted to advance the needs of the poor and improve their quality of life alongside the protection of the natural environment.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractAFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die beskerming en bewaring van die omgewing is essensieël vir die voortbestaan van die mensdom, veral as dit beskou word in die lig van die uitdagings van klimaatsverandering en die agteruitgang van die omgewing. Saam met hierdie bekommernisse oor die omgewing, het Suid Afrika ook uitdagings van armoede en ongelykheid wat die agteruitgang van die omgewing kan vererger. Dit is ook gewoonlik die armes wat die skok van die impak van die besoedeling en omgewingsagteruitgang moet dra. ‘n Effektiewe benadering tot omgewingsbewaring moet die behoefte aan armoedeverligting in ag neem, terwyl enige sosio-ekonomiese ontwikkeling weer die absolute noodsaaklikheid van die omgewing vir die menslike voortbestaan in gedagte moet hou. Artikel 24(a) van die Grondwet voorsien vir die reg tot ‘n omgewing wat nie skadelik is vir die gesondheid of welstand van mense nie en artikel 24(b) maak weer voorsiening vir die beskerming van die omgewing. ‘n Handjievol sake het die reg behandel, maar die betekenis daarvan is nog nie ontwikkel of voldoende gedefinieer nie. Die tesis kyk na die interpretasie van die kernbeginsels “omgewing”, “gesondheid of welstand” en “volhoubare ontwikkeling” in artikel 24. Dit word gedoen deur ‘n teleologiese interpretasie van die reg, wat die interafhanklikheid van regte en die konteks van die Handves van Menseregte in die Grondwet as geheel, in gedagte hou. In die lig van die transformatiewe doelwitte van die Grondwet, is dit belangrik dat artikel 24 gekonstrueer word met inagneming van die invloede en uitdagings van sosio-ekonomiese kwelpunte soos armoede, werkloosheid en ongelykheid. Hierdie tesis argumenteer dat die omgewingsreg in artikel 24 tot voordeel van die behoeftes van die armes en tot die verbetering van hulle lewenskwaliteit, saam met die beskerming van die omgewing, geïnterpreteer moet word.af_ZA
dc.embargo.terms2015-12-31en_ZA
dc.format.extentviii, 181 pagesen_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/95743
dc.language.isoen_ZAen_ZA
dc.publisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch Universityen
dc.rights.holderStellenbosch Universityen
dc.subjectEnvironmental lawen_ZA
dc.subjectEnvironmental protectionen_ZA
dc.subjectPoor -- South Africa -- Civil rightsen_ZA
dc.subjectSustainable developmenten_ZA
dc.subjectSouth Africa. Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996en_ZA
dc.subjectEnvironmental degradationen_ZA
dc.subjectUCTD
dc.titleAdvancing the constitutional goal of social justice through a teleological interpretation of key concepts in the environmental rights in section 24en_ZA
dc.typeThesisen_ZA
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