LEG2601 Assignment 1 2025 | March 2025

Description

LEG2601 Assignment 1 2025 | March 2025

Question:

Section 2 of the National Environmental Management Act of 1998 includes seversustainable development principles that must be considered when making andecisions or taking any action in environmental management. Name thresustainable development principles and give a full description of each.

Precautionary Principle

In Section 2(4)(a)(vii) of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), mandates that decision-makers adopt a risk-averse and cautious approach when theis uncertainty about the potential environmental impacts of an activity. This principle emphasizes that the lack of full scientific certainty should not be used as a justificationfor delaying measures that prevent environmental harm. In other words, if an action opolicy has the potential to cause significant environmental damage, it is better to takepreventive action even if scientific evidence is inconclusive at the time.

This principle ensures that environmental management strategies are proactive rathethan reactive, aiming to prevent irreversible environmental degradation before it occurs. It is particularly important in cases where long-term or cumulative environmental impacts are unknown.