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ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

Elective: 2013

The concept environment


It should be recognised, writes Andre Rabie Environmental Law in search of an Identity 1991 (2) Stell LR 202) at 204, that environment is a relational concept: it denotes an interrelationship between man and his surroundings. Depending upon how extensive these surroundings are conceived to be, different approaches may be identified. Rabie takes two approaches: the extensive and the limited approach.

On this approach, environment is a concept which embraces a multitude of ingredients (Rabie 204). Among them are the following: 1. the natural environment, which is in a strict sense the created environment in its pure state, but more generally regarded as referring to renewable and non-renewable natural resources such as air, water, soil, plants and animals; 2. the spatial environment, which is man-made and natural areas such as a suburb, town, city, region, province, country, as well as certain specific landscapes, for instance mountains, wetlands, rivers, sea-shore and forests; 3. the sociological or social environment, which is other people such as the family, group and society; 4. Economic environment 5. Cultural-historic environment 6. Built environment 7. Political environment 8. Labour or work environment. These ingredients together comprise the totality of the human environment.

Extensive approach

Limited approach
The limited approach has as its focus the natural environment, as opposed to the man-made environment (Rabie 207). It has probably been influenced by ecological studies and nature conservation (Rabie 207). It refers to the natural environment and the modifications placed upon this by man (Rabie 208).

The concept of environment in South Africa


In terms of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) 107 of 1998 (s 1), environment refers to the surroundings within which humans exist and which are made up of the land, the water and the atmosphere of the earth; micro-organisms, plant and animal life; any part or combination of the first two items on this list, and the interrelationships among and between them; and the physical, chemical, aesthetic and cultural properties and conditions of the foregoing that influence human health and well-being.

The concept of environment in South Africa


In terms of the Environment Conservation Act 73 of 1989 (s 1), environment refers to the aggregate of surrounding objects, conditions and influences that influence the life and habits of man or any other organism or collection of organisms.

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