Rare earth: SA’s Succulent Karoo and other exceptional landscapes deserve our duty of care (opens original article in a new tab)

South Africa's Succulent Karoo, a unique arid biodiversity hotspot, faces increasing development pressure from mining and prospecting, raising concerns about environmental governance, compliance with regulations, and the adequacy of assessing cumulative impacts on ecosystems and communities.

• South Africa's Succulent Karoo is a unique arid biodiversity hotspot facing development pressure from mining and prospecting.
• Environmental assessments for mining applications in the region show non-compliance with regulations, outdated data, and insufficient public participation.
• Cumulative impacts of multiple mining projects on biodiversity, water resources, and ecosystem integrity are not adequately assessed.