South African ‘Deadly Air’ Lawsuit Win Promotes Environmental Accountability

In April 2025, the South African Supreme Court ruled that the government’s failure to comply with the Highveld Air Quality Management Plan had resulted in an annual average PM2.5 concentration of 65 µg/m³ (the WHO standard is 10 µg/m³) in the industrial region, which was responsible for the premature deaths of 10,000 people per year. The court ordered the government to introduce mandatory emission reduction regulations within 12 months, requiring coal-fired power plants to install carbon capture devices.