Resolving environmental conflicts – an alternative approach 2025
In response to our escalating planetary crises, environmental conflicts have become commonplace, posing a significant threat to global security, stability and wellbeing.
Effectively addressing the highly complex, and dynamic nature of environmental conflicts necessitates a focused, proactive and collaborative response to solution-building and resolution for which traditional legal and ADR interventions are inadequate for the task.
Environmental collaboration and conflict resolution (ECCR) is a growing field that seeks to resolve environmental conflicts by enabling a customised approach that optimises mutually beneficial and enduring solutions.
ECCR offers an expansive range of conflict management options, techniques, and processes to prevent disagreements from devolving into community tension, violence, and protracted litigation. As such, developing ECCR skills has become a critical risk management tool for both the private and public sectors.
Sign up for a fifteen-hour course in which we will study the methodologies involved in this field.
When and where?
4 to 8 August 2025, 9:00 to 12:00 SAST
This course will be held remotely, most likely on Zoom.
Outcomes
On completion of the course, participants will be able to:
- Demonstrate a sound understanding of the key constituents and techniques of ECCR and discern how and when to implement these for optimal peacebuilding results.
- Analyse and define the causes of environmental conflict, understand the use of emotional intelligence in defusing conflict, and recognise the diversity of approaches to environmental threats and conflict.
- Design appropriate and effective cooperation, collaboration and conflict resolution processes amongst diverse groups and teams.
- Generate options, reach agreement, and document decisions to foster long-term commitments.
- Understand behaviours that build trust, cooperation, and long-term value for all.
- Participate effectively in collaborative multi-party processes.
- Distinguish between different preconditions, as well as different types of interventions, and each intervention’s impact.
- Align environmental conflict situations with appropriate response strategies.
- Practice skills in resolving conflict, and confrontation, and overcoming deadlocks and aggression.
- Identify the best strategies to apply and necessary leadership communication skills to address and resolve conflict.
- Contribute to instituting a conflict transformation culture in the participants’ organisations, which drive change, action, and learning in relation to conflict prevention and conflict management.
Who will benefit from this course?
Public and private sector middle to senior management who engage with diverse stakeholders regarding any aspect of environmental management.
Presenter
Jennifer Kamerman is an environmental lawyer who holds a B.A. LLB. LLM (Environmental Law) from the University of Cape Town.
After graduating with an LLB, Jennifer spent 17 years in the retail industry, gaining broad-based experience in commercial law, business organisation, leadership, management, and governance, at a senior level.
Since 2009, Jennifer has provided legal expertise to those seeking to effectively address threats to their environment. Jennifer is passionate about creating a platform for meaningful participation in environmental decision-making for communities who lack the know-how to navigate environmental law, policy, and regulation.
Further, Jennifer expresses her commitment to ongoing education by researching, writing, and teaching professional skills development courses, in various aspects of environmental law, ESG, stakeholder engagement, and sustainable development.
In addition, Jennifer advises and trains corporates on the integration of sustainability into their business practices and assists with their stakeholder engagement strategies and processes.
Jennifer is an internationally accredited mediator who is experienced in facilitating long-term solution-building in multi-stakeholder environmental disputes.
How much?
R7,200 per person.
Certificate
A digital certificate of attendance from UCT will be issued to those who attend the full course.
SIGN UP HERE: Resolving environmental conflicts – an alternative approach | UCT Law at Work
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