Sustainable development requires, among others, that negative impacts on the environment and on people's environmental rights, be anticipated and prevented and where it cannot be prevented, are minimized and remedied (National environmental principles; NEMA). The actual and potential impact on the environment ect. must be identified, predicted and evaluated. Negative impacts must be minimized, benefits maximized and compliance with the principles of environmental management promoted. Effects of activities on the environment must receive adequate consideration before such actions are executed (Integrated environmental management; NEMA).

Reasonable measures to prevent pollution or degradation of the environment must be taken which includes investigation, assessment and evaluation of the impact on the environment (environmental hazards; NEMA). Every person is entitled to access to information held by the State relating to the implementation of any law affecting the environment and actual and future threats to the environment. Organs of State are entitled to have access to information relating to the state of the environment and actual future threats to the environment, including any emissions to water, air or soil (NEMA).

The Environment Conservation Act authorised a system for the execution of environmental impact assessment. If an activity is identified in terms of section 21, it may not be undertaken without authorisation in terms of section 22. An application for authorisation must be supported by an environmental impact report. R1182 identified certain activities. If a proponent wishes to undertake such activities the environmental impact assessment procedure laid down in R1183 must be followed.

As far as mining activities are concerned, the holder of the prospecting permit or mining authorisation must submit an environmental management programme. Damage to and disturbance of the land surface, vegetation, environment and water sources should be kept to the minimum. The Director: Mineral Development may issue directives and determine conditions in relation to the use of the surface of land comprising the subject of any prospecting permit or mining authorization. ( Mineral Act )

Mining activities impact on the environment in varying degrees. The areas that identify themselves for policy and regulation is the environmental impact of exploration and the environmental impact over the life of a mine including mine closure and financial assurances for mine site rehabilitation (A Minerals and Mining Policy for South Africa). The Government will have to ensure that the cost of environmental impacts of the mining industry are not passed over to the community. Therefore effective and affordable measures and standards for environmental impact assessment must be implemented. Ongoing research regarding standards and practice applied to managing environmental impact should be done. Under the Minerals Act, prospecting and mining operations may not be conducted without an approved environmental management programme (EMP). (Background)

Should an economically viable ore body be discovered in a sensitive area, approval to mine should be subjected to a full assessment of environmental impacts provided for in the Minerals Act (view of employers; A Minerals and Mining Policy for South Africa).

Communities directly affected by mining should be enabled to participate in environmental impact assessment studies at the planning stage (Other views; A Minerals and Mining Policy for South Africa).

In subscribing standards relating to the provision of water services, the impact that the water services might have on the environment, must be considered (Water Services Act).

Plantations have an impact on the environment and need to be managed appropriately (Preamble; National Forest Act).

In considering a licence application to use water, a responsible authority may require an environmental assessment from the applicant (Individual applications for licences; National Water Act). An environmental impact assessment, among other things, must be obtained before constructing government waterworks (government waterworks; National Water Act).

The understanding of the impacts of alien species on biodiversity must be improved.

Biodiversity is often adversely affected by planning and development decisions. The cumulative and secondary impacts of development proposals on biological diversity and the reversibility of proposed actions over time, should be integrated into regional planning processes. Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) is a step within the Integrated Environmental Management (IEM) procedure (Land-use planning and Environmental Assessment). Potential impacts on biodiversity must be assessed and reflected in planning processes and environmental assessments.

Several peoples, such as officers of the department and members of a soil conservation committee have the power to investigate the extent of water pollution of water sources because of farming methods. Entering of any land, surveying and sample taking are authorised . (Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act )