| 2011 12 01 Anglo prepares to challenge UK miners ruling |
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Anglo American plans to challenge the jurisdiction of UK courts to hear a claim on behalf of more than 700 former mineworkers suffering from silicosis and other lung diseases. "There will have to be a hearing in the early part of next year to resolve this question," Richard Meeran, the claimants' lawyer at Leigh Day said yesterday. Anglo confirmed its intention to contest the jurisdiction in a statement. "Anglo does not believe that it is any way liable for the silicosis claims brought by former gold workers and is defending the actions," the company said in September. South Africa's highest court ruled on March 3 that former miners were able to seek compensation from producers regardless of whether they qualified for state benefits for work-related diseases, exposing mining companies to claims. The case was lodged in the UK, where legal systems were equipped to deal with large claims, compensation levels were higher and because Anglo was based in London, Meeran said. – Bloomberg
Climate fund talks 'still going strong' Talks at COP17 on the Green Climate Fund were not about to fall apart, Environment Minister Edna Molewa said yesterday. "We are still confident we are on track to (make operational) the Green Climate Fund," she said. The "sources of funds aspect" of the climate fund had not yet been dealt with in the negotiations, and suggested this would carry over to Cop18. "The discussion on sources of funds still needs to take place, and by COP18 we should have some progress," she said. – Sapa |