Sustainable Development in South Africa

Introduction to Basic Concepts

What is Economic Development and Growth?

Economic development is a continuous increase in the economic standard of living of a
country's population. It is normally accomplished by doing things to improve the
countrys future production potential such as building more factories, educating more
people, improving its technology etc. Economic growth is the increase over time in the
capacity of an economy to produce goods and services and, ideally, to improve the well-
being of its citizens (Deardorff's Glossary of International Economics).

Development Problems and Unemployment in South Africa
South Africa is still a developing nation. It relies too much on extractive industries
(industries that take natural resources out of the environment like mining) and on
exporting natural resources in their raw forms. These industries limit South Africas
ability to grow. For example, South Africa currently mines and exports gold ore. If it
instead expanded its gold jewellery manufacturing industry, it could gain additional
revenue because people pay more for gold necklaces than they do for raw ore. Still,
extractive industries like mining harm the environment, but so do processes that convert
ores to products like steel and aluminum. For this reason, many economists and
environmentalists argue that South Africa would be better off developing its human
resources and knowledge based industries.
Currently, South Africa is facing severe unemployment and poverty. 25.2% of the
population are unemployed and 50% of the population is below the poverty line. Poverty
can be defined as the inability to attain a minimal standard of living or meet a persons
basic needs. In South Africa, being below the poverty line means spending less than
R353 per month. The prevalence of unemployment in South Africa makes rising out of
poverty difficult for many people.
(Office of the Executive Deputy President and the Inter-Ministerial Committee for
Poverty and Inequality)
What is Sustainable Development?
Sustainable development reflects a process that meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Often called
intergenerational equality, the idea is that we should share natural resources not just with
people who are alive on the planet today but also with future generations of the Earths
inhabitants. While we can use a certain amount of the planets resources, we should never
entirely deplete a natural resource. Sustainable development requires people to rely as
much as possible on renewable resources (the kind that can be replenished) by getting
power from the sun rather than power from fossil fuels such as oil, coal, and natural gas,
which take millions of years to form. Besides the careful stewardship of natural
resources, sustainable development promotes the eradication of poverty and extreme
income and wealth inequalities, the goal of full employment, the provision of access to
quality and affordable basic services to all South Africans, and the fostering of a stable,
safe, and just society.


Government Tools for Promoting Sustainable Development

Taxes The government can levy taxes on industries or practices that are unsustainable.
For example, the government can tax gasoline to encourage people to drive less or use
public transportation more because using gasoline creates pollution.

Tax breaks The government can cut the taxes of industries or individuals that act
sustainably. For instance, the government can cut taxes for companies that install solar
panels to generate renewable power.

Subsidies The government can create an incentive for sustainable behavior by
providing the funds to start up sustainable projects, create or update infrastructure to
make industries more sustainable, etc. For example, the government can give a subsidy to
farmers so that they can improve their irrigation systems to use less water.

Laws and regulations that control environmental pollution and regulate development
These would include laws and regulations that limit the amount of water or air pollution
caused by factories; those that prevent development on environmentally sensitive land;
those that protect the constitutional right to a healthy environment; those that encourage
communities to become involved in decisions that affect them, such as what type of
development should take place.

Providing good environmental services to the people The government currently does
not do enough to delivery quality environmental services (such as water and sanitation,
effective waste collection and disposal systems, good drainage to prevent flooding, safe
and convenient transport, parks and other recreation facilities, and effective planning for
urban communities) to all people.

Environmental education and awareness Government can do much to educate the
public about environmental issues that affect the country as a whole and their
communities in particular.


The Environment and Sustainable Development

Environmental conditions relate to three key dimensions of poverty: (1) Livelihoods:
Poor people tend to be most directly dependent on natural resources, and are therefore the
first to suffer when these resources are degraded; (2) Health: Poor people suffer most
when water and air are polluted because pollution sources are often placed in or near poor
communities; and (3) Vulnerability: Poor people are most often exposed to environmental
hazards and environment-related conflict, and are least capable of coping when they
occur. While wealthier people are able to afford medical care for pollution related
sicknesses like asthma and are able to move out of congested and polluted areas, poor
people cannot.

The Legacy of Apartheid

The brutal features of apartheid forced removals to less productive and less desirable
areas, overcrowding in the so-called 'homelands', discriminatory policies affecting blacks
who live in or near cities, and the migratory labour system alienated people from their
land and resources and contributed to inequitable access to environmental services, unjust
land-use policies and environmental degradation. Apartheid economic development was
based on an unsustainable dependence on extractive activities, and cheap electricity from
dirty power like coal and oil. This has left a legacy of unsustainable development and
environmental havoc. Agricultural production has been resource intensive and
environmentally degrading as a result of various government policies. For example, the
government has chosen to subsidise damaging pesticides instead of promoting natural
methods of pest control. The wrong subsidies result in the loss of biodiversity and the
inefficient use of scarce resources.

Environmental Service Delivery

The delivery of environmental services to all citizens is a fundamental goal of sustainable
development. Adequate environmental services have in the past been denied to blacks
living in both urban and rural communities. Access to safe drinking water, proper
sanitation, adequate housing, electricity and effective waste removal not only diminishes
health and environmental risks but also contributes in many ways to economic
development. The number of South African households that are deprived of access to
'good' quality basic services increased from 5.68 million to 7.24 million between the 1996
and 2001 censuses. Service delivery has suffered in part due to shortcomings in involving
stakeholders directly in the process of designing service delivery programmes.

(South African Human Development Report 2003)

Tourism and Ecotourism

South African tourism markets South Africa's scenic beauty, diverse wildlife, diverse
cultures and heritages, the great outdoors, and sport and adventure opportunities. Thus,
preserving a beautiful natural environment benefits the tourism industry and the country
as a whole by improving the economy. Tourism in South Africa drives economic growth
and job creation. Last year, more than 7 million visitors came to South Africa. Now the
country is aiming to attract over 10 million tourists by 2010, when it hosts the World
Cup, according to the Environment and Tourism Minister. The Western Cape alone
benefits from a large tourism industry. 976,000 overseas tourists, and 396,000 visitors
from Africa, visited the Western Cape in 2002. These overseas visitors spent R17.3
billion in 2002 (Grant Thornton Kessel Feinstein, Tourism Fact Sheet, 2002). The
tourism industry creates jobs in many areas including hospitality (hotels, restaurants etc.),
transportation (airlines, taxis, buses etc.), and retail sales (souvenirs, art etc.). By
protecting the environment so that foreigners will want to visit it, the government is
actually promoting industry and jobs. In this case, the environment and development are
not in conflict.

Case Study: Sustainable Development Principles for the
Coast

South Africas coast is a valuable resource for numerous reasons. It provides jobs in areas
such as recreation, tourism, transportation, shipping, fishing, etc. It is a place of great
beauty and cultural value. It offers educational and scientific opportunities. Coastal
ecosystems provide natural erosion control and waste treatment. And all of this is not
even to mention the value it provides to the plants and animals that rely on it as their
home.

South Africa's coastal and marine resources are under considerable threat and are already
severely degraded in many areas due to unsustainable development. Unless they begin to
be managed sustainably, these resources will be lost for good. This will make it very
difficult to attain much-needed economic growth and meet basic needs in a sustainable
manner.

Much of the country's coastal development is centred around the countrys large
commercial ports. These facilities have triggered extensive industrial and urban
development. This development results in excessive sewage and stormwater discharge
which harms coastal resources. Some 63 ocean sewage outfalls are located along the
South African coast. Deterioration in coastal water quality threatens human and
ecosystem health. Urban development along the coastal zone also creates environmental
pressures on the landscape through habitat transformation. For example, building houses
around estuaries (an estuary is the area where a river enters the ocean) cuts the estuaries
off from surrounding habitats. Another threat to estuaries comes from agriculture and
urban activities upstream. Estuaries are home to countless plants and animals, but theyre
also important to humans because they protect water quality by filtering out dirt and
pollution. There are 343 estuaries along the South African coast and almost all of them
have been degraded.

Fishing is a primary economic activity in South Africa. However, some fish stocks have
been over-harvested, and several species face local extinction. Destruction of these
resources through unsustainable exploitation has and will have severe negative
consequences for the economy and the communities dependent on them.

Another activity that threatens the coast is shipping. Pressures associated with shipping
include oil spills and the discharge of waste from vessels. These lower marine water
quality, making it less suitable for marine life and human use, particularly around
commercial ports.

(National State of the Environment Report, South Africa)

In contrast to these environmentally degrading activities, sustainable coastal development
methods, if employed, could make a powerful contribution to reconstruction and
development in South Africa through maintaining diverse, healthy and productive coastal
ecosystems.

Principles for Sustainable Coastal Management:

National asset
The coast must be retained as a national asset, with public rights to access and benefit
from the many opportunities provided by coastal resources. It should be considered a
place for ALL citizens of South Africa.

Economic development
Coastal economic development opportunities must be optimised to meet societys needs
and to promote the well-being of coastal communities.

Social equity
Coastal management efforts must ensure that all people, including future generations,
enjoy the rights of access to and resources from the coast.

Ecological integrity
The diversity, health and productivity of coastal ecosystems must be maintained and,
where appropriate, rehabilitated.

Ecosystem Connection
The coast must be treated as an indivisible system, recognising the interrelationships
between coastal users and ecosystems and between the land, sea and air.

Risk aversion and precaution
Coastal management efforts must adopt a risk-averse and precautionary approach under
conditions of uncertainty. For example, if there is a chemical being discharged into the
ocean, and the exact extent of the harm of the chemical is unknown, the precautionary
approach is to stop discharging the chemical.

Accountability and responsibility
All people must be held responsible for the consequences of their actions, including
holding companies financially responsible for any negative impacts of their activities on
the coastal environment.

Duty of care
All people and organisations must act with due care to avoid negative impacts on the
coastal environment and coastal resources.

Integration and participation
Coastal management is a shared responsibility. All people should have the opportunity to
participate in the decision-making process. A coastal management approach must be
developed and conducted in a participatory, inclusive and transparent manner.

Co-operative governance
Partnerships between government, the private sector and civil society must be built in
order to ensure co-responsibility for coastal management and to empower stakeholders to
participate effectively.

(White Paper for Sustainable Coastal development in South Africa April 2000)

Case Study: Kuyasa, Khayelitsha

Cape Town City Council in partnership with the non-profit developmental organisation,
SouthSouthNorth, developed the Kuyasa Low Income Urban Housing Energy Upgrade
Project to retrofit low income houses in Kuyasa, Khayelitsha, with energy efficient
lighting, insulated ceilings and solar water heaters. After over a year of planning and
design, the Kuyasa project was launched in June 2003. It involved the actual installation
of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies in eight low income houses and
two creches. The development project has been recognized by the United Nations as a
gold standard clean development mechanism project. The Kuyasa project is the first of its
kind in Africa and one of fewer than 50 in the world.

By reducing the use of dirty fossil fuels for energy, the project resulted in a reduction in
greenhouse gas emissions (these are pollutants such as carbon dioxide that are released
into the air and contribute to global warming). It also provides numerous additional
sustainable development benefits such as improved health, access to energy services, and
employment creation. The results of the project include a 5% temperature increase within
the buildings in winter, a 5% decrease in summer through energy efficiency practices,
and a saving of up to 40% on electricity bills thanks to less need for artificial heating and
cooling. Household energy costs have been cut through reduced energy demand and
consumption, making more disposable income available for poor families. The Kuyasa
project could easily be implemented at a national level. There are over 1.5 million low
income houses in South Africa which could benefit from this project design.

(Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership)

Sources:

http://www-personal.umich.edu/~alandear/glossary/e.html
http://www.polity.org.za/html/govdocs/reports/poverty.html?rebookmark=1
http://www.undp.org.za/NHDR2003.htm
http://www.southafrica.info/ess_info/sa_glance/sustainable/kuyasa-121205.htm
www.unep.org/GC/GC22/Document/k0263739.doc
www.undp.org.za/NHDR2003/NHDRSumFull.pdf
http://www.southafrica.net/satourism/
www.indaba-southafrica.co.za/DailyNews/DN_Issue02.pdf
Grant Thornton Kessel Feinstein, Tourism Fact Sheet, 2002
www.ingentaconnect.com/content/tandf/ucmg/2000/00000028/00000003/art00005

RESOLUTION #1

Economic development should come before environmental protection.

PRO:

*South Africa is experiencing significant unemployment. South Africa cannot afford to
sacrifice jobs to protect the environment.
*Developed nations went through a period of industrialization where they engaged in
environmentally damaging activities in order to build up their economies. South Africa
needs to go through that same period of growth and generate wealth before it can afford
to protect its environment. If countries like the US and Britain got to do this, South Africa
should too.
*South Africa has great mineral resources so they should be taken advantage of.
*Protecting the environment will benefit mostly wealthy South Africans and international
tourists. The people who will lose their jobs if we curtail industry are poor South
Africans.
*It is irresponsible to protect ecosystems for plants and animals when people are not
being able to meet their basic needs.

CON:
*Economic development and environmental protection do not need to be in conflict.
*Promoting environmentally-friendly tourism can more than make up for the jobs lost in
environmentally damaging industries like mining.
*Everyone benefits from clean air and water. Poor South Africans are the ones currently
being denied these things so they would benefit most from improving overall air and
water quality.
*We must consider the needs of future generations and not ravage the environment and
leave them nothing.
*The beauty and cultural value of the natural environment has a value that is not included
in the price system under capitalism.

RESOLUTION #2

The South African government should subsidise its mining industries.

PRO:
* South Africa has rich mineral resources. It is the world's largest producer and exporter
of gold and platinum. During 2000, platinum overtook gold as South Africa's largest
foreign exchange earner.
*World demand for gold and diamonds and other minerals has decreased or remained
constant, in order for South African mines to stay in business with diminished revenues,
subsidies are necessary.
* If gold mines close due to increasing costs, the economic disaster will be visited most
on the poorer section of society, the blacks who are employed by the mines.
*South Africa has a rich mining tradition. The mining industry has historical and cultural
significance.
*South Africa has a comparative advantage in producing minerals over other products so
it should support this industry.
*With South Africa being the leading exporter of gold and diamonds, the rest of the
world depends on South Africa to produce those goods.

CON:

* Mining has become a less productive industry as the easily accessible mineral resources
have been used up. We should move away from relying on the mining industry by cutting
its subsidies.
*Mining is one of the planets leading polluters. Mines use large quantities of deadly
chemicals, including cyanide and mercury, to separate metal from ore.
*Mining irreparably alters the landscape. In the decades since gold was discovered in
1886 in Johannesburg, mining for gold, coal, and other minerals has completely altered
the physical landscape, leaving mountains of waste rock and ore in dumps south of the
city.
*Despite major strides in improving mine safety, mining remains one of the worlds most
hazardous occupations.
*Money spent on subsidizing mining industries could be directed toward developing
more sustainable development paths, or to improving social services such as education or
healthcare.
*Subsidies distort the market by allowing inefficient companies that would go out of
business without the subsidies to stay in business. Mining companies should be forced to
become more competitive.
*Instead of subsidizing and promoting mining and the industries that depend on it, South
Africa should spend more money on education (especially involving maths, science, and
technology such as computers) and subsidize industries such as information and
communications technology (ICT) which is where much of the worlds economic
opportunities are now found.