Waste tyres are a problematic waste stream. While figures provided vary, it is estimated that 10.9 million waste tyres enter the waste stream per annum (about 300 000 tonnes), with an estimated 900 000 tonnes stockpiled. An estimated 93 400 tonnes of tyres were collected for processing in 2021 (about 31% of waste tyres generated), with 22 700 tonnes of collected tyres processed (about 8% of waste tyres generated per annum). The growing volume of tyres and the stockpile are both a financially and environmentally unsustainable situation.

This report aims to:

• Clarify the specific opportunities for supporting new industrial-scale market opportunities for waste tyre products.
• Assess how to enhance existing markets and remove barriers that hinder market expansion and cause market instability, including determining options for approaching both the demand and supply side for waste tyre-derived product, and the market and regulatory conditions needed to maximise the diversion of waste tyres from landfills.

The research findings are to inform the provision of guidance on and recommendations for:

• The alignment of industrial and environmental policies to foster sustainable management (including the production of goods) from waste tyres; and
• A ministerial stockpile abatement plan, e.g., how the private sector and government can deal with the pre- and post-2012/2013 stockpile.

TIPS will host its Annual Forum on Monday and Tuesday, 1-2 August 2022. Forum theme: Towards a Just Transition: The Role of Industrial Policy. Call for papers is open. Deadline: 13 May 2022. Details here: . Contact: daphney@tips.org.za.

ESI Africa - 26 April 2022 by Theresa Smith 

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Watch the documentary - Voices from under a dark cloud: Towards a Just Transition in the coalfields of South Africa here: https://bit.ly/3EWaVEd

A just transition finance roadmap aims to articulate a new end vision for the financial ecosystem which perfectly aligns lending and investment actions to idealised government environmental and social policies which support a net zero economy. Once a final vision is articulated, the roadmap provides routes and  signposts to arrive at such a destination. This first iteration of a just transition finance roadmap for South Africa, is an initial attempt to understand the nature of the challenge of just transition finance in South Africa, what a system level change to the financial eco system could look like and an action agenda for the next four years to begin moving towards such a vision.

Engineering News - 25 April 2022 by Terence Creamer 

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Watch the documentary - Voices from under a dark cloud: Towards a Just Transition in the coalfields of South Africa here: https://bit.ly/3EWaVEd

The African Programme on Rethinking Development Economics (Aporde) and the DSI/NRF South African Research Chair in Industrial Development (SARChI Industrial Development) are delighted to announce the second Thandika Mkandawire Prize for Outstanding Scholarship in African Political Economy and Economic Development. This prize is to be awarded annually to recognise outstanding research papers of the highest quality by African scholars. A second award, the Thandika Mkandawire Prize for Young Scholars in African Political Economy and Economic Development, is specifically for young researchers. Submissions close 22 May 2022. For more information and how to apply go to Thandika Mkandawire Prize

This policy brief highlights the level of adoption of frontier technologies in six manufacturing subsectors: metal and engineering; retail motor and aftercare; plastics; manufacturing; automotive components; automotive manufacturing; and new tyre manufacturing. This is important because, while there is a solid understanding of the importance of frontier technologies especially for the manufacturing sector, there has not been a comprehensive investigation of the level of adoption of these technologies across the different subsectors. Previous research has either zoned in on one sector, such as metal, or looked at the level of adoption at the continental level. To address the gap, a survey was conducted on behalf of merSETA (the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority) to collate baseline information on key trends around technological change. This policy brief highlights the aggregated results from the survey. The survey analysis is supplemented by interview data with key stakeholders in the industry.

For more information on frontier technologies visit the TIPS Technological Change and Innovation System Observatory  

This policy brief aims to clarify the currently used metrics, what value they have, what they miss, and their policy implications. It begins by unpacking the technical definitions of various metrics used in the South African context, considering the implications associated with each metric. Additional concerns regarding methodologies and assumptions, and data sources are also elaborated. Having clarified these metrics, figures reported by key actors are systematically presented. Finally, this brief reflects on what the reported figures do and do not say, and policy suggestions.

This policy brief is part of the Making Sense of Employment in South Africa's Just Energy Transition project. TIPS and the WWF South Africa, with the support of GIZ, are implementing an initiative to support policymaking for South Africa's just transition. This focuses on employment and the relevant challenges and opportunities in the country's just energy transition.

Related research

Research Report: Exploring alternative options for coal truckers in a biomass supply chain

Research Report: The just transition for the refining and logistics sectors of the South African liquid fuels industry value chain

TIPS on behalf of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition in partnership with the Medical Device Manufacturers, the South African Medical Device Industry Association and the South African Laboratory and Diagnostics Association seeks the services of independent consultants with extensive and proven experience and knowledge of the South African medical device industry, its participants, and the South African industrial policy environment, to facilitate the development of the medical devices industry Master Plan. Closing Date:
3 June 2022. Proposals should be sent to TIPS for the attention of Daphney Mabuza daphney@tips.org.za. Click for more information. Download ToR here.

Business Day - 7 April 2022 by Hilary Joffe

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