Janet Wilhelm
UNLOCKING GREEN JOBS IN SOUTH AFRICA
The Unlocking Green Jobs: A Catalytic Intervention was a two-year initiative and collaboration between the World Wide Fund for Nature, South Africa (WWF-SA) and Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS). Published reports include a synthesis report, Unlocking green jobs in South Africa: A catalytic intervention, which summarises the findings and three three case studies. The reports were produced with the financial assistance of the WWF Nedbank Green Trust and Agence Française de Développement.
Recent research by the United Nations on water and jobs that estimates that three out of four jobs in the global workforce are heavily or moderately dependant on water. Constrained or expensive water supply is therefore a significant threat to existing jobs. However, managing water resources may also have the potential to create jobs as the value of water increases. This review explores both the significance of jobs at risk in South Africa and the potential to protect and create jobs through water stewardship. To better understand the variables and how they may impact a particular situation a case study that linked business, government and civil society was identified and examined. This case study is located within the Mbokodweni catchment in the southern part of the eThekwini Metro in KwaZulu-Natal. It explores the interaction between a number of community groups involved in water catchment management (and other socio-ecological initiatives).
Main report
Unlocking green jobs in South Africa: A catalytic intervention - synthesis report
Other case studies
Essential Amathole: A case study of unlocking green jobs in the bioprospecting sector
UNLOCKING GREEN JOBS IN SOUTH AFRICA
The Unlocking Green Jobs: A Catalytic Intervention was a two-year initiative and collaboration between the World Wide Fund for Nature, South Africa (WWF-SA) and Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS). Published reports include a synthesis report, Unlocking green jobs in South Africa: A catalytic intervention, which summarises the findings and three three case studies. The reports were produced with the financial assistance of the WWF Nedbank Green Trust and Agence Française de Développement (AFD).
Invasive alien plants are a serious environmental challenge in South Africa, impacting on biodiversity and water supply. A set of national strategies for clearing these and beneficiating the biomass have been implemented over the past decade, with mixed success in job creation, enterprise development and poverty alleviation. This case study explores the reasons for success and failure. In particular, the case study highlights the potential to create jobs in relation to wood-pelleting and eco-matting, and suggests there are wider social arguments that should be taken into consideration when evaluating policy options for the beneficiation of alien biomass.
Unlocking green jobs in South Africa: A catalytic intervention - synthesis report
Other case studies
Essential Amathole: A case study of unlocking green jobs in the bioprospecting sector
Sustainability Transitions in South Africa
Sustainability Transitions in South Africa - Edited by Najma Mohamed
TIPS collaborates on book investigating South Africa’s progress in transitioning to a just and sustainable development pathway
South Africa’s progress in transitioning to a low-carbon, resource-efficient and pro-employment development path is the focus of a book that brings together the experience and insights of leading thinkers on sustainable development in the country.
The book, Sustainability Transitions in South Africa, was edited by Climate, Sustainability and Environmental Specialist Dr Najma Mohamed and includes contributions from a range of South African and other experts including TIPS Senior Economist: Sustainable Growth Gaylor Montmasson-Clair. The book highlights that, while South Africa has committed itself to the transition to a green economy, as reflected in the enactment of numerous policies, the process remain socially exclusive.
The contributors to the book reflect a commitment towards environmental and social justice and, as such, investigate the extent to which justice and social inclusivity is being addressed in the design and implementation of sustainability transition pathways in South Africa.
In investigating this, the authors acknowledge that policies are in place but question whether inclusivity and just transition are a focus. They point out that a just transition has the potential to address the social ills in the country. However, what is critical is that policy alignment and implementation is promoted from a socio-economic and environmental perspective with priority given to the country’s key challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality. If there is no conscious understanding of the implications of the transition, then these issues will not be addressed.
Taking up the issue of unemployment, for example, Gaylor Montmasson-Clair explores the employment implications of the transition to a sustainable development pathway. He points out that numerous policy documents talk to the employment potential of so-called green jobs. However, a deeper understanding is needed to fully embrace the employment dynamics. He therefore calls for a multi-dimensional baseline of the sustainability employment spectrum, considering the nature of the industries in which the jobs take place, the nature of occupations, and the quality of labour conditions. This, he argues, will provide a systemic analysis of employment in sustainability transitions and thereby enable the development of targeted policies and programmes.
Overall, the various contributions to the book explore the transition to a sustainable development pathway from economic, technological, social and environmental drivers. They provide a synthesis of theoretical insights, including new models and concepts, and praxis through illustrations from South Africa’s growing landscape of green economy policies and programmes.
If you would like more information about this book, please contact Najma Mohamed at najma_mohamed@hotmail.com or n.mohamed@itcilo.org
For more information about the book, and to order copies visit:
https://www.routledge.com/Sustainability-Transitions-in-South-Africa/Mohamed/p/book/9781138727991
Inequality in South Africa
TIPS Senior Economist Neva Makgetla has a chapter on Inequality in South Africa in the New South African Review 6: The crisis of inequality.
Essays in this volume demonstrate how the consequences of inequality extend throughout society, crippling the quest for social justice, polarising the politics, skewing economic outcomes and bringing devastating environmental consequences in their wake.
To get a copy go to http://witspress.co.za/catalogue/new-south-african-review-6/
Business Day - 31 July 2018 by Neva Makgetla (TIPS Senior Economist)
Business Day - 3 July 2018 by Neva Makgetla (TIPS Senior Economist)
Development Dialogue: Borders in Southern Africa - Unlocking and economic development opportunity
TIPS and Global Economic Governance Africa hosted a Development Dialogue on Borders in Southern Africa - Unlocking an Economic Development Opportunity. For more information and copies of the presentations go to Development Dialogue.
AGENDA
09:30–09:45 Opening and Welcome: Nadira Bayat (Global Economic Governance Africa)
09:45–10:45 Presentation and discussion of research findings: Border economies
- Border economies at Beitbridge border post, Elisha Tshuma (Zimbabwe Trade Forum) and Christopher Wood (TIPS)
- Border economies at Chirundu border post, Dale Mudenda (University of Zambia) and Anna Ngarachu (Tutwa consulting)
10:45–11:00 Tea break
11:00–11:40 Presentation and discussion of research findings: Border logistics
- A targeted approach in improving logistics efficiency and decreasing transport costs in SADC member states, Sandy Lowitt (TIPS)
11:40–12:00 Comment by respondent (TBC)
12:00–13:00 Panel discussion with presenters, facilitated by Catherine Grant (Tutwa Consulting)
13:00: Lunch
BACKGROUND
Land borders in Southern Africa play a vital role, both as linkage points for the regional economy, and as focal points for growth and economic activity. Efficient movement of goods across borders is essential to the development of regional value chains and an integrated Southern African economy. Economic actors at the border – such as truckers, clearing agents, or small-scale traders – play a vital facilitating role in this integration process, but also risk displacement as efforts to improve logistics change the environment in which they operate. Placing trade facilitation reforms in the context of both border economies and the broader logistics networks in the region is therefore vital to promoting an inclusive and effective integration programme.
This Development Dialogue will analyse the linkages between borders as crossing points and borders as economic nodes, and the tensions between these two imperatives. Researchers will present the results of fieldwork at the Betbridge and Chirundu borders; as well as a large-scale study on logistics in SADC.
PRESENTERS
Christopher Wood is an economist at TIPS focusing on trade and industry policy. He previously worked as a researcher in economic diplomacy at the South African Institute of International Affairs, and has completed consulting work with Oxford Analytica, Executive Research Associates, the Swiss South Africa Joint Research Programme, and a leading South African trade union. His research areas include trade and industrial policy, global economic governance, and financial regulatory reform. He holds a Masters in Development Studies from the University of the Witwatersrand, and a Bachelor of Social Science in Economics and Political Science from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Dale Mudenda is a lecturer at the University of Zambia (UNZA) in the Department of Economics. He holds PhD from the University of Cape Town in South Africa and an MA from the University of Malawi. He has experience in consultancies, applied research, policy analysis, training and capacity building. He has provided policy consultation services to multilateral, regional and national organisations such as the World Bank, WHO, Ministries of health, commerce trade and industry and national development planning covering areas such as pay reforms, public expenditure tracking, and health care Financing and trade International trade. He has also been a member of the Ministry of Commerce Trade and Industry trade working group.
Anna Ngarachu is a Researcher at Tutwa Consulting Group. She holds an Honours degree in Economic Science from the University of the Witwatersrand, and a Core Credentials of Readiness Certificate from the Harvard Business School. At Tutwa, Anna has worked in the areas of sustainability standards focusing on SME and multinational corporation linkages; examined manufacturing capacity utilisation rates in African countries; collaborated on the trade section of the South African Systematic Country Diagnostic and assisted in the EU Transformation project in the wines and spirits sector.
Sandy Lowitt is a TIPS Research Associate. She holds a Master of Commerce from Wits University in Economics. She established the Economics Department in the Gauteng Provincial Government in 1995 and remained at with GPG until 2006. While specialising in economic research and industrial policy and strategy she also created and ran Blue IQ, which delivered projects such as the Gautrain, the Innovation Hub and the automotive supplier park. Since leaving the government, Sandy has remained active in public policy research and strategy development.
Engineering News - 21 June 2018 by Nadine James
The Green Economy Barometer 2018 South Africa
5 out of 10 for South Africa’s transition to a green economy
The South Africa Green Economy Barometer 2018 provides a snapshot of the transition to a fair, green economy. It is drawn from evidence of policy progress as well as the insights of civil society organisations who are tracking the transition on the ground. One thing is clear: South Africa’s brown economic model is struggling.
Press release
Only 5 out of 10 for South Africa’s transition to a green economy
Articles
Engineering News - 21 June 2018 by Nadine James
NGOs rate South Africa’s transition to a green economy at five out of ten
Green Growth Knowledge Platform - June 2018