Browsing by Department "Department of Environmental and Geographical Science"
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- ItemOpen Access4000 years of environmental and climate change at Eilandvlei : a palynological investigation into the late Holocene palaeoenvironment of the Wilderness Embayment(2015) Du Plessis, Nadia; Meadows, Michael EIt is a well-known fact that the South African palaeoenvironmental record is fairly limited, mainly because the environmental conditions here do not lend themselves to the preservation of proxy data sources. This being said, new evidence is emerging from the Wilderness Embayment along the Southern Cape coast of South Africa. This area is of particular interest from a palaeoclimate perspective due to its location within the small year round rainfall zone of South Africa, while the presence of both Fynbos and Afrotemperate forest within this region further highlights the importance of studies in the area. This study presents a new high resolution late Holocene pollen and charcoal record from Eilandvlei, extending from c. 3 800 cal yr BP to present. The record is marked by several significant periods -- largely corresponding to the timing of the three events that typify the late Holocene: the Neoglacial, the Medieval Climate Anomaly and the Little Ice Age. The record also encompasses the arrival of European colonists in the region ca. 1800 AD, marked by the appearance of Pinus, with subsequent notable fluctuations in other taxa, e.g. Podocarpus and Stoebe-type, possibly the expression of the anthropogenic effect on the landscape. This high resolution record thus highlights significant, albeit short term, fluctuations in climate and vegetation patterns along the Southern coast of South Africa and adds to the inadequate records available for the region thus far.
- ItemOpen AccessA CMIP5 Model Selection Specific to South Africa's Winter Rainfall Zone(2022) Marsh, Peter; Jack, ChristopherThis study undertakes a CMIP5 model selection specific to the Winter Rainfall Zone (WRZ) of South Africa, seeking to reduce the range of future climate projections through identifying a subset of models with increased realism and independence. In order to navigate the subjectivity in identifying relevant circulation metrics to assess models against, the ‘Day Zero' drought is used as a characteristic episode. Here initially the extensive literature produced subsequent to the drought has been drawn on to identify and evaluate relevant regional process metrics, before utilising the anomalous conditions during the drought to validate various assessment methods. The dynamics subsequently identified as being most influential to rainfall supply in the WRZ include the South Atlantic subtropical jet stream responsible for steering of mid-latitude storm systems, the South Atlantic subtropical high, and the presence, or preferably absence, of precipitation blocking subsidence, and the prevalence of mid-latitude storm systems, critical for transport and upliftment of moisture to the region. Models were subsequently assessed against these metrics and scored following the technique of McSweeney et al. (2015). Unrealistic models were removed from the ensemble while significantly biased models were also excluded as their absence did not significantly reduce the range of future projections. The same scoring methods were then utilised to create a genealogy of models attaining similar results to that of Knutti, Masson & Gettelman (2013). A subset of 6 CMIP5 models which are more independent and historically more realistic than that of the full ensemble were subsequently identified. While the range of future temperature projections of the final ensemble are somewhat constrained in comparison to the full ensemble, the primary utility is argued to be the reduced number of models where a future researcher may consider each model's projected future climate pathway individually before selecting a model, or models, which best informs their use case, whilst being assured that this model performs suitably well in the region and that the initial ensemble considered adequately represents model uncertainty, while strong similarity between two or more models within the ensemble will not be unduly biasing results.
- ItemOpen AccessA comparison of the bacteria at Bakoven Bay and Hottentotshuisie as indicators of marine pollution from a sewage outfall(1977) Breyer-Menke, Carel JanA comparison is made of the bacterial populations at two geographically similar near-shore marine sites. The difference between the sites is that one is influenced by a raw sewage outfall. Sea water samples were drawn directly by means of a handheld all-glass bacteriological sampling device. Sea-water samples were analysed for a total coliform count, presumptive E. coli type I and a total bacterial count on a marine agar medium. A proportion of the isolates on the total count plates were subjected to a number of physical, biochemical and antibiotic tests and classified into genera. Bacteriological differences between the sites were shown by the coliform tests. Total count isolates and in particular the pseudomonads also showed bacteriological differences between the sites. It is indicated that these organisms could possibly be used to demonstrate stressed conditions in near-shore marine environments resulting from sources other than sewage contamination.
- ItemOpen AccessA flood of communications in a drought: a frame analysis of the City of Cape Town's communications during the 2017-2018 water crisis(2020) Hill, Erin; Scott, Diane; Taylor, AnnaLike many other urban areas around the world, Cape Town, South Africa relies on governmental management authorities to ensure water supply. Recently, a three year drought from 2015 to 2018 caused a major water shortage, threatening water supply to the city. In response, the City engaged in multiple mitigation efforts, amongst which was a major communications campaign to inform the public and encourage conservation behaviour. Drawing on literature on water crisis management and framing theory, this thesis analyses how the water crisis was framed in communications made available online by the City of Cape Town (CCT) to the public between March 2017 and March 2018. To answer this question, the project adopted a frames study approach to determine the types and characteristics of communication items released by the City of Cape Town, as the water managing authority, during the recent water crisis. The study established that a range of frames were employed by the CCT in communicating the drought. Through an analysis of the trends in the framing of the water crisis messages the study further identified the shifts in framing and messaging throughout the water crisis response period. Six key frames were identified, namely ‘the City success story'; ‘obscurity and ambiguity'; ‘consumption is key'; ‘the situation is controllable'; ‘together we can beat the drought'; and ‘us versus them'. It was found that while there may have been a lack of strategic planning regarding public communications which resulted in conflated messages, the City's communications campaign was nonetheless effective in that it correlated with a significant drop in private – individual and household – water consumption which delayed Day Zero (when water supply would be cut-off and daily water rations would only be available at collection points for the public). The key implication of this study is that despite contradictions, idiosyncrasies and lack of planning, a heterogenous range of messages in communicating a crisis can reach and evoke appropriate responses from multiple audiences of the public.
- ItemOpen AccessA heritage interpretation plan for the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve(1992) Hallinan, James; Fuggle, R. F.Environmental education. It interpretation is a field of non-formal has evolved largely this century as an aid in visitor resource management and the conservation of places of natural or cultural interest. Interpretation establishes channels of communication between visitors and the agencies which manage these attractions. Through these contacts information can be presented to enhance the visitor experience. In addition messages can be conveyed to direct visitor impact or achieve other management objectives which require communication between the controlling authority and the visiting public. Interpretation today is recognised to be a blending of two streams of historical development (Aldridge, 1989; Phillips, 1989). The first emerged in the early years of the United States National Park Service (Tilden, 1977). It was here that information officers began to realise that their work called for much more than simply the provision of information on a particular area or deeper awareness; cultural/historical asset. A of caring and responsibility sense of for the resource, had to be engendered in visitors to ensure that the parks were utilised properly, as well as promote public support for their continued conservation.
- ItemOpen AccessA model investigation of interannual winter rainfall variability over southwestern South Africa and associated ocean-atmosphere interaction(2003) Reason, C J C; Jagadheesha, D; Tadross, MWe have investigated the variability of inter-annual winter rainfall over the southwestern Cape region of South Africa and associated large-scale atmosphere-ocean interaction upstream over the South Atlantic using the HadAM3 atmospheric general circulation model. This model was run for the period from 1990 to 1999 using mean monthly global sea-surface temperature (SST) as surface boundary condition over the global ocean. Diagnostics of winter (May to September) model output averaged over 1990-99 suggest that the HadAM3 model represents the general circulation in the South Atlantic / African sector reasonably well for this season at least. In addition, model years with wet and dry winters over the study area tended also to be those that were observed to be anomalously wet or dry. Wet minus dry season composite fields were used to investigate the model's inter-annual variability. The composite difference fields for low- and mid-level winds, sea-level pressure, and moisture flux all indicated wet winters being associated with increased inflow from tropical South America (originating in the equatorial western Atlantic at low levels) contributing relatively moist air to the westerly flow heading towards the southwestern Cape. A stronger jet over the South Atlantic promoted the passage of storms towards the Cape. Large areas of cyclonic vorticity anomalies, enhanced eddy activity, increased thickness in the lower atmosphere and low-level convergence near and upstream of the southwestern Cape in the model composite differences all favoured increased storm systems as well as their local intensification, implying enhanced rainfall. The results presented here suggest that the model can represent the interannual variability of winter rainfall over the study region and shed light on the mechanisms potentially associated with anomalously wet winters there.
- ItemOpen AccessA preliminary assessment into perceptions of accuracy and utility of the environmental impact assessment screening tool, South Africa(2022) Lambrecht, Michael; Sowman, Merle; Day, KirstenScreening is an essential stage within the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process. In this stage, the type and scale of the environmental assessment are determined based on the potential environmental impacts of a development. The South African Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE) has implemented a national web-based spatial screening tool which became mandatory when applying for environmental authorisation as of October 2019. The screening tool identifies environmental sensitivities and prescribes the relevant specialist assessments associated with a development footprint. Since the introduction of the screening tool, environmental assessment professionals' (EAProfs') perceptions regarding the functioning of the tool remain undetermined. Therefore, this research project aims to undertake a preliminary assessment of EAProfs' perceptions of the screening tool's accuracy and utility. A mixed-methods approach involving interviews and an online survey was used to collect qualitative and quantitative data from EAProfs, respectively. The research findings reveal mixed perceptions of the screening tool but with some more unequivocal findings. The results suggest EAProfs generally do not believe the screening tool accurately assigns sensitivity ratings for the various biodiversity themes. In terms of utility, the research found that EAProfs hold a neutral opinion meaning they do not believe the screening tool is useful or not useful, as per the survey. The interviews revealed that several EAProfs believe that the screening tool increases the time and costs of the EIA process, adding nuance to the survey results. Based on these findings, a recommended solution to the accuracy issues is to implement a specialist feedback loop. Additionally, better communication from the DFFE on the process of assigning sensitivity ratings could also enhance perceptions. A potential way forward is for the screening tool to adopt a less prescriptive and more voluntary approach, as used by CapeFarmMapper and Ireland's Environmental Sensitivity Mapping Webtool. Lastly, this research opens avenues for further work on how the accuracy and utility of the screening tool can be improved.
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- ItemOpen AccessA remote sensing assessment of irrigation land use land cover change in the Sokoto Rima River Basin, Nigeria(2021) Abdulmajid, Aminu; Eckardt, Frank; Odera, PatrobaThis study examines the expansion and utilisation of Fadama irrigation in the Sokoto Rima River Basin using the ground yield and remote sensing data. Decadal land use land cover (LU/LC) change detection was conducted using remotely sensed data from Landsat 4,5,7 ETM for 1988, 1998 and Landsat 8 OLI for 2018 using a digital classification and a cloud-based classification provided by Google Earth Engine (GEE) API, with an overall accuracy of 97% in 1988, 92% in 1998 and 90% in 2018. Additionally, the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) derived from MODIS, GEE NDVI, and the Landsat was used to assess the crop yield patterns of the irrigation farming at the Fadama sites in conjunction with the limited ground yield data from 2000-2005, and was found to be a positive change over the years. The result generated from the classification was juxtaposed with observable field characteristics of the LU/LC identified. The decadal trend between 1988 to 1998 saw an increase of 114% in dam surface water and 166% of the natural vegetation, while the nonvegetated areas and the Fadama areas decreased in size by -100% and -65% respectively. Between 1998 and 2018, the reverse of the previous pattern was observed, with water and vegetated areas decreasing in their surface area in hectares by -80% and -23% respectively. Non-vegetated areas increased by 3% while Fadama areas increased in size by 112%, indicating that the Fadama areas were under-utilised by - 65% of the total hectarage in the past, and in recent years a 47% increase was recorded between the two periods. In addition, the Standardised Precipitation and Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) data from 1950 was used to analyze the meteorological and hydrological drought pattern at four locations within the basin and was found to be a moderate drought. The SPEI data was then correlated with the Global Surface Water Explorer data to observe the surface water dynamics and to show the drought extent around Bakolori, Goronyo, Jibia, Wurno and Zobe dams. The result showed that the dams are shrinking in size due to risen temperature and consequent evaporation caused by moderate drought and water use for irrigation. Lastly, this research uncovers the utilization of the Fadama in recent years by 47%, but with mismanagement of the resources in the Sokoto Rima River floodplain because not all the irrigation fields are put into cultivation, with 39,907 ha put into use from the planned irrigation of 105,472 ha in the entire basin. Therefore, this research recommends a proper intervention of the government to promote and enhance sustainable management of the Fadama lands, water, and the vegetation resource. This should be done in consideration of the deteriorating climate to close yield gaps, with much emphasis on engaging the local farmers by monitoring yearly ground yield data and ensuring all incentives are distributed effectively to brace an active and sustainable management of the entire basin and its vast resource.
- ItemOpen AccessA Solidarity (Food) Purchase Group in Cape Town(2021) Stewart, Liesl; Battersby, Jane; Hunter, JoFor the past thirty years, food producers and consumers have initiated alternative food networks (AFNs) because of the perception that the globalising agrifood system is unsustainable, untrustworthy, and untransparent. These alternative strategies for food production and distribution are perceived to be rooted in sustainable, socially-embedded principles. In more recent years, solidarity purchase groups (SPGs) have formed as a distinct type of AFN collaboration that facilitates higher levels of relationships of regard and reciprocity between consumers and producers. The literature of AFNs has largely focussed on AFNs in the global North. There has been far less research focussed on the nature of AFNs in the global South. This research project was undertaken to write a history of an SPG in the global South, in Cape Town, South Africa: The Good Food Club (GFC). The development of the GFC was examined within the context of the global literature on AFNs. Key actors in the GFC, suppliers and members, were interviewed to describe their participation and to discuss the motivations driving their involvement in the GFC. The research explored their values around food production and distribution, and the ways their values have developed or changed over the time of their GFC involvement. Through increased exposure to the food system realities, members have grown in their consciousness as consumers. Members and suppliers expressed desire for connection with each other, for increased embodied knowledge. Members do not believe they will find this this knowledge and connection in the country's corporate retailers. Finally, this research comments the GFC developing similarly to AFNs of the global North, and its consequent limitations as a strategy for the common good of Cape Town.
- ItemOpen AccessA Spatial Suitability Assessment of Maize and Tobacco in Response to Temperature and Rainfall Changes in Zimbabwe(2022) Nkoma, Tsungai; Crespo, OlivierClimate is changing, and this change poses threats to the agricultural sector. The impacts of climate are expected to become more extreme as the earth warms, and this change will affect climate suitability for different types of crops. The degree to which an increase in temperature patterns and rainfall variations will affect climate suitability for agricultural practices needs to be further understood. This can be achieved by performing a climate sensitivity analysis and contribute to informing adaptation policies and mitigation measures. This study aims to analyze the sensitivity of important crops in Zimbabwe, maize, and tobacco, in response to changes in temperature and rainfall patterns. This research paper used a sensitivity analysis of climate variables; rainfall, and temperature, using historical climate data derived from WorldClim for the period 1990-2018 to assess climate suitability. The historical climate data was used as the baseline to assess the sensitivity of maize and tobacco under a 2°C, 3°C, and 4°C temperature increase as well as a 5%, 15%, and 30% increase and decrease in annual average rainfall amount. The modified spatial climate data was computed in QGIS, and suitability was simulated using the Ecocrop model embedded in the DIVAGIS user platform. The results from this study indicated that in Zimbabwe, both crops are more sensitive to rainfall changes than to temperature changes (independently). A 5%, 15%, and 30% decline in the average rainfall will result in previously suitable areas becoming marginal, very marginal, and others unsuitable for both crops that are in agro-ecological regions I to III; i.e., provinces that include Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West, Mashonaland East, Harare, and Manicaland. When crops are subjected to combined changes (temperature and rainfall), both crops become more sensitive. When exposed to high temperatures and low rainfall together, for instance, provinces such as Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West, Mashonaland East, and Harare which are known as historically suitable areas for maize cultivation, will become marginal or very marginal. This change in suitability could have consequences not only on food security but also on people's livelihood and understanding the crops' sensitivity to climate changes helps support the well-being progress of the country.
- ItemOpen AccessA study of past and present uses of the Riviersonderend Mountain catchment area.(1984) Le Roux,G H; Fuggle, R
- ItemOpen AccessA study of urban form; its analysis and its implications for sustainable settlements in desert environments, with Walvis Bay as a case study(1996) Munster, Detlev OThe purpose of this dissertation is to prove that there are urban forms that are appropriate to the desert environment, and that such forms together with basic design principles, can provide substantive design-oriented steps towards the environmental goal of sustainability in an urban context. The term "sustainability" has often been applied at a global level and is a holistic concept that tries to find solutions to a number of global issues. However, many of these problems are highly visible at an urban level, whereby the year 2000 over 50% of the world population is expected to manifest itself in urban areas. Sustainability therefore needs to be addressed at an urban level, a level which is closer to the people who both consume the most resources and produce the most waste. Among the many strategies available for addressing sustainability at a number of levels, sustainability as reflected in city design has played a small role. The stark reality that our living environments influence our daily activities and consumption patterns, and that these have been reflected in an unsustainable manner in many western settlements due to the physical layout of settlements, needs to be addressed. The planning system (with design as both a component· thereof and a result of the planning process) has a major role to play in addressing issues of sustainability from a physical perspective. Much research has been done on urban sustainability and urban form in the European context and is still developing. However, little research has been undertaken on the issues of urban sustainability in arid zones. Arid zones can be considered as the last frontiers of urban and rural expansion, and the prevailing trends of the last 30 years have indicated that these areas are experiencing rapid urbanisation. Due to extreme climatic conditions, it would be expected that these settlements. would develop within the constraints and opportunities such environments present. However, contemporary desert settlements have been founded on planning principles and standards adopted from other regions that are not arid in nature. This has resulted in settlements being inappropriate for their environments. Determining what is appropriate is rather difficult, especially from a physical perspective and could be perceived as very static. A proposition was therefore made to determine whether or not a sustainable urban form for desert environments existed, and whether there were specific design principles for desert settlements. This was intended to produce basic guidelines, which could then be used to facilitate discussion. The development of a coastal zone management plan (CZMP) for the Erongo region in Namibia, provided the opportunity to investigate the proposition. The CZMP required that a variety of issues (biophysical, infrastructural, legal, social, institutional, etc.) be investigated and presented in a baseline report. This baseline report highlighted a number of urban problems (such as urban sprawl, high infrastructural costs, and accessibility problems), which. need to be addressed by the coastal zone management plan. Walvis Bay, a settlement within the CZMP area, and a settlement in an arid zone (namely within the coastal area of the Namib Desert) proved to be an interesting case study, one that could be used to verify the proposition. Urban sustainability, urban morphology and urban design are discussed in detail in this dissertation, in order to present the theoretical tenets with which urban forms can be analysed, and from which an appropriate urban form can be developed for arid zones. Various tenets and principles of sustainability are addressed, and principles pertaining to sustainable design are outlined. Of notable significance is the fact that human design interacts with the natural world. A relationship can therefore be said to exist between the natural and human environments. Urban morphology is presented as a basis for illustrating that settlements develop from a number of influencing factors. Furthermore, the discussion of urban morphology also reveals the agendas which shape settlements, thereby giving certain settlements particular forms. The contempary debate between the respective merits of sprawling and compact settlements, raises a number of implications for sustainability. However, this dissertation proposes that the adoption of a compact settlement could achieve the means of sustainability better. The discussion of urban design emphasises the relationship between the built and natural environments, while at the same time presenting vital attributes that all settlements should either have or strive towards. Empirical research on urban settlements in the desert environments of Israel, Australia and the United States, and research on ancient and Arabic settlements in general, highlights design principles that could enhance the sustainability of settlements in desert environments. From many of the older settlements in the middle east, valuable lessons can be learnt regarding urban form in desert environments, lessons which are still applicable today. Walvis Bay's urban environment is analysed through an understanding of the basic performance dimensions inherent in urban forms, as well as urban form patterns and elements, sustainability principles and the vital attributes that urban environments should have. From this analysis, it becomes clear that certain urban forms are more suitable for desert environments, and that, as a consequence of an inappropriate urban form, Walvis Bay is unsustainable. By combining design principles of the Arabic settlements with aspects of a compact settlement, an appropriate urban form can be achieved. The attainment of a sustainable urban form (and one that encompasses the concept of "liveability") can be achieved for Walvis Bay, through the concrete suggestions made through this dissertation's analysis. This dissertation is a facilitating study, proceeding largely by a review of the existing literature on the subject. This "literature review", together with an analysis of Walvis Bay, is intended to present design principles for a sustainable urban form for desert environments.
- ItemOpen AccessA system for predicting burning weather in the south-western Cape mountain catchment areas(1985) Juhnke, Sieghard Rüdiger; Fuggle, Richard FThis study addresses the problem of predicting suitable burning weather for the south-western Cape Province by means of synoptic analysis. Weather which is suitable for veld burning is defined in terms of maximum hourly windspeed (< 16 km/hr), maximum daily temperature (18° - 28°C) and minimum daily humidity (15 - 45%). Synoptic conditions which are associated with favourable burning weather are outlined. Burning weather in the study area was found to be associated with weak anticyclonic air flow. The pressure configuration which gives rise to the required anticyclonic flow consists of a high pressure cell over the eastern part of the subcontinent, a trough of low pressure along the north-western interior and the location of the climatological high pressure system of the South Atlantic Ocean to the south-west of the subcontinent. A model five-day sequence of pressure charts was developed for use as an analogue consultation system for predicting burning weather. During a test application of the model five-day sequence it could be shown that the system is useful for alerting catchment managers three days in advance, when to expect weather suitable for controlled burning.
- ItemOpen AccessA system for predicting burning weather in the south-western Cape mountain catchment areas(1985) Juhnke, Sieghard Rüdiger; Fuggle, Richard FThis study addresses the problem of predicting suitable burning weather for the south-western Cape Province by means of synoptic analysis. Weather which is suitable for veld burning is defined in terms of maximum hourly windspeed (< 16 km/hr), maximum daily temperature (18° - 28°C) and minimum daily humidity (15 - 45%). Synoptic conditions which are associated with favourable burning weather are outlined. Burning weather in the study area was found to be associated with weak anticyclonic air flow. The pressure configuration which gives rise to the required anticyclonic flow consists of a high pressure cell over the eastern part of the subcontinent, a trough of low pressure along the north-western interior and the location of the climatological high pressure system of the South Atlantic Ocean to the south-west of the subcontinent. A model five-day sequence of pressure charts was developed for use as an analogue consultation system for predicting burning weather. During a test application of the model five-day sequence it could be shown that the system is useful for alerting catchment managers three days in advance, when to expect weather suitable for controlled burning.
- ItemOpen AccessAccelerating productive energy access for the just transition among vulnerable communities; a case study of West Nile, Uganda(2023) Amanubo, Amos; Sparks, DebbieSustainable enhancement of energy security has been considered crucial for a just transition towards low carbon sustainable socio-economic development including poverty eradication, job creation and decent employment, food security, among others. Nevertheless, multidimensional energy poverty is still a widespread phenomenon, profound in low-income economies such as Uganda, more so in the rural areas. To investigate the key issues underlying productive energy access and energy-livelihood interlinkages in the context of micro and small enterprises, this research carried out a case study survey of 129 enterprises in West Nile, Uganda, where previous studies mainly focused on household energy consumption. Data were analysed based on the Multidimensional Energy Poverty Indices (MEPI) framework, capturing how the 4A's dimensions of accessibility, availability, affordability and acceptability reinforce or constrain energy choices. The study found that most enterprises rely on grid (43%), then solar PV (16%) and lastly fuel generator (10%) to meet their energy needs, while 31% are energy bricoleurs who diversified their energy sources to guarantee energy security. The prevailing source of energy used is closely associated with socioeconomic enabling or disabling factors such as gender, education, business type, and market and finance based factors. Further, the results show that several enterprises experienced severe challenges in all dimensions of the 4A's framework, and strong interlinkages existed between energy access and the livelihoods of the enterprise owners. Policies and programmes that seek to address productive energy access should be multidimensional, and should consider gender, education and capacity building, and the key types of enterprises driving the local economy. The potential of solar PV should be reinforced using innovative financial mechanisms and product design to ensure it is both affordable and suited for the needs of the local businesses. Addressing productive energy access should be considered as one of the key strategies to promote sustainable livelihoods.
- ItemOpen AccessAccessing green space in Cape Town : a case study of public perceptions of green space and barriers of access in eight nature reserves and conservation areas within Cape Town(2015) Milliken, Julia; Anderson, PippinIn an increasingly urbanised world, addressing the need for access to urban green space has become a pertinent topic of interest. In Cape Town, South Africa, a city of immense biodiversity and unique spatial development, the issue of accessing urban green spaces is particularly important. Environmental and ecological advocates call for conservation of green space, to preserve the rare biodiversity of the region, while pressures for continued development to accommodate the City's growing population override land conservation policy aspirations. The legacy of post-apartheid development is still strongly entrenched in Cape Town, resulting in an inequitable and in efficient city form. Access to quality green space remains problematic in Cape Town. This research seeks to discover how accessible urban green spaces are in Cape Town, and, if barriers exist, whether they are physical, economic, or socially driven. The author has undertaken a case study method approach to conduct this research, focusing on eight nature reserves or conservation areas managed by the City of Cape Town in the southern and eastern suburbs of the City. Key informant interviews (n= 6) were conducted, as well as qualitative and quantitative surveys of park users and the general public. Park users (n= 672) were surveyed on site, at one of the eight green spaces, while the public (n= 317) were surveyed at the nearest commercial shopping area adjacent to the green space. Outcome measures included demographic information, suburb of residence, mode of transport, reasons for choosing mode of transport, frequency of green space visits, and reasons for visiting. Results show the majority of park users accessed the green space by personal vehicle, and very few park users took public transport (n= 3). The majority of users resided in suburbs within two kilometre s of the green space. Park users varied in age, yet young adults aged 16-19 and elderly over the age of 80 accounted for only 2.8% and 1.8% of those surveyed, respectively. The ethnic breakdown of those surveyed was not indicative of Cape Town's ethnic breakdown, according to the 2011 Census, with white South Africans and coloured South Africans accounting for 50% and 39%, respectively. Over a quarter of the public surveyed identified 'lack of information' or 'unaware of what park offers' as the reason for not visiting the green space. Safety and security was a common concern among both park users and the public; many expressed concern about visiting the green space alone, or traveling alone due to issues of security in the adjacent neighbourhoods. From the data gathered in this research, the author concludes that barriers exist in the access of quality green spaces within Cape Town, and include, but are not limited to, issues of proximity, public transport, safety and security, spatial development of the City, varied green space interests, and information barriers. These issues vastly alter how users engage in these eight different green spaces. Further research may be conducted in a more expansive study on Cape Town's green spaces, including small local green spaces in neighbourhoods throughout the City, which may yield interesting results on the access and barriers to access of urban green spaces.
- ItemOpen AccessAccounting for the C/city: analyzing Kisumu's fiscal configurations(2019) Cirolia, Liza Rose; Parnell, SusanUrban public finance is a hidden force shaping cities and their development. This thesis draws attention to the powerful insights which can be gained from studying cities through a fiscal lens. It argues for an interdisciplinary and relational approach which infuses the fiscal study of cities with political and social interpretations of urban dynamics. Accounting for the city through two very different registers, this thesis draws from urban public finance and from critical scholarship on urban infrastructure. The conventional urban public finance literature is largely technical, produced by urban policy and fiscal experts. In contrast, social and political theorization on urban infrastructure provides a critical reading of the technicist approach and contributes to the refinement of key theoretical concepts within urban studies. There are many incommensurabilities between these two scholarly registers. They have different framings of politics, technical knowledge, and the priorities for change. However, there are several shared interests. They are both concerned with urban institutions, urban places, and the necessity for change. These shared interests provide the foundation for a revised approach to the fiscal study of cities. This synthetic approach is spelled out in a series of conceptual and methodological propositions. The first proposition is the device of the C/city, which distinguishes between an urban settlement (the small ccity) and its governing authorities (the big-C City). The C/city device foregrounds the importance of the city, the City, and the fiscal relationships which operate at the intersections between them. The second proposition frames urban public finance not just as a means of financing urban infrastructure but as an infrastructure itself. Drawing from the infrastructure scholarship, the concept of 'configurations’ is deployed creatively to trace fiscal histories, instruments, and relationships. The third proposition is the importance of grounding inquiry in particular places. To address this, the case study method is used. The case method allows for the use of a variety of types of data and analytical tools, grounded in contextualized experiences. The fourth proposition presents Kisumu, a secondary city in Kenya, as an exemplary case for exploring fiscal C/city configurations. Kisumu provides a useful case for wider generalization precisely because it is an ordinary (African) city. Not only is Kisumu on the margins of Western theorization, its unsensational nature also excludes it from dominant discourses on African cities. However, historically, administratively, and politically, Kisumu has many parallels with smaller urban centers in British East Africa and beyond. It provides a fascinating and widely relevant case of the differentiated nature of fiscal decentralization processes and dynamics. There is much which can be learned from Kisumu and its fiscal story. The bulk of this thesis is dedicated to unpacking the Kisumu case. First, there is a focus on the City. This includes tracing the historical development of Kisumu’s urban institutions and unpacking the ways in which the contemporary City shapes and is shaped by public finance. This is followed by a deeper exploration of particular city infrastructures and their fiscal configurations. The fiscal configurations related to property rates, the corporatized water utility company, and transport finance are traced and exposed. The Kisumu case provides a series of valuable insights. First, it demonstrates the potential and limitations of conventional fiscal analysis. The limitations posed by accounting are particularly important in the context of Kisumu, where the C/city has many misalignments. Second, it makes the case for reading public finance as an urban infrastructure. The process of tracing fiscal configurations illuminates the social, political, material and technical dimensions of public finance. Third, it draws attention to the de facto challenges and complexities related to decentralization (and in fact, the unique recentralization which Kenya has undergone). This includes how the sub-national urban state is constructed and deconstructed, over time and in complex ways. Fourth, it foregrounds the fiscal functionaries whose practices shape the everyday operations of the public finance system. These actors shape fiscal configurations. However, they are often hidden in conventional fiscal analyses. Fifth, it reads the practices of fiscal functionaries as a micro-politics of the state. The heterogeneity of the state and multidimensional nature of power are foregrounded. Finally, the case highlights the challenge of urban infrastructure finance in the context of a post-networked city. It shows the necessity of moving beyond common academic and policy tropes related to infrastructure and services. Collectively, these insights provide a compelling case for urban studies to more deeply engage with the fiscal C/city, in Africa and beyond.
- ItemOpen AccessAchieving Win–Win Solutions in Telecoupled Human–Land Systems(2021-03-07) Guo, Xiaona; Chen, Ruishan; Li, Qiang; Meadows, Michael ETelecoupling refers to socioeconomic and environmental interactions between distant places. Telecoupling is becoming even more significant in the increasingly globalized world and it plays a key role in the emergence of major global environmental problems. In particular, it contributes to land degradation and the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, there is a lack of systematic examination of the impacts of telecoupling on land system change, and how to respond to the undesirable impacts. Based on CiteSpace Software, here we analyze the current research status of telecoupled human–land systems, including publications, major scientific research institutions, and research processes. We explore the impacts of telecoupling on land and how to respond to these impacts. Finally, we propose a framework that is composed of impact identification, system integration, and responses to achieve a win-win situation in telecoupled human–land systems. The framework can help to create a sustainable future for telecoupled human–land systems.
- ItemOpen AccessAcid deposition in the Eastern Transvaal Highveld(1985) Böhm, MaragetThe Transvaal Highveld has one of the largest potentials for air pollution in South Africa. The area around Witbank and Middleburg in the eastern Transvaal Highveld, is highly industrialized with several coal-fired power stations, burning coal dumps and heavy industries. The pollution levels in this area have been the centre of much dispute in recent years, and yet little emphasis has been placed on the severity of atmospheric deposition despite the fact that acid deposition is a major world-wide environmental concern. This study focusses on the chemistry and severity of atmospheric depositions to the south and south-east of the Witbank-Middleburg Power and Industrial Complex. Bulk depositions were sampled at seven sites during the year August 1982 to August 1983 and rain samples covered five sites for four of the six months of the 1983/84 rainy season.