Browsing by Subject "Environmental Science"

Now showing 1 - 20 of 41
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Open Access
    An assessment of resettlement programmes in Southern Africa
    (1997) O'Donoghue, Bridget; Dewar, Neil
    The resettlement programmes in Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa aim to provide secure access to natural resources and infrastructure for landless people within rural areas, in order for them to achieve self sufficient livelihoods through the production of agriculture. Resettlement programmes are a development initiative and a component of rural development. In order for the resettlement programme to be a positive component of rural development by contributing to economic development and improving the welfare of the beneficiaries, the correct procedures need to be followed in the planning and implementation stages. The aim of the study is to establish a set of criteria for assessing resettlement programmes. Zimbabwe's resettlement programme is reviewed to assist in the establishment of the criteria. The criteria is used to evaluate the two case studies, namely, resettlement schemes at Garn, in Namibia and on Elandskloof, in South Africa. Guidelines are developed from the criteria to assist in the planning of resettlement programmes. Unless effective planning which takes the socio-economic and biophysical environments of resettlement areas into consideration, the objective of resettlement programmes practicing sustainable resource use, is reduced.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    An analysis of the ability of small urban wetlands to treat stormwater: the case of Princess Vlei wetland, Cape Town
    (2018) Underhill, Laura; Winter, Kevin
    The consequences of poor water quality on urban aquatic ecosystems have been well established by researchers worldwide. Stormwater management in the urban areas of South Africa predominately focuses on the collection and diversion of runoff into the nearest receiving water body, with little acknowledgement of the impacts on the environment. The City of Cape Town Metropolitan municipality is an authoritative entity on Cape Town pollution and has acknowledged that polluted stormwater is a significant contributor to the deterioration of its' urban aquatic ecosystems due to the persistence of conventional drainage systems. Small urban wetlands are often overwhelmed by the quality of stormwater and urban runoff. Thus water bodies receiving urban stormwater runoff often have elevated loadings of pollutants. In theory wetlands are capable of treating these pollutants and improving water quality through various ecosystem services, but understanding the performance of wetlands under varying conditions is difficult to determine. In South Africa, there is a paucity of studies focussing on the impacts of urban development on small, urban wetlands and thus their ability to provide ecosystem services. This study aimed to identify the surface water quality of Princess Vlei, a small urban wetland, over the past 8 years, and establish the ingress and outflow of the wetland. The pollutant concentrations within the wetland were best explained by the predictor variables of total rainfall and progression of time. Impacts of total rainfall differed with various parameters resulting in larger volumes of water entering the wetland either diluting pollutant concentrations or elevating pollutant concentrations. These inverse trends were proved through the significant correlations found between total rainfall and COD and total rainfall and EC, while the variable of time influenced the wetland's ability to provide ecosystem services, either through the accumulation, retention or flushing of pollutants. The accumulation of pollutants over time was identified through the increasing concentrations off COD and PO₄³⁻, with the exception of NH₃-N that decreased over time. This implies that the wetland was able to assimilate the NH₃-N but not the COD and PO₄³⁻. The results did not suggest that the wetland was able to treat the water, as the literature emphasises, rather, confirmed the pervasive impacts of the urban catchment on the ability of ecosystem services to treat water quality in the wetland.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    An analysis of the state of green business in the South African retail sector
    (2013) Christelis, Theodora Anita
    'Green' business is claimed by some South African retailers even though they lack well-founded and integrated sustainable, social, and environmental commitments. This is because no standards of greening exist for retail in South Africa. The purpose of this study is to explore, 'What constitutes green retail in the South African supermarket sector?' This required investigation into the sustainability of the companies' green business processes, social component of sustainability, and the existing state of the green retail sector. The five dominant supermarkets were selected to answer a questionnaire based on different environmental variables and principles. Interviewee responses were supplemented with publicly available company reports and these were then critiqued by allocating a level of commitment to sustainability of companies' green business processes, social considerations of sustainability, and establishing the current state of the green retail sector. Results show that within business processes, sustainable procurement is becoming increasingly accounted for through eco-labels and enterprise development programs. Distribution processes assist in verifying green claims and production. Various international and local sustainability programs are used to validate green efforts in the lack of national standards. Best practice frameworks are being utilised in the absence of local green standards and where limited, some are creating their own innovative solutions. Sustainability is a core focus at an executive level to some to ensure full integration of sustainability. Retailers may not necessarily pursue trends, but they have similar pressures that are often variably addressed. Although retailers' attempts to green their operations may not be standardised, the retail industry in South African has almost privatised sustainability and socio-economic development as they have superseded legislation to contribute to society and transform communities. It is an opportunity for retailers to take responsibility for their operations and in doing so create innovative solutions that address South Africa's environmental and social issues, in spite of the lack of green standards and governmental regulation, and in doing so become leadership companies that are accountable to their consumer base.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    An assessment of the land-use capability of the Liesbeeck-Black River confluence area
    (1994) Church, Julie Elisabeth; Dodson, Belinda
    As a consequence of increasing development pressure and demands on the Liesbeeck Black River Confluence Area (hereafter referred to as the Confluence Area), the Cape Town City Council (CCC), which has the responsibility for land-use planning in the Confluence Area (CA), recognised the need for a focused land-use study to be undertaken. Preliminary baseline information therefore, was collected by the Environmental and Geographical Science Masters class and is presented in the environmental baseline study (MPhil class, 1994).This is an individual study that serves to review and assess the baseline information. It aims to provide general recommendations for future land-use planning in the CA, which optimise the inherent environmental capabilities of the area. It attempts to present to the decision-makers and land-use planners a holistic environmental information base for more··informed land-use planning.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    The capacity of the Cape Flats aquifer and its role in water sensitive urban design in Cape Town
    (2017) Mauck, Benjamin Alan; Winter, Kevin; Wolski, Piotr
    There is growing concern that South Africa's urban centres are becoming increasingly vulnerable to water scarcity due to stressed surface water resources, rapid urbanisation, climate change and increasing demand for water. Furthermore, South Africa is a water-stressed country with much of its surface water resources already allocated to meet current demands. Therefore, in order to meet the future urban water supply requirements, countries like South Africa will need to consider alternative forms of water management that focus on moving towards sustainability in urban water management. WSUD is one such approach that aims to prioritise the value of all urban water resources through reuse and conservation strategies, and the diversification of supply sources. This study investigates the capacity of the Cape Flats Aquifer (CFA), assessing the feasibility of implementing Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) as a strategy for flood prevention and supplementing urban water supply. The implementation of MAR on the CFA aims to facilitate the transition towards sustainable urban water management through the application Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) principles. The fully-integrated MIKE SHE model was used to simulated the hydrological and hydrogeological processes of the CFA in Cape Town at a regional-scale. Using the results of the regional-scale model, four sites were selected for more detailed scenario modelling at a local-scale. Several MAR scenarios were simulated to evaluate the aquifer's response to artificial recharge and abstraction under MAR conditions. The first objective was to evaluate the feasibility of summer abstractions as a flood mitigation strategy at two sites on the Cape Flats prone to winter groundwater flooding, viz. Sweet Home and Graveyard Pond informal settlements. The second objective of the study was to assess the storage potential and feasibility of MAR at two sites in the south of the Cape Flats, at Philippi and Mitchells Plain. In addition, the migration of solute pollutants from the injected or infiltrated stormwater was simulated and climate change simulations were also undertaken to account for potential fluctuations in rainfall and temperature under climate change conditions. The results indicated that flood mitigation on the Cape Flats was possible and was likely to be most feasible at the Graveyard Pond site. The flood mitigation scenarios did indicate a potential risk to local groundwater dependent ecosystems, particularly at the Sweet Home site. Yet, it was shown that a reduction in local groundwater levels may have ecological benefits as many of the naturally occurring wetlands on the Cape Flats are seasonal, where distinct saturated and unsaturated conditions are required. Furthermore, MAR was shown to improve the yield of wellfields at Philippi and Mitchells Plain through the artificial recharge of stormwater while also reducing the risk of seawater intrusion. MAR was shown to provide a valuable means of increasing groundwater storage, improving the supply potential of the CFA for water supply while aiding the prevention or mitigation of the seasonal flooding that occurs on the Cape Flats. Furthermore, the case was made that MAR is an important strategy to assist the City of Cape Town in achieving its WSUD objectives. MAR and groundwater considerations, in general, are essential for the successful implementation of WSUD, without which, there is an increased risk of overlooking or degrading urban groundwater resources. The findings of this study resulted in a number of recommendation to urban water resources managers, planners and policy makers. First, MAR is an important means for Cape Town to move towards becoming a truly water sensitive city. This study indicated that the CFA should be incorporated as an additional source of water supply for Cape Town especially considering the recent drought conditions and due to its ability for the seasonal storage of water, this would improve the city's resilience to climate change. Furthermore, it was recommended that the application of MAR on the CFA could also be used to reduce groundwater related flooding on the Cape Flats. Second, it was emphasised that urban planning, using WSUD principles is essential for the protection of the resource potential of the CFA. Finally, for the implementation of WSUD and MAR to be successful, there needs to be appropriate policy development alongside the implementation of these strategies to ensure they are achieving their initial objectives and are not causing detriment to the aquifer.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    A coastal zone management framework for the Erongo Region of Namibia
    (1996) Hattingh, Karen; Hill, Richard
    Management of the coastal environment of the Erongo Region of Namibia is currently fraught with difficulty because of a lack of cohesive planning at national, regional, and local level; a multiplicity of agencies responsible for the management of coastal activities whose planning and management actions are not integrated; and, fragmented environmental legislation which suffers from a lack of coordination. The lack of integrated planning and management has resulted in an uncoordinated and fragmented approach to coastal zone management (CZM) in the Region. Development pressure exists on the coast of the Erongo Region because of factors such as high migration numbers into the area; an increased need for housing and employment; proposed dune mining activity; and, growth of the tourism industry with associated increases in infrastructural provision and the number of people visiting the area. Without effective planning, over-exploitation of coastal resources could occur. This could place at risk the resource base on which the Region depends as a source of income. To achieve better management of the coastal environment of the Erongo Region, the dissertation proposes a Coastal Zone Management Framework for the Region. The suggested Management Framework is applied to coastal zone management in Namibia. The analysis concerns Namibia, and not the Erongo Region, because the framework involves management planning at a national level, and not only at a regional level and local level; the setting in place of national level CZM policies, and not only regional level and local level CZM policies; the adoption of CZM legislation; the establishment of a steering committee to oversee implementation of the framework at national level; and the extension by national level authorities of the role of Strategic Environmental Assessment.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    Community participation in diversification options of the diamond mine, Alexkor Ltd : tourism and mariculture
    (1998) Rodkin, Hayley Amanda; Sowman, Merle; Odendaal, Francois
    As a diamond mining company, Alexkor Ltd has had a great impact on the Namaqualand region. Its non-mining section, ABT, has begun implementing a development strategy that is focused on internal transformation of the company and post-mining economic alternatives. This dissertation focuses on how marginalised communities have been incorporated into the planning, decision-making and implementation of the two Alexkor Ltd diversification projects, tourism and mariculture, in the Northern Namaqualand region. Their participation in these projects is crucial to ensuring that alternative economic options become a vehicle for socio-economic development in a post-mining economy. This is particularly important since the Namaqualand economy is heavily dependent on diamond mining, which has been scientifically predicted to decommission over the next few years. The social disruption caused by the inevitable downscaling of mining is a concern for mining companies and government. It is of greater concern for communities who will suffer the effects of retrenchments and therefore, loss of income, directly. The ABT facilitators of the diversification projects recognise the necessity of applying the development strategy at a regional level. This is to ensure that mine-linked communities, especially those who have been historically marginalised, will be socio-economically empowered by diversification, and that their capacity will have been built in order to participate in post-mining economic options. in addition, the nature of tourism and mariculture requires an IBM approach, which incorporates regional bio-geographical and socio-economic factors. Thus, the implementation of the diversification options has had to incorporate: * the socio-political history of South Africa and the Namaqualand region * relevant legislative and institutional policies and processes that espouse the need for transformation, reconstruction and nation-building at national, provincial and local levels. This study focuses on how the participation of communities has occurred over a period of about eight months. It concludes with recommendations and guidelines which development activists and facilitators could use for similar projects.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    Conservancies as a vehicle for achieving sustainable development : with reference to a case study in the Nyae-Nyae area of Eastern Otjozonjupa, Namibia
    (1997) Raphaely, Talia; Kilian, Darryll
    This dissertation is based on the theoretical assumption that in order for conservation to be achievable it must go hand in hand with development, without undermining development of the environment continuing to degrade. At Independence, Namibia inherited a number of environmental and developmental challenges from previous government systems, including slow and even economic growth, a predominantly rural population dependent on the primary production of natural resources for their survival, human-induced loss of rangelands and croplands and a historical alienation from natural resources of residents from communal lands. As a result, Namibia finds herself confronting a number of development imperatives including the need to address and minimise inherited socio-economic and environmental debts as well as ensure that people are able to meet their basic needs. A further key finding of the REIA was that design, planning and implementation of policies, programmes, plans and projects in Namibia should seek to protect and enhance this sensitive environment, and ill-advised development activities may cause or contribute to additional environmental degradation. Recognising this, and in keeping with international trends, the Namibian conservation authorities, following Independence from South Africa began developing a national community-based natural resource management programme (CBNRM) aimed at addressing some of the key constraints of past conservation approaches and promoting development and conservation. One of the principle means of linking CBNRM and development is through the vehicle of conservancies, a defined geographical area which has been established for the management, conservation and utilisation of its wildlife and other natural resources for the benefit of a specific community. Whilst the conservancy approach was originally designed for application on commercial farms, the intention of communal land conservancies is that a community, within a defined geographical area, jointly manage, conserve and utilise the wildlife and other natural resources within the defined area. In so doing, conservancies aim to help promote sustainable environmental management, rural development and improved income and livelihoods for rural families and communities. The conservancy approach therefore is intended to be simultaneously a vehicle for development and for conservation.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    The construction of a South African knowledge base for environmental management and monitoring of transgenic soybean, maize and cotton
    (2006) Alborough, Dean Bradley; Fuggle, Richard Francis; Murphy, Kerry
    By 2005 South Africa was ranked as the 8th largest producer of transgenic crops, with 0.5 million hectares planted to maize, soybean and cotton (James, 2005). A need is recognized for environmental scientists to engage with the technology and understand its place in the agroecosystem and broader environment, and for environmental education to engage agricultural biotechnology so that the benefits and hazards of the new technology are communicated to farmers, regulators and the public. Modern information technology provides a possible means of such communication.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    Cultural ecosystem services of the Diep River corridor: community perceptions
    (2018) Kgantsi, Boitshekwane; Anderson, Pippin; Avlonitis, Georgina; Kavonic, Jessica
    The purpose of the study was to examine the cultural ecosystem service and the community perceptions of the Diep River Corridor that connects the Table Mountain National Park, Little Princess Vlei, Zandvlei Estuary, and finally feeds to the sea of the Atlantic Ocean. Constructed interview questions were used to assess the cultural ecosystem activities occurring along the Diep River corridor. The intention of assessing the cultural ecosystem services was to examine the importance of the corridor for the local communities. The corridor was historically important for various activities such as water for human and livestock drinking purposes, agricultural activities, and irrigation of gardens and to a power water mill. The increased number of people relocating and using the Diep River corridor resulted in degradation and transformation of the river. The study thereof acknowledges people as the major cause of transformation of the Diep River corridor. Literature revealed a lot of studies that have been about water quality, vegetation cover and positions people as the cause of environmental crisis such as pollution. This study thereof saw the need to assess the perceptions of people towards their natural environment and see if this could be used to argue for the importance of this green amenity. Overall, the assessment of community members' perceptions regarding the importance of the river corridor as an available green space was a challenge as individuals had a number of different views. Cultural ecosystem services associated with the Diep River corridor are numerous and variably experienced and enjoyed by the different communities along the river corridor. The outcome of the study revealed different levels of importance and various uses of the corridor by individual and group participants. Important community activities included walking, relaxing, enjoying the peaceful environment, experiencing the beauty of nature, spending time alone or with loved ones, having picnics, sports and kayaking/ boating. The study recognizes that improved management of Diep River corridor for these recreational activities is important and efforts must be made to meet the diverse interest of local community members and residents. The findings will hopefully result in community needs being taken into increased consideration for future recreational management around the Diep River corridor.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    Environmental evaluation of proposed alternative roads to the Mohale dam
    (1993) Heydenrych, Reuben; Hill, Richard
    This is an academic report submitted in partial fulfilment of the degree Master of Environmental Science. It is written to demonstrate the competence of the writer in undertaking work in the field of Environmental Impact Assessment. The main purpose of the report is the comparative evaluation of two proposed alternative roads, the "Western Access Route" (WAR) and the "Least Cost Alternative Route" (LCAR). Since this is an academic report, it will not be used as a decision-making document and it will not be submitted to the proponent of the alternative roads.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    An environmental profile of the water sector of the Erongo region, Namibia
    (1997) Jadav, Manish; Fuggle, Richard Francis
    The aim of this dissertation is to is to provide an environmental overview of the water sector in the study area of the Erongo region. Water is a very scarce resource in the study area and has been singled out to be the greatest obstacle to the development of the study area. As such, this study was developed to assist the identification of the various critical issues affecting the water sector. This study was agreed upon by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Namibia with the help of funding from DANCED. The study is the follow up of an environmental baseline report on the Erongo region in Namibia. The baseline report was commisioned to gather data on the region which would assist the creation of an Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan. This baseline report was undertaken by the whole MPhil class as a group exercise. Individual dissertations were then carried out by the members of the Mphil class. The students had to choose topics that were relevant to the study area. This study is one of these dissertations. The study was guided by the principles of Integrated Water Resources Management and the need to be of use in the planning process for water resource utilisation in the study area. To achieve this, the Integrated Environment Management theory is used together with the principles of Integrated Water Resource Management. This will ensure that the study * Uses a broad definition of the environment so as to identify all key opportunities and constraints of the water sector. * Would help towards the creation of a plan to manage the water sector in order to optimise the benefits of the sector while at the same time minimising or mitigating the financial, environmental and social costs. The study aims to identify the critical environmental impacts of the water sector in the study area. These impacts are then assessed but not evaluated.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    An evaluation of the importance of plant resources to rural communities - a case study of Heuningvlei in the Cederberg
    (1991) Reay, Nicky; Moll, Eugene J
    Within the framework of living resource conservation as advocated by the world Conservation Strategy, this case study investigates the utilitarian value of indigenous plant resources as a supplementary or "hidden" income for a rural community at Heuningvlei. The objectives of the study were to document the rapidly disappearing customary knowledge regarding the utilisation of plant resources, to gain an indication of whether a sustainable method of utilisation exists within the case study community, and to interpret the results in terms of conservation objectives.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    Farming bees in a dynamic social-ecology: An ethnographic exploration of knowledge practices among commercial bee farmers in the Western Cape, South Africa
    (2013) Visser, Zoë; Ziervogel, Gina; Daya, Shari
    In recent years theorists have challenged the certainty that there is one universally 'right' system of knowledge, arguing that there exists a diversity or plurality of ways of knowing the world (Turnbull 1997; Green 2008). Western scientific research has been reframed by these 'relational ontologists' as a set of knowledge practices that tend to produce and reinforce a dualistic view of the world. In particular, 'scientific', positivist accounts of nature have historically positioned mind and body, human beings and nature, humans and non-humans as essentially different or separate from each other (Thrift 2004; Haraway 2008). The methodological recommendation is that, as social theorists, we carefully observe knowledge practices and allow ourselves to be surprised or challenged by what we find rather than constantly performing these preconceived ways of knowing the world through our research (Law 2004; Lien & Law 2010). Farming bees commercially in the Western Cape, South Africa involves a high degree of skill and intimate daily engagements with plants, animals, landscapes and weather-worlds. As such it is an ideal case study for interrogating dualistic framings of human-environment relations through an ethnographic exploration of environmental knowledge practices. Commercial bee farmers that participated in this study raised a range of concerns about complex dynamics influencing their businesses, including challenges accessing viable land for bee sites and accessibility and security of the flowering plants upon which bees depend for food. I argue that, in practice, these challenges involved relational entanglements of farmers and other 'more-than-human' actors (Whatmore 2006) in what I refer to as a dynamic social-ecology (Ingold 2000; Berkes & Jolly 2001; Ommer et al. 2012). I argue that pollination and honey were co-produced by meshworks of more-than-human actors (Ingold 2011; Cohen 2013) and that knowledges were grounded in farmer's physical bodies and performed through practical skills. Farmers embodied multiple roles (such as farmer-businessman and farmer-researcher) and were able to move fluidly between different assemblages of skilled practices and ways of knowing in their engagements with plants, bees and other people (Turnbull 2000; Mol 2002). These insights are used to interrogate dualistic framings of inter-species relationality as well as to critically develop a relational understanding of environmental knowledge practices.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    Film-making in socio-culturally sensitive areas : lessons from the Bo-Kaap
    (2001) Rose-Innes, Olivia
    The main issues around filming in the Bo-Kaap are the need for film crews to respect the area's cultural norms, and for the community to benefit from the inconvenience of hosting film shoots. Recommendations to mitigate costs and enhance benefits of filming, according to the principles of sustainability, include formulating location-specific filming conditions; encouraging local involvement in the film industry; developing a film permitting bylaw; formalising a Professional Code of Conduct for film crews; and establishing an environmental and cultural trust fund for donations from film companies.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    Future changes in extreme rainfall events and circulation patterns over southern Africa
    (2015) Pinto, Izidine S de Sousa; Lennard, Chris; Tadross, Mark; Hewitson, Bruce
    Changes in precipitation extremes are projected by many global climate models as a response to greenhouse gas increases, and such changes will have significant environmental and social impacts. These impacts are a function of exposure and vulnerability. Hence there is critical need to understand the nature of weather and climate extremes. Results from an ensemble of regional climate models from the Coordinated Regional Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX) project are used to investigate projected changes in extreme precipitation characteristics over southern Africa for the middle (2036-2065) and late century (2069-2098) under the representative concentration pathway 4.5 (RCP4.5) and 8.5 (RCP8.5). Two approaches are followed to identify and analyze extreme precipitation events. First, indices for extreme events, which capture moderate extreme events, are calculated on the basis of model data and are compared with indices from two observational gridded datasets at annual basis. The second approach is based on extreme value theory. Here, the Generalized Extreme Value distribution (GEV) is fitted to annual maxima precipitation by a L-moments method. The 20-year return values are analyzed for present and future climate conditions. The physical drivers of the projected change are evaluated by examining the models ability to simulate circulation patterns over the regions with the aid of Self-Organizing Maps (SOM).
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    Historical consideration of environmental dynamics in the identification of dryland degradation in Northern Damaraland
    (1997) Jenks, Cheryl; Meadows, Michael E
    Dryland degradation is widely viewed as a major environmental issue and in many parts of Namibia is perceived to be significant to severe. In recent years, however, following a worldwide trend, there has been a re-evaluation and questioning of the extent, nature and causes of dryland degradation. Too often it seems pronouncements of degradation are based on limited data and a poor understanding of the context and functioning of dryland ecosystems. The aim of this report, therefore, is to demonstrate why an historical perspective of environmental dynamics is valuable in drylands for the identification of degradation and to evaluate the use of such a perspective using northern Damaraland a case study. In order to achieve this aim, several objectives were addressed, these being: to provide a clear and unambiguous definition of the term 'dryland degradation' or 'land degradation'; to review possible indicators and agents of environmental change and land degradation; to provide a conceptual framework that emphasises the importance of an historical; perspective, and the role of arid rangeland dynamics, in evaluating environmental change; to analyse environmental dynamics in northern Damaraland from an historical perspective, utilising aerial photography and archival data in the form of stock numbers; to highlight inherent problems and the utility of an historical perspective.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    An impact assessment of alternative access roads to the Mohale Dam, Lesotho
    (1994) Fawkes, Helen Lucy
    The purpose of this report is twofold. Its aim is firstly to compare the Western Access Road (WAR) with the Least Cost Alternative Route (LCAR) in terms of their ·impact on the environment and identify which of the two routes is the preferred alternative. To this end, the report documents and analyses the results of an impact assessment study, carried out by the Environmental Evaluation Unit (EEU) of the University of Cape Town. The report also includes recommended actions to mitigate negative impacts and enhance positive impacts. The report secondly serves as a dissertation, for the purpose of academic evaluation by examiners, for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Environmental Science. To this end it aims to demonstrate analytical rigour and an understanding of the theoretical basis of the study.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    An investigation into the factors constraining the resolution of urban environmental problems at local authority level in South Africa
    (1992) Weinronk, Eileen; Fuggle, Richard Francis
    The imminent promulgation of the Environment Conservation Act, No. 73 of 1989, which made provision for the devolution of responsibility for environmental matters to the third tier of government authority, was the primary motivation for this research, conducted throughout South Africa between 1988 and 1990. Local authority officials were concerned that they did not have the knowledge, manpower and infrastructural resources to accept this responsibility. This concern was reinforced by the rapid urbanization of predominantly disadvantaged communities for whom little provision had been made. A stratified selection for study purposes of urban areas from the whole of South Africa and all its population groups ensured a reasonable sample of metropolitan regions, regional centres, principle towns and smaller outlying urban areas. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with representatives of government authorities, Non-Government and Community Organizations and practitioners, either implementing or interacting with environmentally related legislation at the local level. With the permission of all participants, the interviews were recorded on audio-cassettes and later transcribed by the interviewers using a word processing programme. Out of these transcriptions, approximately 1000 problem-and-solution groupings were identified and classified. The most widely held perceptions of factors constraining the resolution of urban environmental problems at local authority level were subsequently compared to the provisions of the Environment Conservation Act. It was found that these perceptions of factors requiring attention for the resolution of urban environmental problems are strongly linked to the establishment, maintenance and improvement of environments which contribute to a generally acceptable quality of life. This accords with only one of the four explicit provisions of the Environment Conservation Act. There is a widespread perception that until human needs (Maslow, 1968) are either satisfied or at least addressed, and the whole population incorporated into a more equitable legal framework, the successful implementation of environmental conservation in South Africa will be severely impaired. Furthermore, that the South African ' Government's adherence to the political ideology of separate development constitutes an abuse and exploitation of scarce resources. Recommendations are that the human needs of the whole population of South Africa must be addressed and environmentally destructive legislation repealed in order to truly resolve urban environmental problems, that the participation of the public in matters relating to the effective protection and controlled utilization of the environment be required, that administrative, natural and functional boundaries need to be aligned, and that the structure and responsibilities of bureaucratic hierarchies responsible for environmental management in urban areas need to be set out clearly.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    Is commercial livestock farming environmentally viable within the Orange and Fish River catchment area (OFCA) of Southern Namibia?
    (2001) Van der Merwe, Schalk; Meadows, Michael E
    There are neither historical nor current baseline information relating to the productivity of the OFCA veld and a definite link between the current crisis and the possibly that it is suffering from the effects of having farmed the OFCA veld into a state of durable suboptimal productivity remains to be conclusively established. This current study has been undertaken in order to investigate such a possible link, and to reach a more definite conclusion with regards to the contribution of negative environmental feedback which may have arisen from commercial farming. Specifically, the study investigates the relationship between commercial livestock grazing regimes, possible associated resource degradation (losses in veld productivity and adverse structuring of botanical communities due to livestock grazing effects), and the current productive crisis within the sector.