Sustainable Development is the latest buzzword in the circle of
individuals interested in the social aspects of climate change. The reality of
an uncertain and unpredictable future necessitates drastic changes at a
political and developmental level as adaption and mitigation are not
necessarily options for the billions of individuals in developing nations
around the world. Society has begun to realise that climate change is no longer
an unknown on our collective doorstep but rather a system that is changing and
negatively impacting millions of people. The largest impacts seem to be felt in
developing and poor nations where the infrastructure and wealth are not
available to mitigate the lack of basic resources such as food and water,
especially in the face of extreme weather events such as floods and droughts
which are increasing in magnitude and frequency worldwide. Solving the problems
of developing nations in the face of a changing climate seems to make sense only
through some sort of sustainable development.
Sustainable development is not a new term; in fact it was loosely defined
for the first time in the 1987 Report on the World Commission on Environment
and Development (Brundtland 1987). This report, commonly referred to as the
Brundtland report, emphasised the need for economic growth as a means of
keeping up with population growth and alleviating the crippling poverty that
leaves millions of people vulnerable to the effects of global climate change. The
report highlights the importance of merging environmental and economic goals as
well as social development in the processes of decision making. The
applications of these concepts lies in the hands of government and policy
makers and it is in the light of sustainable development that I would like to
present the Western Cape Government’s Green Strategy Framework (WCG 2013).
A commonly noted problem with development in third world and poor nations
is the issue of the cost of ‘green’ development compared to the cheap fossil
fuel fired development enjoyed by already industrialised nations. Undeveloped
countries face the mammoth challenge of trying to catch up to developed
countries, alleviate poverty and the associated evils, and reduce or nullify
any environmental impact. This is the paradox of desiring economic growth while
avoiding environmental harm. South Africa is a developing country; however the
Western Cape is a unique case in that a relatively high level of industry and
infrastructure already exists and the provincial government has made the
decision to become the lowest carbon province and a green hub of the African
continent (WCG 2013).
The premier of the Western Cape, Helen Zille, stated in 2013 that the
province aims to become the leading green economic hub, not only in South
African, but on the African continent. This will supposedly be achieved through
the ‘Green is Smart’ programme outlined in The Green Economy Strategy Framework
(WCG 2013). The strategy hinges on five smart ‘Drivers’: Living & Working,
mobility, eco-systems, agri-production and enterprise. These drivers are said
to be made possible through five ‘Enablers’: Infrastructure, Capabilities,
Knowledge Management, Rules and Regulations, and Finance. The Framework ‘Green
is Smart’ outlines multiple projects and initiatives with both market and
private sector focus which are aimed to catapult the economy of the Western
Cape through growth and into sustainability. This strategy is a step away from
the traditional development practices of the third world, which are largely
fossil fuel dependent, and towards the smart, but ambitious, sustainable
development route. In her State of the Province Address, Helen Zille stated
that the Western Cape green economy formed part of the R2 billion worth of
foreign direct investment (FDI) over the last four years (SAnews.gov.za 2014).
The ‘Green is Smart’ Framework acknowledges that the Western Cape is predicted to be one of the provinces most
negatively affected by climate change and cites this as a primary incentive for
a shift to a green economy. Both the Framework and Finance and Economic
Development MEC Alan Winde, state that the Framework is the best way to
mitigate the threat of climate change (Barnes 2013, WCG 2013). Statements such
as these identify a gap in the understanding of the effects of climate change
and the real goal of sustainable development. A green, oil independent future
is surely the smartest option given the current state of affairs but a green
economy certainly does not remove the risks and effects of an already largely
altered climate. In light of global climate changes perhaps instead of a green
economy framework the provincial government should be looking to sustainable
livelihoods and economic self-sufficiency.
Although some of the goals of the Framework seem misaligned, such as the
possibility of reducing the impact of climate change on the province through a
shift to a green economy, the goal is aligned with one of the major policies of
Helen Zille’s party, that of job creation. The Framework is said to be likely
to create 12 000 jobs by 2015, 16 000 by 2020 and 20 000 by 2025
(Barnes 2013). This is a necessary attempt to curb the extremely high unemployment
rate in the Western Cape and is recognition that the quality of economic growth
is as important as growth itself. A problem recognized by the Brundtland report
is that growth is inherently unsustainable. The concept of sustainable
development, according to the report, should centre on the satisfaction of
human needs which, in developing countries, are food, clothing, shelter and
jobs (Brundtland 1987). The Green Economic Framework seems only concerned with
a fraction of these basic needs and as such is not a sustainability report.
The Western Cape is the first provincial government to prepare a document
of this form and is a major step towards supporting sustainable projects on a
provincial level. The national government recognises the importance of growth
in the green business sector. Jacob Zuma stated, after his State of The Nation
Address, that the green economy is a vital area of growth as the formal economy
cannot absorb all job seekers (SAnews.gov.za 2014). What it comes down to is
actual implementation of these projects and the action to achieve these goals.
The Brundtland report’s section on sustainability ends with the key point “What
matters is the sincerity with which these goals are pursued and the
effectiveness with which the departures from them are corrected” (Paragraph 82
Chapter 2, Brundtland 1987). A governing body which cares about the quality of
growth and the future livelihood of its people is far ahead of one which merely
recognises that Green is Smart and that growth is necessary.
References
Brundtland,
G.H. 1987, "World Commission on Environment and Development (1987): Our
Common Future", World Commission for Environment and Development.
Western Cape Government, 2013, Green is Smart. Western Cape Green Economy Strategy
Framework 2013.
Premier Zille outlines W Cape state of Affairs 2014,
accessed 03 March 2014, http://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/premier-zille-outlines-w-cape-state-affairs
Barnes, 2013. Cape plans to green economic hub,
accessed 03 March 2014, http://www.iol.co.za/business/news/cape-plans-to-green-economic-hub-1.1546665#.UxRFffm4qgg
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