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  • 1
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Ecological consequences of global climate change for freshwater ecosystems in South Africa
    Academy of Science of South Africa ; 2014
    In:  South African Journal of Science Vol. 110, No. 5/6 ( 2014-05-28), p. 11-
    Details
    In: South African Journal of Science, Academy of Science of South Africa, Vol. 110, No. 5/6 ( 2014-05-28), p. 11-
    Abstract: Freshwater resources in South Africa are under severe pressure from existing anthropogenic impacts and global climate change is likely to exacerbate this stress. This review outlines the abiotic drivers of climate change, focusing on predicted changes in temperature and precipitation. The consequences of global climate change for freshwater ecosystems are reviewed, with effects grouped into those related to water quantity, water quality, habitat and aquatic biological assemblages. Several guiding principles aimed at minimising the potential impact of climate change on freshwater ecosystems are discussed. These guidelines include those focused on water quantity and the maintenance of appropriate environmental flows, integration of global climate change into water quality management, conservation planning for freshwater biodiversity, the promotion of ecosystem resilience, and extending climate change science into policy and public discourse. Proactive assessment and monitoring are seen as key as these will allow for the identification of ecological triggers and thresholds, including thresholds of vulnerability, which may be used to monitor and inform decisions, as well as to improve the ability to forecast based on this knowledge.
    Type of Medium: Online Resource
    ISSN: 1996-7489
    URL: Article
    DOI: 10.1590/sajs.2014/20130274
    Language: Unknown
    Publisher: Academy of Science of South Africa
    Publication Date: 2014
    detail.hit.zdb_id: 2067033-3
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  • 2
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Air quality indicators from the Environmental Performance Index: potential use and limitations in South Africa
    Academy of Science of South Africa ; 2017
    In:  Clean Air Journal Vol. 27, No. 1 ( 2017)
    Details
    In: Clean Air Journal, Academy of Science of South Africa, Vol. 27, No. 1 ( 2017)
    Abstract: In responding to deteriorating air quality, many countries, including South Africa, have implemented national programmes that aim to manage and regulate ambient air quality, and the emissions of air pollutants. One aspect within these management strategies is effective communication to stakeholders, including the general public, with regard to the state and trend of ambient air quality in South Africa. Currently, information on ambient air quality is communicated through ambient mass concentration values, as well as number of exceedances of South African National Ambient Standards. However, these do not directly communicate the potential impact on human health and the ecosystem. To this end, the use of air quality indicators is seen as a potential way to achieve communication to stakeholders in a simplified, yet scientifically defensible manner. Air quality indicators and their source data from the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) were interrogated to understand their potential use in South Africa. An assessment of four air quality indicators, together with their source data, showed improvements in air quality over the time period studied, though the input data do have uncertainties. The source data for the PM indicators, which came from a global dataset, underestimated the annual PM2.5 concentrations in the Highveld Priority Area and Vaal Triangle Airshed Priority Area over the time period studied (2009-2014) by ~3.7 times. This highlights a key limitation of national-scale indicators and input data, that while the data used by the EPI are a well-thought out estimate of a country’s air quality profile, they remain a generalised estimate. The assumptions and uncertainty inherent in such an ambitious global-wide attempt make the estimates inaccurate for countries without proper emissions tracking and accounting and few monitoring stations, such as South Africa. Thus, the inputs and resultant indicators should be used with caution until such a time that local and ground-truthed data and inputs can be utilised.
    Type of Medium: Online Resource
    ISSN: 2410-972X , 1017-1703
    URL: Article
    DOI: 10.17159/2410-972X/2017/v27n1a8
    Language: Unknown
    Publisher: Academy of Science of South Africa
    Publication Date: 2017
    detail.hit.zdb_id: 2876478-X
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  • 3
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    Online Resource
    Invasion science for society: A decade of contributions from the Centre for Invasion Biology
    Academy of Science of South Africa ; 2014
    In:  South African Journal of Science Vol. 110, No. 7/8 ( 2014-07-22), p. 12-
    Details
    In: South African Journal of Science, Academy of Science of South Africa, Vol. 110, No. 7/8 ( 2014-07-22), p. 12-
    Abstract: Biological invasions are a growing problem worldwide. In 2004, the South African Department of Science and Technology, through the National Research Foundation, established a Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology, with the primary goal of providing scientific understanding and building capacity in the field of biological invasions. South Africa is an extraordinary natural laboratory for the study of biological invasions, and the Centre for Invasion Biology (C·I·B) has capitalised on this situation. During its first decade, the C·I·B generated over 800 publications, and produced almost 200 graduates at honours, master’s and doctoral levels. The C·I·B has therefore made a considerable contribution to building human capacity in the field of biological invasions. Substantial advances have been made in all aspects of invasion science, which is not limited to biology and ecology, but includes history, sociology, economics and management. The knowledge generated by the C·I·B has been used to inform policy and improve management practices at national and local levels. The C·I·B has emerged as a leading institute in the global field of invasion biology, with several unique features that differentiate it from similar research institutes elsewhere. These features include a broad research focus that embraces environmental, social and economic facets, leading to a diverse research programme that has produced many integrated products; an extensive network of researchers with diverse interests, spread over a wide geographical range; and the production of policy- and management-relevant research products arising from the engaged nature of research conducted by the C∙I∙B.
    Type of Medium: Online Resource
    ISSN: 1996-7489
    URL: Article
    DOI: 10.1590/sajs.2014/a0074
    Language: Unknown
    Publisher: Academy of Science of South Africa
    Publication Date: 2014
    detail.hit.zdb_id: 2067033-3
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  • 4
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    broader view of stewardship to achieve conservation and sustainability goals in South Africa
    Academy of Science of South Africa ; 2016
    In:  South African Journal of Science Vol. 112, No. 5/6 ( 2016-05-26), p. 15-
    Details
    In: South African Journal of Science, Academy of Science of South Africa, Vol. 112, No. 5/6 ( 2016-05-26), p. 15-
    Abstract: Stewardship is a popular term for the principles and actions aimed at improving sustainability and resilience of social-ecological systems at various scales and in different contexts. Participation in stewardship is voluntary, and is based on values of altruism and long-term benefits. At a global scale, ‘earth stewardship’ is viewed as a successor to earlier natural resource management systems. However, in South Africa, stewardship is narrowly applied to biodiversity conservation agreements on private land. Using a broader definition of stewardship, we identify all potentially related schemes that may contribute to sustainability and conservation outcomes. Stewardship schemes and actors are represented as a social network and placed in a simple typology based on objectives, mechanisms of action and operational scales. The predominant type was biodiversity stewardship programmes. The main actors were environmental non-governmental organisations participating in prominent bioregional landscape partnerships, together acting as important ‘bridging organisations’ within local stewardship networks. This bridging enables a high degree of collaboration between non-governmental and governmental bodies, especially provincial conservation agencies via mutual projects and conservation objectives. An unintended consequence may be that management accountability is relinquished or neglected by government because of inadequate implementation capacity. Other stewardship types, such as market-based and landscape initiatives, complemented primarily biodiversity ones, as part of national spatial conservation priorities. Not all schemes related to biodiversity, especially those involving common pool resources, markets and supply chains. Despite an apparent narrow biodiversity focus, there is evidence of diversification of scope to include more civic and community-level stewardship activities, in line with the earth stewardship metaphor.
    Type of Medium: Online Resource
    ISSN: 1996-7489
    URL: Article
    DOI: 10.17159/sajs.2016/20150359
    Language: Unknown
    Publisher: Academy of Science of South Africa
    Publication Date: 2016
    detail.hit.zdb_id: 2067033-3
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  • 5
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    What material flow analysis and life cycle assessment reveal about plastic polymer production and recycling in South Africa
    Academy of Science of South Africa ; 2022
    In:  South African Journal of Science ( 2022-08-31)
    Details
    In: South African Journal of Science, Academy of Science of South Africa, ( 2022-08-31)
    Abstract: Global production and consumption of plastics have increased significantly in recent years. The environmental impacts associated with this trend have received growing attention internationally with single-use plastic packaging responsible for most plastic pollution. Locally, the SA Plastics Pact, the Industry Master Plan, and the National Waste Management Strategy all aim to transform the current linear sector model into a circular system by setting targets for increased collection and recycling rates and recycled content. However, the associated impacts of implementing such circular interventions have not yet been assessed across the plastics life cycle. Industrial ecology tools, material flow analysis and life cycle assessment, are used to generate mass-based indicators as well as indicators of climate damage in the form of the global warming potential. The carbon footprint of the South African plastics value chain from cradle to grave was estimated at 17.9 Mt CO2eq emissions in 2018, with 52% of these due to the local coal-based monomer production process. The end-of-life stage lacks proper waste collection for a third of the population, but contributes only 2% to the total greenhouse gas emissions, with recycling having a minimal environmental impact. Future projections of plastics production, use, disposal, and recycling for 2025 show that increasing mechanical recycling rates to achieve stated targets would start to have a significant effect on virgin polymer demand (in the order of several billion rands of sales annually) but would also reduce waste disposal by 28% relative to baseline growth and 18% below values calculated for 2018. Significance: Despite increased attention, the flows and resulting life cycle-based carbon footprint of the plastics sector have not been evaluated on a local scale. The carbon footprint of the South African plastics industry is sizeable at almost 18 Mt CO2eq per annum with emissions strongly associated with the linear rather than the circular stages of the value chain. The impacts of a key circular economy intervention, namely increased recycling rates to achieve set targets include demand reduction for virgin polymer to the tune of several billion rands.
    Type of Medium: Online Resource
    ISSN: 1996-7489
    URL: Article
    DOI: 10.17159/sajs.2022/12522
    Language: Unknown
    Publisher: Academy of Science of South Africa
    Publication Date: 2022
    detail.hit.zdb_id: 2067033-3
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  • 6
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    Water security and rangeland sustainability: Transdisciplinary research insights from Namibian–German collaborations
    Academy of Science of South Africa ; 2021
    In:  South African Journal of Science Vol. 117, No. 1/2 ( 2021-01-29)
    Details
    In: South African Journal of Science, Academy of Science of South Africa, Vol. 117, No. 1/2 ( 2021-01-29)
    Abstract: The Global South is facing severe challenges in ensuring livelihood security due to climate change impacts, environmental degradation and population growth as well as changing lifestyles. These complex problems cannot be solely solved by single scientific disciplines – they require transdisciplinary research (TDR). Stakeholders from civil society, the corporate sector, government and science need to pool their knowledge to find solutions for sustainable transformations. In Namibia, we have been involved in TDR projects on water supply, and sanitation services as well as livestock management in rangeland systems. In this paper, we review two TDR projects that differ in multiple ways and hence allow us to carve out structural differences and critically discuss research outcomes, lessons learned and the challenge of North–South collaborations. Our review builds upon published and unpublished project documents as well as expert interviews with Namibian and German researchers who were involved in the projects. Our results show that TDR can be put into practice in different ways, depending on the research focus and the period available. The TDR phases of problem framing, inter- and transdisciplinary integration were implemented with different tools and foci points. We discuss the role of project length and funding conditions for project success and outcome generation. In addition, we critically consider the role of Namibian and German researchers in these international collaborations. The conclusions we draw touch upon the points of preparatory research funding, the equal acknowledgement of Global South contributions to joint research projects and the explicit handling of TDR components in project work. Significance: The current social-ecological challenges are complex and require TDR as a mode of knowledge coproduction, particularly in a development context. Inter- and transdisciplinary integration are critical processes for a project to be successful and require the allocation of adequate time and monetary resources. Longer-term projects with a funded preparatory research phase constitute a structural model for TDR as project outcomes can evolve over time. Global South researchers carry a hidden burden in international collaborations that has to be adequately acknowledged upfront in project planning and final products.
    Type of Medium: Online Resource
    ISSN: 1996-7489
    URL: Article
    DOI: 10.17159/sajs.2021/7773
    Language: Unknown
    Publisher: Academy of Science of South Africa
    Publication Date: 2021
    detail.hit.zdb_id: 2067033-3
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  • 7
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    Pruning the Money-Tree to Ensure Sustainable Growth: Facilitating Sustainable Development Through Market-Based Instruments
    Academy of Science of South Africa ; 2017
    In:  Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal Vol. 9, No. 3 ( 2017-07-05), p. 87-114
    Details
    In: Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal, Academy of Science of South Africa, Vol. 9, No. 3 ( 2017-07-05), p. 87-114
    Abstract: There is growing global recognition that market-based instruments (MBI), such as environmentally-related taxes, levies and user-charges, are viable tools for facilitating environmental management and, ultimately, sustainable development. These instruments seek to correct market failure to value, or accurately value, environmental goods and services that consequently lead to environmental concerns being accorded insufficient consideration in everyday market activities.  South Africa has introduced various MBI, largely in the form of environmentally-related taxes pertaining to mining, agriculture, electricity supply, water supply, waste water discharge and various products such as fuel and plastic shopping bags. The primary rationale underlying the introduction of these instruments has been revenue generation. Government has, however, acknowledged that MBI have potential to achieve other objectives, namely to mould human behaviour, encourage more efficient resource use and improve actual environmental outcomes.In an effort to facilitate further debate on the issue, the National Treasury recently published a draft policy paper titled A Framework for Considering Market-Based Instruments to Support Environmental Fiscal Reform in South Africa. The Draft Policy Paper reflects a significant shift in fiscal policy and provides four broad tax reform options that could contribute towards meeting both fiscal and environmental objectives, namely: reforming existing environmentally-related taxes and charges in the transport and solid waste sectors; introducing new environmentally-related taxes in the electricity and waste water sectors; reforming legal aspects of non-environmentally-related taxes with perverse environmental incentives and creating incentives to improve environmental outcomes.  This article briefly considers each of the above options set out in the Draft Policy Paper by focusing on the following questions: Why has there been a shift toward the use of MBI to achieve environmental outcomes? To what extent are they used currently in South Africa? What are the options for extending their use in South Africa? What are the prerequisites for their successful implementation?   
    Type of Medium: Online Resource
    ISSN: 1727-3781
    URL: Article
    DOI: 10.17159/1727-3781/2006/v9i3a2827
    Language: Unknown
    Publisher: Academy of Science of South Africa
    Publication Date: 2017
    detail.hit.zdb_id: 2141789-1
    SSG: 2
    SSG: 6,31
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  • 8
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    SAJS Volume 117 Issue 9/10: Mbopha et al. Supplementary Material
    Academy of Science of South Africa ; 2021
    In:  South African Journal of Science Vol. 117, No. 9/10 ( 2021-09-29)
    Details
    In: South African Journal of Science, Academy of Science of South Africa, Vol. 117, No. 9/10 ( 2021-09-29)
    Abstract: Ecological infrastructure (EI) is a natural and near-natural functioning ecosystem that delivers a range of essential services to humankind. Examples include mountain catchments, wetlands, coastal dunes, and riparian corridors. In a world where EI is underinvested, rapid degradation and threats such as unsustainable veld-fire regimes, droughts, climate change, and invasive alien plants persist in dominating the ecological landscape. In South Africa, there are government programmes that encourage the restoration, rehabilitation and protection of EI. However, inadequate funding allocations constrain scaling-up and thus necessitate the unlocking of public and private sector investments to augment resources for ecosystem-based management interventions. A systematic literature review was conducted at a global scale to (1) understand the drivers behind EI investments, (2) understand the willingness and desire of private landowners and land users to participate and contribute to EI investments and (3) identify institutional support mechanisms used to encourage investments. Results suggest that the need to invest is driven by growing degradation of EI and the urgency to meet environmental sustainability goals. The willingness to invest is stimulated by the use of economic-based policies and compensatory mechanisms. Public–private partnerships, public policy, and market-based conservation instruments are institutional arrangements executed to protect EI. These include processes and systems used by the institutions to legislate and manage interventions towards fulfilling the conservation objective. Our review contributes to the EI investment research agenda by recommending coordinated efforts to encourage EI investment from both public and private partners. These measures will help to secure financial resources and mobilise investments beyond monetary terms by coordinating planning and developing capacity and reform policies.Significance: Reviewing international experiences on ecological infrastructure investments will help to inform the Natural Resources Management programmes’ efforts to upscale the investments essential to conserve natural ecosystems. The lessons from the systematic review will further reveal other related natural ecosystem investment processes from which to learn. Therefore, gaining a global understanding of these lessons provides evidence-based advice for policy development and decision-making processes which seek to protect natural ecosystems for present and future generations.
    Type of Medium: Online Resource
    ISSN: 1996-7489
    URL: Article
    URL: Article
    DOI: 10.17159/sajs.2021/8666
    DOI: 10.17159/sajs.2021/8666/suppl
    Language: Unknown
    Publisher: Academy of Science of South Africa
    Publication Date: 2021
    detail.hit.zdb_id: 2067033-3
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  • 9
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    A new approach to the efficiency concept in South African industry
    Academy of Science of South Africa ; 2007
    In:  Journal of Energy in Southern Africa Vol. 18, No. 1 ( 2007-02-01), p. 51-63
    Details
    In: Journal of Energy in Southern Africa, Academy of Science of South Africa, Vol. 18, No. 1 ( 2007-02-01), p. 51-63
    Abstract: This millennium is marked by a new trend: efficien-cy. In the actual economical environment, business sustainability requires high-efficiency technological processes. The efficiency concept has to be present at all levels of industrial activities. However, as com-mon practice, the efficiency concept is still regarded equivalent to ‘energy efficiency’ as mentioned in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC 1996), and specifically re-defined by the Federal Energy Management Plan (Department of Energy Federal Register 1994.By analysing specific industrial processes, the authors have defined a global concept of efficiency presenting results of sound research in this field, with reference to electric motors and drives. Typical examples supporting the theoretical background reveal general impacts on the South African econo-my by implementing this new concept:•    Technical and economical performance improvement and competitiveness of South African companies to international standards;•    Defusing an incipient energy crisis in the sector;•    Improving environmental conditions (less ema-nations of carbon dioxide at the power plants); and•    Creating new job opportunities in the sector. The global concept of efficiency proposed in this paper can be further developed in assessing effi-ciency of various processes, thus improving compa-nies’ corporate energy policy.
    Type of Medium: Online Resource
    ISSN: 2413-3051 , 1021-447X
    URL: Article
    DOI: 10.17159/2413-3051/2007/v18i1a3341
    Language: Unknown
    Publisher: Academy of Science of South Africa
    Publication Date: 2007
    detail.hit.zdb_id: 2677897-X
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  • 10
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    SAJS Volume 115 Issue 5/6 - Cockburn Supplementary Material
    Academy of Science of South Africa ; 2019
    In:  South African Journal of Science Vol. 115, No. 5/6 ( 2019-05-29)
    Details
    In: South African Journal of Science, Academy of Science of South Africa, Vol. 115, No. 5/6 ( 2019-05-29)
    Abstract: Stewardship offers a means of addressing social-ecological sustainability challenges, from the local to the global level. The concept of stewardship has had various meanings attached to it over time, and the links between the theory and practice of stewardship are not well understood. We sought to characterise the practice of stewardship in South Africa, to better understand the relationship between theory and practice. We found that practitioners’ understandings of stewardship coalesce around two core notions: the idea of stewardship as ‘responsible use and care’ of nature, and stewardship as a ‘balancing act’ between stewards’ use of natural resources for agricultural production and their responsibility to protect and manage the wider ecosystem. Stewardship practice in South Africa is strongly influenced by the biodiversity stewardship tool; however, many practitioners are integrating biodiversity stewardship with other approaches. These emerging social-ecological stewardship initiatives operate at landscape-level and work towards integrated social and ecological stewardship outcomes, by facilitating collaboration among diverse stakeholders. Further research is needed to better understand what is required to support these integrated, collaborative and cross-sectoral initiatives. Policy mechanisms that facilitate integrated place-based stewardship practice can contribute to expanding the practice of biodiversity stewardship in South Africa. Significance: Our findings contribute to a growing understanding of what stewardship looks like in South Africa and how it is put into practice. We show that biodiversity stewardship is a prevalent understanding of stewardship practice in South Africa and is often combined with other approaches for sustainable landscape management. A broader understanding of stewardship, for example through the concept of social-ecological stewardship, can enable more integrated, collaborative approaches to landscape management, addressing the wide range of environmental and social development challenges faced in rural landscapes across South Africa.
    Type of Medium: Online Resource
    ISSN: 1996-7489
    URL: Article
    URL: Article
    DOI: 10.17159/sajs.2019/5339
    DOI: 10.17159/sajs.2019/5339/suppl
    Language: Unknown
    Publisher: Academy of Science of South Africa
    Publication Date: 2019
    detail.hit.zdb_id: 2067033-3
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