Centre for Sustainability Transitions (CST)

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This department was formerly known as Centre for Complex Systems in Transition

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Applying the safe and just operating space (SJOS) framework to sustainable development in Zimbabwe
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2023-03) Ngadze, Fiona; Selomane, Odirilwe; Sitas, Nadia; Hamann, Maike; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Centre for Sustainability Transition.
ENGLISH SUMMARY: Global population growth coupled with technological advancements and unsustainable consumption patterns have increased environmental degradation. People and the environment are interconnected, influencing each other in both positive and negative ways. As people rely on the environment for numerous dimensions of wellbeing, it is important to track both social and environmental changes to ensure that human interactions with the environment are sustainable. Previous indicators and frameworks to measure sustainable development such as the planetary boundaries framework, the ecological footprint, the gross domestic product, and the human development index have treated the environment as separate from people. Approaches like the Safe and Just Operating Space (SJOS) advance on these frameworks by incorporating human wellbeing needs with environmental conservation. The SJOS framework is being increasingly used around the world to address conflicts between socio-economic demands and environmental sustainability. Zimbabwe, like many other countries in the global South, faces interconnected environmental challenges and social deprivation issues, which require a holistic approach to address. Therefore, this study adopted a social-ecological systems approach, applying the SJOS framework to better comprehend ways of achieving balance between human well-being needs, economic development, and environmental conservation. The objectives of this study were: (1) to understand the different research contexts applying the SJOS framework; (2) to identify key environmental and social dimensions relevant to sustainability in Zimbabwe; and (3) to understand the provincial spatial variability in social dimension trends. The study uses a mixed-methods approach, combining a systematic mapping literature review and thematic analysis with a desktop empirical study (focusing on social and environmental dimensions available for Zimbabwe). The literature review uncovered that aerosol loading, land-use change, and biodiversity loss were the most studied environmental dimensions, while employment, social equity, gender equality and health were the most studied social dimensions. These insights informed the empirical component of this study. The methods involved collecting data for the environmental and social dimensions, at national and provincial scales, from international research databases and Zimbabwe government reports, to explore the country’s status within the SJOS framework. The indicator for each dimension was compared against a pre-determined threshold and this provided the results on the underperforming social dimensions and transgressed environmental dimensions. The provincial analysis reflected the patterns of social inequality across the provinces of Zimbabwe. The results of the national level analysis revealed that Zimbabwe’s transgressed environmental dimensions are freshwater use, aerosol loading and biogeochemical flows. Whereas the deprived social dimensions are access to energy, health, and education. From the sub-national analysis, Matabeleland North was the most socially deprived province while, Harare and Bulawayo were the best performing provinces. This study recommends that Zimbabwe decision-makers should review their policy frameworks to target the transgressed environmental dimensions as they are currently being neglected. The adoption of measures such as energy source alternatives to reduce the burning of fossil fuels which are contributing to rapid deforestation and increased aerosol loading in the country, are also recommended. This study shows that environmental conservation and sustainable development targets remain a dream, as long as social foundations are not fully addressed.
Assessing the prevalence of energy poverty and the impact thereof on educational well-being of high school students in Windhoek, Namibia
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2023-03) Seibes, Winniefred Angel; Mohlakoana, Nthabiseng; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Centre for Sustainability Transition.
ENGLISH SUMMARY: There are numerous measures of energy poverty. However, binary, and unidimensional measures provide minimal insight on the extent of energy poverty experienced by households who do have access to electricity or energy supply at varying degrees. The aim of this thesis is to evaluate energy poverty amongst high school students in Windhoek, Namibia, and its impact on their educational well-being. By employing a Multi-Tier Framework (MTF) along with other binary measures of energy poverty, such as the 10% threshold on household income and energy expenditure, the study assesses household electricity connections or the lack thereof; and reliance on biomass by households. Application of the multi-tier framework to this study will produce results that will provide school authorities and policy-makers with insight on the level of energy poverty experienced by students in relation to the various attributes of household energy supply such as its capacity, reliability, availability, quality, affordability, legality, and safety. Additionally, the study provides information on the impact of energy poverty on students’ academic attainment, and performance in English, Mathematics and Science. The study found that over 80% of participating households have electricity connections. In addition, approximately 65.4% of participating households spend more than 10% of their monthly income to acquire energy sources. And households spend an average of 18.2% of their monthly income to acquire energy sources. This study employed the Multi-Tier Framework to analyse energy poverty levels based on the households’ electricity access. As per the Multi-Tier Framework approach, the Weighted-Index of Access (WIA) compiles individual household electricity access levels into a single value that represents the overall access level for households in a particular region. Thus, the Weighted-Index of Access for households participating in this study was determined to be at Tier 3. At an access level of Tier 3, households experience an inconsistent energy supply, with constrained capacity. Moreover, the energy sources used for cooking are deemed unsafe and unhealthy. In relation to educational wellbeing, the study observed a trend of high levels of student absenteeism amongst low-income households. The study thus recommends an extension of electricity subsidies to all poor households. The study also recommends increased consumer education on climate change and the impacts of the use of unclean fuels on human health and the environment. Finally, the study proposes that schools implement early-detection and intervention systems for students with high absenteeism. Opportunities for further research exists to establish households’ electricity connection status, and to identify causes for the lack thereof. Research may also be conducted to identify households’ limitations in accessing various energy sources.
Beyond resistance? exploring dynamics of incumbency in South Africa's power sector reform
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2023-03) Richards, Nichola Deborah McCulloch; Davies, Megan; Mohlakoana, Nthabiseng; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Centre for Sustainability Transition.
ENGLISH SUMMARY: This traditional academic thesis evaluates South Africa’s process of power sector reform and highlights the dynamics of incumbency throughout this process. The role of incumbents as significant actors in socio-technical energy systems is a growing focus in sustainability transitions literature. This can be attributed to dynamics in the global energy transition and the work of incumbents, either subverting, stalling, or accelerating transition processes. Incumbents are generally understood to delay and resist energy transitions, while defending socio-technical regimes, in which they have vested interests. The literature on power sector reform is a useful complement to understanding the configuration and transformation of socio-technical energy systems and energy transitions. This thesis is guided by the question, what insights about incumbency in South Africa’s socio-technical energy transition could be generated from an evaluation of power sector reform in the country? The research seeks to understand the role of incumbents in transition processes, with a focus on South Africa’s political economy of energy. The analysis of the country’s energy transition pays close attention to the role of Eskom the vertically integrated national electricity utility, often regarded as the incumbent blocking rapid transformation of the power sector. South Africa’s power sector provides a useful case study of incumbents’ interactions and role in energy transitions. On one hand, the country has a heavily coal reliant power system and an aging coal-fired fleet of power stations, and on the other hand, abundant renewable energy resources. This positions South Africa well to take advantage of the global energy transition, yet the transition remains slow and contested. The investigation into the role of the incumbent is thus situated in this transitional space between the potential to transitions and the slow contested nature of the transition. Power sector reform processes are mapped between 1998 and 2022, using grey literature from Eskom and three legislatively relevant government institutions. This is done by mapping the four dimensions of reforms, regulation, unbundling and corporatisation, private sector participation and competition. This process is then evaluated, and dynamics of incumbency are highlighted throughout. This research inquiry into South Africa’s power sector reform and role of incumbents is triangulated by interviews with energy sector experts, industry specialists, activists, and academics. The research in this thesis demonstrates that Eskom’s incumbent positionality has shifted throughout the process of power sector reform, resulting in a diffusion of incumbent characteristics throughout the electricity supply industry. While Eskom has resisted aspects of the energy transition, the utility is not alone in this, South Africa’s power sector is mired in a web of incumbency that is broader than the state-owned utility. This examination of incumbency in South Africa’s power sector indicated that in some instances Eskom has moved beyond resistance and showed support for aspects of reforms. Finally, the experience of power sector reforms in the global south with a focus on an incumbent utility, highlights the importance of the political economy and context. Thus, to support a sustainability orientated transition, policy makers, activists, academics and civil society need to consider the dynamics of incumbency, beyond Eskom in South Africa’s power sector, and wider energy transition.
Challenges for participatory action research and indigenous knowledge in Africa
(Faculty of the Humanities, University of the Free State, 2001) Le Grange, Lesley
Participatory action research represents the convergence of two intellectual and practical traditions, that of action research and participatory research. Although participatory action research is by no means uncontentious, it has become a familiar term to social research practitioners. However, in recent years critiques of Western epistemologies by sociologists of knowledge, feminists, post-colonialists and postmodern scholars present challenges for participatory action research in Africa. This article critically examines epistemologies that support and underpin participatory action research. It particularly interrogates the dominance of Western epistemologies in supporting models of participatory action research used in Africa and elsewhere, and explores spaces for indigenous epistemologies and Western epistemologies to be performed together within participatory action research processes.
Change contagion : exploring the role that social interactions play in increasing support for corporate sustainability
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2023-03) van Achterbergh, Elzé; Feront, Cécile; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Centre for Sustainability Transition
ENGLISH SUMMARY: Pressure is mounting for businesses to shift towards sustainability by serving nature and society. My study explores the role of social interactions in increasing support for corporate sustainability, particularly in the context of ongoing crises in the macro environment. I build upon institutional change, change agent, and social-symbolic work literature. Institutional change literature provides insights into exogenous and endogenous change processes. Literature on change agents highlights the role of individuals who seek to change the institutions in which they operate. Social-symbolic work provides a framework of analysis for how people negotiate social meanings. While prior literature acknowledges the importance of social interactions in driving institutional change, there is limited research on how precisely interactions contribute. My qualitative study investigates how social interactions influence support for institutional change. It analyses the spread of the sustainability agenda in corporate organisations in South Africa during several crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a grounded theory methodology, I collected and analysed primary data from semi-structured interviews and a focus group. 18 change agents participated in my research. 13 change agents were directly employed by eight different corporations listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, and the remaining were employed by other organisations along the value chain, such as in suppliers. I found that social interactions play a major role in furthering the sustainability agenda in two ways. First, there are three ways agents challenge the values of someone who is not a change agent: value association (pointing out where sustainability and corporate values align), value relocation (contextualising a non-corporate value into the corporate space), and value shifting (facilitating a person’s introspection). Furthermore, a crisis catalyses this by disrupting the routines of the non-agent, leading to anxiety, which change agents could creatively leverage to accelerate change contagion. Second, change agents use social interactions to drive sustainability transitions through negotiating with one another on what sustainability means. I termed this process value negotiation. Value negotiation legitimises and operationalises sustainability transitions, thereby accelerating change contagion. My research builds upon existing scholarship. First, it introduces the concept of change contagion, which scholars can use in the future to analyse how ideas spread between people. Second, it articulates the role of social interactions in driving institutional change by describing the mechanisms which lead to the permeation of change agency. Third, it adds to social-symbolic work literature, particularly to our understanding of value work, as it introduces the concepts of value association, value relocation, value shifting, and value negotiation. Last, it provides insights into the how crises provide opportunities that can be leveraged by change agents to accelerate institutional change and catalysing change contagion. My findings also provide practical insights. Firstly, it recommends the positioning of agents throughout the value chain, linking them together through spaces where they could interact with one another. Second, my study shows how sustainability teams can harness crises to further corporate sustainability transitions. Finally, my findings provided some tools and techniques agents could use to help spread change agency.
Could biodynamics help bridge the gap in developing farmer intuition?
(De Gruyter Open, 2019) Von Diest, Saskia G.
Several scientific studies indicate that farmers do not often use formalised decision support tools as expected, and many prefer to rely on their intuition to make practical management decisions. While agricultural science and education acknowledge the different types of knowledge that farmers utilize, intuition continues to receive little attention in agricultural science, indicating a gap in farmer decision-making research. The mechanism driving intuition remains under debate, but is described as a pervasive, involuntary, rapid way of knowing, offering access to tacit (internal, intangible) knowledge that complements analytic processes. Many studies agree that intuition can be trained to increase accuracy and reliability. However, the comprehensive works on intuition by Rudolf Steiner hardly feature in modern science, and yet his writings and biodynamic agriculture approach offer farmers and non-farmers guidelines for systematic development of subtle abilities like intuition. There may be value in collaborative, transdisciplinary exploration between agricultural research and biodynamic theory and practice, for supporting farmers to develop their intuitive knowing. Such an alliance could help increase the awareness and practice of biodynamics, expand the knowledge base and lexicon for the emerging research field of intuitive farming, and help reinvigorate agricultural research toward more efficient, customized and connected farming practices.
COVID-19 : insights and prospects from shifting learning experiences in Stellenbosch University’s postgraduate diploma in sustainable development
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2023-03) Van Den Bergh, Camryn; Davies, Megan; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Centre for Sustainability Transition.
ENGLISH SUMMARY: The world finds itself amid a profound and complex socio-ecological polycrisis. The COVID-19 pandemic caused unprecedented disruptions that impacted education systems and practices. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have the potential to play a significant role in cultivating sustainability leaders who, in turn, are poised to contribute towards solving complex sustainability challenges. Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is one framing of Higher Education (HE) that explicitly focuses on the links between education and sustainability and signifies the potential that HEIs might have in contributing to transformations to just, equitable, and sustainable futures. ESD, in many ways, attempts to challenge and decolonise conventional education paradigms and propel education by reimagining teaching, learning, and assessment appropriate for the challenges of the time. The pandemic’s impacts on HEIs in general, and ESD contexts in particular, are the focus of the research in this thesis, and the extent to which the ruptures triggered by the COVID-19 crisis might be leveraged to enhance ESD. This research study investigated the unique window of opportunity created by the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on HE and explored the extent to which this rupture might potentially accelerate and deepen the necessary shifts in approaches to education that are urgently required for advancing ESD. Many of these nascent trends existed before the onset of the global pandemic; however, their capacity as seeds of potential for ESD was never fully realised. The qualitative inquiry was informed by a paradigm of complexity and explored COVID-19 disruption and its impact on learning experiences within the specific context of the Postgraduate Diploma (PGD) in Sustainable Development at Stellenbosch University (SU). The inquiry surfaced various themes that might shape the approach to ESD within this programme at HEIs in South Africa going forward. More specifically, the research revealed that learning in place, technology in learning, emotions in learning, and building a learning community support the mission of ESD. The thesis unpacks how these nascent education trends existed before and are catalytic for transcending normative, established, and conventional education paradigms. The author argues that these nascent trends were accelerated and further realised for their propensity to shape transformative education because of a window of opportunity that COVID-19 presented. The analysis traced the shifted learning experiences of students and institutional representatives involved in the PGD from March 2020, the year of the COVID-19 lockdown, to March 2021. After exploring nascent education trends and investigating them symbiotically with empirical insights and tensions, four key prospects were identified that are particularly relevant and important for shaping transformative ESD in the PGD going forward. These prospects are translated into possible and practical recommendations for the Centre for Sustainability Transitions (CST) to implement in the wider context at SU. As the need for sustainability education grows, the author argues for increased recognition of the possibilities these nascent education trends may offer for reimagined education in a post-pandemic world.
The dynamics of proclaimed privately protected areas in South Africa over 83 years
(Wiley Open Access, 2019) De Vos, Alta; Clements, Hayley S.; Biggs, Duan; Cumming, Graeme S.
Views that protected area (PA) expansion relies predominantly on land purchased by government are increasingly being challenged. The inclusion of privately owned PAs (PPAs) in national conservation strategies is now commonplace, but little is known about their long-term persistence and how it compares to that of state-owned PAs. We undertook the first long-term assessment of the dynamics of a national system of terrestrial PPAs, assessing its growth, as well as its resilience to downgrading, downsizing, and degazettement (PADDD). Between 1926 and 2018, 6.2% of all private nature reserves established in South Africa were degazetted, compared to 2.2% of state-owned nature reserves. Privately owned PA growth exceeded that of state-owned PAs. Trends in PA establishment differed between privately owned and state-owned PAs, reflecting different legislative, political, and economic events. Our findings highlight the value of enabling legislative environments to facilitate PPA establishment, and demonstrate the potential of PPAs as a long-term conservation strategy.
Evaluating the contributions of trophy hunting areas to biodiversity conservation in Zimbabwe
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2024-03) Mhlanga, Irene; Clements, Hayley Susan; Di Minin, Enrico; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Centre for Sustainability Transition.
ENGLISH SUMMARY: Trophy hunting is one of the most debated conservation topics around the world. The debate revolves around the ethical feasibility and usefulness of trophy hunting in terms of wildlife conservation and community development. The argument has been made that if trophy hunting is sustainable and generates revenues it will help support biodiversity conservation. However, there is little research quantifying the role of trophy hunting areas in biodiversity conservation. The aim of this thesis is to evaluate how trophy hunting areas support biodiversity conservation in Zimbabwe. To help achieve this aim, the following specific objectives were set: (i) to assess the representation of species ranges (with a focus on threatened species) within hunting vs non-hunting conservation areas (as a proxy for biodiversity conservation potential); and (ii) to assess the extent of habitat conversion to crops in hunting vs non-hunting areas (as a proxy for biodiversity conservation effectiveness). The study used a quantitative spatial approach through geographic information systems. Species range maps for mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles were overlaid with conservation area maps and percentage calculations for species representation were computed (Chapter 2). Hunting areas (private conservancies and state safari areas) were compared with national parks (state-run, non-hunting areas). Global cropland data were used in a counterfactual analysis to assess the extent of habitat modification (Chapter 3). Points within hunting and non-hunting conservation areas were matched with unprotected control points to test the prediction that if conservation areas offer effective protection, habitat conversion to cropland would be significantly lower within their conservation areas than in unprotected controls exposed to same environmental conditions. Regarding biodiversity conservation potential, I find in Chapter 2 that national parks and the two types of hunting areas are not strategically located to conserve most species. Private conservancies tend to be more strategic than state-run areas, though they only cover 2% of the land area while the latter collectively cover 13%. Encouragingly, Zimbabwe’s conservation areas generally perform slightly better in representing threatened species than nonthreatened species (except for poorly represented Critically Endangered species). This holds particularly true for safari areas. The conservation areas where hunting takes place generally do not notably complement national parks in terms of representing unique species, however, they do contribute by considerably increasing the area under conservation. In terms of conservation effectiveness, results in Chapter 3 show that national parks and safari conservation areas were significantly more effective at preventing crop encroachment compared to environmentally similar unprotected areas. However, high crop encroachment was observed in the private conservancies, likely because of Zimbabwe’s Fast Track Land Reform Program. Since both national parks and safari areas are state-run, while conservancies are privately owned and run, this suggests effectiveness was determined by land tenure (state vs private) as opposed to whether or not trophy hunting occurred. In conclusion, this study provides an understanding of how hunting areas complement national parks in terms of representing threatened species and ensuring habitat protection, which is important in assessing the biodiversity conservation efforts of Zimbabwe. It highlights the complex relationship between trophy hunting areas and biodiversity conservation, demonstrating that while hunting areas notably increase area under conservation, they do not always do so in ways that are optimal for representing threatened species. To ensure that Zimbabwean conservation areas are effective at biodiversity conservation, conservation planning is a crucial activity that needs to be prioritized.
An exploration into why South Africa does not grow organic cotton
(2023-12) May, Jacqueline; Selomane, Odirilwe; Jhetam, Tasneem; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Centre for Sustainability Transition.
ENGLISH SUMMARY: Cotton is an important fibre in the textile industry, an industry that has a massive environmental impact, much of which is accounted for by the production process. Although polyester is currently the most used fibre in the textile industry, cotton is still the most used natural fibre. Cotton production contributes significantly to the industry’s environmental impact through land and water use. Typically, it is farmed in high-input conventional farming using chemicals and industrial practices that deprive large swathes of land of their nutrients and accelerate the collapse of biodiversity. About 1 500 farmers (both small and large) grow cotton in South Africa. Most of the cotton is produced by about 120 large-scale commercial farmers. None of the cotton grown in the country is organically farmed. This study partially fills the gap in research about perceptions of cotton growing and use in South Africa. The objectives of this research are to provide an overview of cotton farming in South Africa; to explore the perceptions of cotton supply chain actors on their preferences and attitudes towards organic versus Bt cotton; and provide a set of recommendations to the cotton industry for transition towards sustainable practices. A qualitative research methodology was used that consisted of 9 key informant interviews (after an exploratory survey was conducted). As a preparation, a literature review informed a framework for the primary research, guiding the questions for the survey and informant interviews. Overall, the findings of this research show that the arguments for and against growing organic cotton are binary, and the conclusion is not clear cut in terms of what whether organic cotton is better for the environment than the genetically modified cotton that is grown in South Africa. From a business perspective, it emerged that while business is grappling with its contribution to the sustainability agenda, it has the influence and the financial leeway to facilitate and support a transition, yet it is not necessarily doing this to its maximum capacity. A key constraint for business is the pricing mechanism. Adjusting its ‘buy low, sell high’ model, could support a transition to organic. For retailers, buying organic cotton is not cost effective as their businesses are stuck in a “buy low, sell high” model. Currently farmers have no incentive for sustainability transitions. For farmers to transition, business models will need to change so they get the value from farming sustainably. The research also shows that interest in stewardship and care for the planet is not just scholarly - it has wide appeal. The research can contribute to policymaking and to corporate retail strategy. It is also useful for all points of the supply chain to understand that there is a demand for, and interest in, organic. Instead, what emerges from the research is that information and education about genetically modified organisms (GMOs) need to be made more widely available, and that regular and official studies on GMO’s environmental impact should be conducted and made publicly available so that both the industry and the public have a full understanding of the impact of Bt cotton. Some practical recommendations emerging from this research include the need for further investment and commitment to developing organic cotton trials in order to understand the long-term benefits of growing organic cotton.
Exploring new knowledge spaces in environmental education : the case of a South African/Australian institutional links project
(Higher Education South Africa, 2001) Le Grange, L. L. L.
In this article I reflect on how a changing South African socio-political milieu provided space for collaboration among Australian and South African higher education institutions. I describe how the different activities of a project entitled, "Educating for socio-ecological change: capacity-building in environmental education", provided challenges for all participants in the light of processes of globalisation and internationalisation currently prevalent. I provide insights on how participatory processes of critical engagement, reflection and dialogue have served as opportunities for capacity enhancing in environmental education.
Exploring relationality in African knowledge systems : a contribution to decoloniality in sustainability science
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2022-12) Carstens, Melanie; Preiser, Rika; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Centre for Sustainability Transition.
ENGLISH SUMMARY: The contributions put forward by Western sustainability science to solve environmental problems are manifesting their shortcomings. It is therefore essential to explore knowledge systems beyond the predominant modern Western knowledge system established through colonisation. This thesis examines some aspects of relationality in social-ecological systems from the perspective of African Indigenous knowledge systems, as a way to approach the decolonisation of Western sustainability science, to uncover more substantial solutions. The following general enquiry guided this research: By observing the conspicuous relational ties between humans and non-humans seen in some Indigenous African cultures marginalised by Western science, would Western sustainability science not discover more realistic approaches to current global sustainability science offerings? Using a ‘third space’ methodology encouraged the integration of knowledge systems, where no one system dominates the other, and explores ‘not only/but also’ configurations of reality, beyond the ‘either/or’ binary reality of the Western knowledge system. This approach allowed two divergent knowledge systems to engage as equals in one study, to observe the issues at hand through their unique lenses and to find spaces of collaboration – thus reflecting the relationality theme in this thesis. The study consisted of an extensive literature review that employed ‘undisciplinary epistemological agility’ by following trails of information as they presented themselves, which were then carefully pieced together after two rounds of coding. Contrary to the Western knowledge system, context plays an extremely important role in African Indigenous knowledge systems and is defined by a here and now that includes all space and time. In essence, ukama considers all nature as an extension of the self and vice versa. Humans and nature are related and belong together. Looking after nature equates to looking after the self and the community – thus benefitting everyone. Furthermore, ubuntu teaches that all humans are inherently born with dignity. All others (humans and non-humans) should be respected, because while humans are distinct from non-humans, they are not separate. Some features of relationality that were observed include ancestors, land, animism and cosmology. Everything is constantly in a process of becoming, engaging in a relationship of balance which has no finalised state. Western sustainability science therefore needs to unlearn and rethink the knowledge base on which it has constructed its solutions. Diverse knowledge systems serve as dynamic and meaningful allies in reimagining a common sustainable future on Earth. It is therefore vital to eradicate the relational gap between knowledge systems caused by persistent coloniality.
Exploring the transformative potential of urban food
(RMIT University, 2021-12-13) Hebinck, A.; Selomane, O.; Veen, E.; De Vrieze, A.; Hasnain, S.; Sellberg, M.; Sovová, L.; Thompson, K.; Vervoort, J.; Wood, A.
Urban food is a key lever for transformative change towards sustainability. While research reporting on the urban food practices (UFPs) in support of sustainability is increasing, the link towards transformative potential is lacking. This is because research on urban food is often place-based and contextual. This limits the applicability of insights to large-scale sustainability transformations. This paper describes UFPs that aim to contribute to transformative change. We present signposts for potential change based on the types of intended transformative changes as described in the reviewed literature based on the processes and outcomes of the urban food policies and programmes. Secondly, we classify diverse UFPs to elevate them beyond their local, place-based contexts. We find that UFPs carry a lot of potential to facilitate sustainability transformations. Based on that analysis, we provide insights on how urban food research can further contribute to harnessing the transformative potential of UFPs for actionable purposes.
Facilitating the development of nature connectedness
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2023-03) Geytenbeek, Michaela; Feront, Cecile; Hamann, Maike; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Centre for Sustainability Transition.
ENGLISH SUMMARY: Amidst mounting environmental crises, there is pressing need to understand how pro-environmental behaviour develops and transforms into action. Yet, there is confusion as to how to encourage a sense of connection with nature, a concept often referred to as nature connectedness. Drawing on existing research on nature connectedness and exploring what we know about how to encourage its development, my research aims to gain an understanding of nature connectedness as a process, in order to better understand how to facilitate its development with children. More specifically, this entails gaining an understanding of how the relationship between children and nature develops, which experiences promote its development, and what role(s) the nature experience facilitator can play to encourage this connection to develop. My investigation is designed as a qualitative inquiry, combining participatory action research and grounded theory methodologies to gather and analyse data. Adopting a relational paradigm, I engage for a period of six months with a group of 36 children, their parents, and five nature experience facilitators at the Kinship Programme in Durban North, South Africa. I identify five phases of nature connectedness – afraid, comfortable, engaged, caring(self) and caring(activist) – that children experience as they progress on their journey to a deeper sense of connection to nature. My study further identifies which phase-specific experiences encouraged children to progress on their journey of nature connectedness. Finally, my study reveals that children required different support from the nature experience facilitator depending on their phase of nature connectedness and so I identify the different roles that the nature experience facilitator plays – protector, initiator, observer and navigator - in alignment with the child‟s position on their nature connectedness journey. My study makes several contributions to our understanding of how to facilitate the development of nature connectedness. Firstly, focusing on nature connectedness as a process, it complements existing frameworks of nature connectedness and offers a dynamic view of how children move from one phase to another; secondly, it highlights the importance of designing phase-specific experiences to support each child‟s progress in their journey of nature connectedness; and thirdly, it reconciles prior literature by defining the different phase- and transition-specific roles of the nature experience facilitator. My findings provide guidance that can be practically applied in the daily facilitation of nature experiences, in the design of environmental education curricula, and in informing education policy. My findings show that it is possible to intentionally design experiences that promote the development of nature connectedness, and provide phase-based guidelines to facilitators on how to do so.
Fairness and transparency are required for the inclusion of privately protected areas in publicly accessible conservation databases
(MDPI, 2018) Clements, Hayley S.; Selinske, Matthew J.; Archibald, Carla L.; Cooke, Benjamin; Fitzsimons, James A.; Groce, Julie E.; Torabi, Nooshin; Hardy, Mathew J.
There is a growing recognition of the contribution that privately-owned land makes to conservation efforts, and governments are increasingly counting privately protected areas (PPAs) towards their international conservation commitments. The public availability of spatial data on countries’ conservation estates is important for broad-scale conservation planning and monitoring and for evaluating progress towards targets. Yet there has been limited consideration of how PPA data is reported to national and international protected area databases, particularly whether such reporting is transparent and fair (i.e., equitable) to the landholders involved. Here we consider PPA reporting procedures from three countries with high numbers of PPAs—Australia, South Africa, and the United States—illustrating the diversity within and between countries regarding what data is reported and the transparency with which it is reported. Noting a potential tension between landholder preferences for privacy and security of their property information and the benefit of sharing this information for broader conservation efforts, we identify the need to consider equity in PPA reporting processes. Unpacking potential considerations and tensions into distributional, procedural, and recognitional dimensions of equity, we propose a series of broad principles to foster transparent and fair reporting. Our approach for navigating the complexity and context-dependency of equity considerations will help strengthen PPA reporting and facilitate the transparent integration of PPAs into broader conservation efforts.
Food system transformation : integrating a political–economy and social–ecological approach to regime shifts
(2020-02) Pereira, Laura M.; Drimie, Scott; Maciejewski, Kristine; Tonissen, Patrick Bon; Biggs, Reinette, 1979-
Sustainably achieving the goal of global food security is one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century. The current food system is failing to meet the needs of people, and at the same time, is having far-reaching impacts on the environment and undermining human well-being in other important ways. It is increasingly apparent that a deep transformation in the way we produce and consume food is needed in order to ensure a more just and sustainable future. This paper uses the concept of regime shifts to understand key drivers and innovations underlying past disruptions in the food system and to explore how they may help us think about desirable future changes and how we might leverage them. We combine two perspectives on regime shifts—one derived from natural sciences and the other from social sciences—to propose an interpretation of food regimes that draws on innovation theory. We use this conceptualization to discuss three examples of innovations that we argue helped enable critical regime shifts in the global food system in the past: the Haber-Bosch process of nitrogen fixation, the rise of the supermarket, and the call for more transparency in the food system to reconnect consumers with their food. This paper concludes with an exploration of why this combination of conceptual understandings is important across the Global North/ Global South divide, and proposes a new sustainability regime where transformative change is spearheaded by a variety of social–ecological innovations.
Harnessing insights from social-ecological systems research for monitoring sustainable development
(MDPI, 2019) Selomane, Odirilwe; Reyers, Belinda; Biggs, Reinette, 1979-; Hamann, Maike
The United Nations’ Agenda 2030 marks significant progress towards sustainable development by making explicit the intention to integrate previously separate social, economic and environmental agendas. Despite this intention, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which were adopted to implement the agenda, are fragmented in their formulation and largely sectoral. We contend that while the design of the SDG monitoring is based on a systems approach, it still misses most of the dynamics and complexity relevant to sustainability outcomes. We propose that insights from the study of social-ecological systems offer a more integrated approach to the implementation of Agenda 2030, particularly the monitoring of progress towards sustainable development outcomes. Using five key features highlighted by the study of social-ecological systems (SESs) relevant to sustainable development: (1) social-ecological feedbacks, (2) resilience, (3) heterogeneity, (4) nonlinearity, and (5) cross-scale dynamics. We analyze the current set of SDG indicators based on these features to explore current progress in making them operational. Our analysis finds that 59% of the indicators account for heterogeneity, 33% for cross-scale dynamics, 23% for nonlinearities, and 18% and 17%, respectively, for social-ecological feedbacks and resilience. Our findings suggest limited use of complex SES science in the current design of SDG monitoring, but combining our findings with recent studies of methods to operationalize SES features suggests future directions for sustainable development monitoring for the current as well as post 2030 set of indicators.
Investigating how climate change adaptation can be incorporated into mine closure and rehabilitation strategies to strengthen social-ecological resilience
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2023-12) Schulze, Megan; Waddell, Joy; Selomane, Odirilwe; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Centre for Sustainability Transition.
ENGLISH SUMMARY: Mines have a set lifespan, which means that their closure is inevitable. However, the research suggests that mining companies, historically, do not plan their operations with closure in mind. This is supported by the fact that mine closure and rehabilitation strategies have not been very successful in South Africa to date, resulting in thousands of abandoned mines across the country. Unsuccessful mine closure perpetuates social-ecological vulnerability within surrounding communities, particularly to climate change impacts. Mine closure presents an opportunity to increase the social-ecological resilience of the surrounding community to projected climate change impacts, post life-of-mine. Although there is a lot of literature on projected climate change impacts in South Africa, there are limited studies exploring the extent to which mine closure and rehabilitation strategies incorporate climate change considerations. This research aims to address this gap in the literature. Using a qualitative approach, this study explores how mining companies in South Africa can strengthen the social-ecological resilience of surrounding communities to climate change impacts through the adoption of climate change adaptation in mine closure and rehabilitation strategies. Data was collected from semi-structured interviews with mining experts, from policy scoping, and from a structured review of mining companies’ annual and sustainability reports. Findings from this research highlight three key aspects to adopting climate change adaptation in mine closure and rehabilitation strategies: (1) best practice guidelines significantly influence mine closure and rehabilitation activities; (2) the South African regulations governing mine closure play a crucial role in guiding the change required in industry; and (3) the mining industry must place an increased focus on the value of stakeholder engagements when planning for closure and rehabilitation. This thesis also assesses the benefits and challenges of incorporating climate change adaptation in mine closure and rehabilitation strategies. Findings highlight how the rise in integrated mine closure and progressive rehabilitation is providing early indications of successful and sustainable mine closure in South Africa, and globally. Finally, the insights gained from this research are used to develop practical recommendations to assist mining companies in adopting and implementing climate adaptation responses as part of their closure and rehabilitation strategies, as well as suggest alternative climate adaptation solutions focused on nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based adaptation.
Just upstream are jobs : mapping South Africa's wind manufacturing potential
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2023-03) Rathupetsane, Alboricah Tokologo; Swilling, Mark; Mohlakoana, Nthabiseng; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Centre for Sustainability Transition.
ENGLISH SUMMARY: South Africa’s transition to a decarbonised economy brings with it the opportunity to expand the renewable energy (RE) sector to other job-inducing industries, like the manufacturing of RE components. The study recognised the gap in the literature on RE industrialisation and its surrounding themes, particularly in the South African context. The study, therefore, explored the potential for establishing a RE manufacturing industry in South Africa with a focus on wind technology. The study combined literature about industrialisation, economic transformation and renewable energy industries to identify the prevailing themes. As a result, the literature analysis dissected the role of localisation policy and the effect that the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) has on RE industrialisation. Furthermore, the study explored the emergence of RE manufacturing businesses through partnerships between local actors and global firms, thereby utilising the concept of strategic coupling from the global production network (GPN) framework. The three modes of strategic coupling were investigated: indigenous coupling, international partnerships and production platforms to gain a perspective on what each type means for the South African industry and identify where institutional work can improve the positionality of local actors. The research also made use of an exploratory case study to gather empirical data on a South African wind manufacturing joint venture (JV) company. Using the participant observation method of inquiry, information about the project was gathered over six months. The study distinguished between the external and internal enablers of and barriers to the manufacturing project. Of the six themes used to frame the external aspects, access to finance was found to be the most limiting barrier. Moreover, the research revealed that while South Africa has various financing institutions, including ones with developmental mandates, accessing these solutions requires significant capital injection, which is very challenging to source. The internal or inter-firm investigation focused on how the process of learning between the partners and the effect that learning has on trust and control measures affects the relational quality of the partners, which, in turn, affects the progress of the project as well. The study also identified the supply chain opportunities that an operating wind manufacturing facility could bring to domestic industries, and which of these have higher or lower barriers to entry. Finally, the study found that based on the capacity of the studied JV, twenty-nine direct jobs were created onsite (excluding executive positions). In addition, five indirect jobs were created, which made up the business support functions.
Organising for social-ecological resilience : lessons from self-organised groups in Cape Town, South Africa
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2024-03) Doyle, Jeremy; Feront, Cecile; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Centre for Sustainability Transition.
ENGLISH SUMMARY: How can we organise ourselves to better address “wicked” systems problems? Despite increased awareness of the planetary crisis and recognition that organisations need to embrace approaches consistent with social-ecological systems (SES), it remains unclear what this means in practice. Communities who take matters into their own hands to tackle local issues show promise as a type of emergent, organisational assemblage that follows a different set of rules. The self-organising and emergent nature of these groups may hold practical lessons for those who are struggling to translate SES thinking into meaningful strategies and actions. However, what we know about organisational assemblage remains highly abstract, with little insights from empirical research. To gain insights into ways of organising to tackle systems problems, my study investigates the organising principles and practices displayed by local, self-organising groups working on systems problems, such as water security, urban decay, or social segregation in Cape Town. To conduct my investigation, I adopt a grounded theory approach. Using a combination of semi-structured interviews and participant observations, I gather data from fifteen participants and five different groups. I find that people working together on local systems problems have little concern for organisational forms. Groups exhibit circumstantial organising, with highly diverse organisational approaches and structures. Groups paradoxically display both collective motivations showing alignment on the problem to be solved, and personal motivations producing a diversity of ideas, plans and strategies. Groups display ambiguous boundaries, continually scaling, shrinking, or seeding new initiatives, and easily disbanding or re-forming. In addition to these group characteristics, two individual practices appear to hold groups together: valuing relationships, and associative action. Importantly, the “organisations” that emerge from these efforts appear as by-products of temporarily overlapping motivations rather than being shaped by structures. These organisational assemblages are made up of collections of many different intentions (ideas, plans, and strategies), relationships, and actions. Thus, my study suggests that people working on systems problems value intentions over entity, and that groups are held together by the individual practices of valuing relationships with others and associative action at points of alignment. My research contributes to our understanding of how we can organise to address systems problems. First, I contribute to organisational theory in the context of SES by showing that organisations working on systems problems are better conceptualised as sense-making mechanisms rather than intermediaries through which system goals can be reached. Second, I argue that organisations working on systems problems are constituted of assemblages of intentions, relationships, and actions, thereby providing a more granular interpretation of event clustering. Third, I argue that aspects of organisational assemblages can be valuable to explain the dynamics and fluctuating nature of the roles of people working on systems problems. I term role assemblage the temporary configuration of intentions, relationships, and actions that direct how individuals work on systems problems. My findings suggest that leaders, managers, and entrepreneurs who adopt an SES approach should encourage alignment on the understanding of systemic problems rather than on specific solutions, allowing organisational assemblages to emerge and coalesce around individual and collective interests. My research also suggests that those working on systems problems in informal organisational settings should exercise caution when establishing or enforcing formal processes, metrics, or indicators, as they may reproduce mechanistic outcomes and stifle emergent cooperation.

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