Using a sector development agency to mobilize a local green economy

The document details how GreenCape, a nonprofit sector development agency, acts as an independent bridge between the public and private sectors to drive green growth in South Africa's Western Cape. Established in 2010, it initially focused on renewable energy before expanding into energy efficiency, water, waste, and agriculture. The agency's success is attributed to its legal independence, strong government support, and a multidisciplinary approach to removing market barriers. Between 2010 and 2015, GreenCape facilitated ZAR 17 billion in renewable energy project investments and created over 2,000 associated jobs.

• GreenCape is structured as a nonprofit sector development agency, which allows it to maintain credibility as an independent agent of change while remaining accountable to government funders.
• The agency's initial focus on renewable energy allowed it to build a reputation for visible impact, facilitating an expansion into other green economy sectors including energy efficiency, the built environment, water, agriculture, and green finance by 2014.
• Between 2010 and 2015, GreenCape's activities led to ZAR 17 billion (US$1.2 billion) in renewable energy project investments and over 2,000 jobs, as well as ZAR 500 million (US$33.7 million) in new renewable energy manufacturing investment and over 700 jobs.
• The Western Cape Industrial Symbiosis Programme (WISP) has provided ZAR 4 in business benefits for every ZAR 1 invested and has diverted 8,455 tons of waste from landfills.
• GreenCape's funding has diversified from a single source to five by 2016, with the Western Cape Provincial Government and the national Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) each providing 38.5% of funding.
• The agency provides several key business support services, including free market intelligence, an advocacy platform for removing barriers, and the management of the Atlantis Special Economic Zone (SEZ) for green technology.

APA

Mulcahy, M., Basson, L., Baboolal, A., & Bronkhorst, S. (2016). Using a sector development agency to mobilize a local green economy. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/GreenCape-case-study.pdf

Chicago

Mulcahy, Mike, Lauren Basson, Aman Baboolal, and Salomé Bronkhorst. Using a sector development agency to mobilize a local green economy. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2016. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/GreenCape-case-study.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Mulcahy |first1=Mike |last2=Basson |first2=Lauren |last3=Baboolal |first3=Aman |last4=Bronkhorst |first4=Salomé |title=Using a sector development agency to mobilize a local green economy |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=June 2016 |url=https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/GreenCape-case-study.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mulcahy2016using, author = {Mulcahy, Mike and Basson, Lauren and Baboolal, Aman and Bronkhorst, Salomé}, title = {{Using a sector development agency to mobilize a local green economy}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2016}, month = jun, url = {https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/GreenCape-case-study.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }