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Watervoogdyskap: Só boer jy vooruit
This report summarizes an information session held by WWF South Africa on October 18, 2017, focused on water saving and stewardship for agricultural producers in the Western Cape. It addresses the critical water scarcity facing the region, the role of producers as stewards of shared water resources, and practical technological and biological methods to improve water use efficiency and mitigate climate risks.
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Document type: Report
Quality Assuring Work Integrated Learning
This practical guide, published by WWF South Africa in 2017, provides host employers with a framework for quality assuring Work Integrated Learning (WIL) for student interns in the biodiversity and environment sector. It outlines the entire internship lifecycle, from preparing the organization and recruiting students to mentoring, induction, assessment, and monitoring and evaluation.
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Document type: Guide
CLIMatE adaPtatION REadINEss FOR aGRICuLtuRE: dROuGht LEssONs FROM thE WEstERN CaPE, sOuth aFRICa
This policy briefing examines climate adaptation readiness in the agricultural sector of South Africa's Western Cape province following the 2015/2016 El Niño-linked drought. It argues that while comprehensive policy frameworks for disaster risk reduction and management exist, implementation is hindered by bureaucratic bottlenecks, insufficient funding, and a persistent focus on short-term relief over long-term resilience. The document highlights the success of conservation agriculture among grain farmers and calls for strengthened intergovernmental cooperation and adaptive water resource planning.
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Document type: Policy brief
10 Questions municipal officials should be asking about the document titled ‘Guidelines for Small Scale Embedded Generation in Western Cape Municipalities’
This guide by GreenCape provides municipal officials in the Western Cape with a framework for implementing and regulating Small Scale Embedded Generation (SSEG), primarily focusing on solar photovoltaic (PV) systems under 1MW. It details the technical components of PV systems, cost trends, tariff design principles, the application process for grid-tied and off-grid systems, and the necessary legal and regulatory standards to ensure grid stability and safety.
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Document type: Guide
South Africa’s 2nd Biennial Update Report
South Africa's 2nd Biennial Update Report (BUR-2) provides a comprehensive overview of the country's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from 2000 to 2012, its mitigation strategies, and the financial and technical support received to transition toward a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy by 2030.
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Document type: Report
Using a sector development agency to mobilize a local green economy
This case study examines GreenCape, a nonprofit sector development agency established in 2010 by the Western Cape Government in South Africa. The document details how GreenCape acts as an independent bridge between the public and private sectors to mobilize a local green economy, starting with a focus on renewable energy before expanding into water, waste, agriculture, and green finance. It highlights the agency's governance structure, its role in removing regulatory barriers, and its impact on investment and job creation in the region.
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Document type: Case study
Rainbow at risk: Improving South Africa’s prospects
This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) argues that South Africa is caught in a 'middle-income trap' characterized by sluggish growth, deep inequality, and declining government effectiveness. The authors advocate for a paradigm shift away from a state-led developmental model toward a more flexible, labour-intensive economy and a knowledge-based society driven by private sector partnerships and technological innovation.
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Document type: Policy brief
At the heart of discontent
This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) examines the challenges of measuring and understanding public violence in South Africa. It critiques existing data sources, such as the South African Police Service (SAPS) IRIS system, and presents preliminary findings from the ISS's own Public Violence Monitoring project (2013-2015). The paper explores the drivers of collective violence, including socio-economic inequality and government unresponsiveness, and analyzes the roles of local government, community leadership, and the police in escalating or mitigating public disorder.
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Document type: Research paper
Breede Catchment Water Stewardship Programme
This report details the second phase (2015–2016) of the Breede Catchment Water Stewardship Programme in South Africa's Western Cape, a partnership between WWF-SA, Woolworths, M&S, GIZ, and the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS). The project focused on transitioning from on-farm water risk identification to collective action, specifically addressing urban water quality in townships, invasive alien plant clearing in mountainous areas, and the application of the AWS Standard to agriculture.
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Document type: Report
Water: Facts and Futures
WWF South Africa's 2016 report 'Water: Facts and Futures' details the critical state of the country's water security. It highlights that while only 8% of land generates 50% of river flow, these Water Source Areas are under-protected. The report identifies severe threats from invasive alien plants, failing engineered infrastructure (with 37% urban water loss), and widespread pollution from sewage and mining. It calls for a 'Water and Sanitation Revolution' focusing on nature-based solutions, groundwater management, and decentralized service delivery to ensure equitable access to safe water.
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Document type: Report
Engagement in parenting programmes
This policy brief examines the barriers and facilitators to participation in parenting programmes in South Africa. Based on interviews with caregivers in Cape Town, it identifies low socio-economic status—specifically transport costs, hunger, and lack of childcare—as the primary structural barriers. Personal barriers include health issues and alcohol abuse, while programmatic barriers involve discomfort with group sharing. Facilitators include family support, a readiness to change, and the 'support group' nature of the sessions. The brief recommends house-to-house recruitment, the provision of shuttle services, childcare, and meals to increase engagement and return on investment.
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Document type: Policy brief
National Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Report 2015/16
The National Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Report 2015/16, published by the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA), provides a comprehensive overview of environmental law enforcement activities in South Africa. It details the capacity of the Environmental Management Inspectorate (EMI), national compliance statistics, provincial performance, and specific case studies regarding industrial pollution and biodiversity crimes, particularly rhino poaching.
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Document type: Report
Utility-scale renewable energy sector – 2016 Market Intelligence Report
The 2016 GreenCape report details the growth of South Africa's utility-scale renewable energy sector via the REIPPPP, which procured over 6,300 MW. It highlights a sharp decline in wind and solar PV costs, the importance of local content requirements for industrialization, and the Western Cape's emergence as a greentech hub. The report also identifies expansion opportunities across the SADC region and other African nations like Kenya, Ethiopia, and Nigeria, while noting infrastructure constraints at Eskom.
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Document type: Report
Waste Economy
The 2016 Waste Economy Market Intelligence Report by GreenCape analyzes the transition of South Africa's waste sector from a landfill-centric model toward a more sustainable, resource-efficient economy. It highlights significant opportunities for recycling and alternative waste treatment, particularly in the Western Cape, while detailing the regulatory shifts and financial incentives available to greentech investors.
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Document type: Report
Water: Market Intelligence Report 2016
The Water: Market Intelligence Report 2016 by GreenCape identifies business opportunities within the green economy of the Western Cape, South Africa. It details the region's water-stressed status, the institutional framework of water management, and specific technological opportunities in desalination, water reclamation, and resource recovery. The report emphasizes the need for integrated water resource management to prevent water demand from surpassing supply by 2019 in the Western Cape Water Supply System.
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Document type: Report
Solar PV on packhouses
This industry brief by GreenCape examines the financial and technical feasibility of installing solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on packhouses in the Western Cape, South Africa. It highlights that the primary value of these systems is the replacement of expensive grid electricity with self-generated power during peak daytime cooling and energy-intensive operations, potentially reducing electricity costs by 15%.
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Document type: Briefing
SIGNS OF HOPE?
The report 'SIGNS OF HOPE?' by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) evaluates the implementation of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) regarding environmental records in South Africa from January 2010 to September 2015. It identifies a slow trend toward greater reactive disclosure by authorities and private companies, though proactive disclosure remains poor.
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Document type: Report
Power ships as a short-term solution to mitigating South Africa's energy crisis
This research paper examines the viability of using power ships—marine vehicles with installed power plants—as a short-term remedy for South Africa's energy crisis, comparing them to existing open cycle gas turbines (OCGTs) and Independent Power Producers (IPPs).
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Document type: Research paper
Policy Framework for Foreign Direct Investment Promotion in South Africa: Operations, Effectiveness and Sustainability
This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) evaluates the infrastructure and effectiveness of foreign direct investment (FDI) promotion in South Africa. It examines the decentralised system of provincial investment promotion agencies (IPAs) and their relationship with the national agency, Trade and Investment South Africa (TISA). The author argues for increased strategic oversight by TISA to reduce inter-provincial competition and improve the quality and sustainability of FDI inflows, particularly in the context of the Promotion and Protection of Investment Bill of 2013.
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Document type: Research paper
Water as a Constraint on Economic Development 2014-2015 Research Project Progress Report
This progress report by GreenCape examines water availability and quality as constraints on economic development in the Berg Water Management Area (WMA) and specifically Saldanha Bay. It identifies a disconnect between linear municipal planning processes and the actual water demands of proposed industrial projects, suggesting that current growth-percentage-based projections may underestimate short-term needs. The report proposes an integrated systems approach to planning, explores 'smart' water allocation based on economic productivity, and evaluates a Water Exchange Network to reduce freshwater intake through industrial water cascading.
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Document type: Report