Search Climate Insights Directory

The report identifies five primary lignocellulosic waste streams in the Western Cape: invasive alien vegetation (IAV), industrial composite wood materials, pallets, paper sludge, and green waste. It evaluates the current utilisation of these resources, the barriers to unlocking their value—such as high logistics costs for IAV and chemical toxicity in composites—and identifies potential business partners and stakeholders. The analysis concludes that while some streams like paper sludge and green waste have established markets, others like IAV and composite woods offer opportunities for higher-value products and energy recovery if technical and logistical challenges are addressed.

The report identifies significant volumes of organic waste from dairies, piggeries, poultry farms, and abattoirs in the Western Cape, noting that most are currently underutilised or disposed of via landfill and burial. It highlights anaerobic digestion and composting as primary value-addition opportunities, while noting regulatory hurdles regarding fertiliser sales and strict landfill requirements for animal carcasses. The document provides a directory of waste providers and technology partners to facilitate business-matching.

The report identifies a significant gap in the adoption of value-addition technologies for industrial organic wastewater in the Western Cape, noting that only 1% of companies have implemented such solutions. While biogas generation is the most common application, other recovered resources include white starch, whey, and composting materials. Key barriers to adoption include high capital requirements, lack of awareness, and the fact that many Western Cape companies produce wastewater volumes below the 1ML/D threshold typically required for a viable business case. The document highlights specific companies already implementing these solutions, such as Simba PepsiCo and Parmalat, and identifies potential partners and technology providers within South Africa.

The document outlines five South African case studies focused on livestock residue valorization. These include biogas installations at Zandam Piggery & Cheese and Uilenkraal Dairy, insect protein production from organic waste by AgriProtein and Khepri Innovations, and open wind-row composting at the Robertson Abattoir.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) submits that the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Amendment Bill [B 15D-2013] is vulnerable to constitutional challenge due to procedural irregularities in Parliament. The CER argues that the Bill dilutes the rights of women and communities to benefit from mineral resources and fails to align environmental management of mines with the higher standards of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA). Specifically, the CER opposes the 'deeming' of old-order environmental management programmes as NEMA authorisations, which it claims exonerates companies operating illegally. The submission also calls for the Department of Mineral Resources to be stripped of environmental regulation duties, citing a lack of capacity and an inherent conflict of interest between promoting mining and protecting the environment.

The 2015/16 El Niño caused the worst drought in Southern Africa in at least 35 years, leading to widespread food insecurity and agricultural losses. While regional coordination mechanisms like SADC and UN agencies provided frameworks for response, the document finds that national implementation capacity remains low across the region. Even in South Africa, the highest-capacity state, coordination challenges and resource gaps hampered effectiveness. The paper argues for a shift from reactive 'response' to proactive 'prevention' and the scaling of local, science-guided adaptation strategies to improve long-term climate readiness.

The document outlines the economic drivers and practical implementation of solar PV for businesses in the Western Cape, noting that systems can reduce electricity costs by up to 16% with payback periods typically between 3 and 8 years. It details three financing models—self-funded, bank-funded, and power purchase agreements (PPAs)—and lists the municipalities in the province that support small scale embedded generation (SSEG). Additionally, it highlights available tax incentives, such as 100% accelerated depreciation, and the Western Cape government's goal to reach 135MW of rooftop PV capacity by 2020.

The document outlines the economic and sustainability benefits of organic waste separation for Western Cape businesses, highlighting a provincial goal to ban the landfilling of all organic waste by 2027. It categorizes available waste-to-value solutions—including waste-to-pharma, food, feed, soil, and energy—and provides a framework for onsite management, such as appointing a waste champion and implementing source separation. The brief also details relevant legal frameworks, including the National Environmental Management: Waste Act and City of Cape Town by-laws, emphasizing the need for accredited service providers.

The document argues that while South Africa has extensive research on the causes of violence and several effective small-scale interventions, there is a significant 'implementation gap' in translating these into national practice. It advocates for the use of implementation research—the study of how to improve the uptake and translation of research findings into routine practice—to ensure programmes remain effective when scaled. The authors recommend establishing an 'implementation hub' to coordinate government, NGOs, and researchers, ensuring that real-world challenges such as staff burnout, participant retention, and inadequate referral systems are addressed in the planning and delivery of violence prevention services.

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.

The document outlines a comprehensive framework for managing student internships in the biodiversity sector, focusing on aligning workplace experience with academic curricula. It provides a seven-step approach covering the definition of quality WIL, organizational preparation, recruitment and selection, workplace induction, mentoring strategies, assessment methods, and monitoring and evaluation. The guide emphasizes the importance of 'the right fit' between a student's academic background and the host's operational needs, suggesting a balance of 75% curriculum-related work and 25% support tasks. It also details the roles of universities, students, and employers in the assessment process and provides tools such as a Career Development Map and a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework to ensure professional growth and organizational benefit.

The document examines the gap between South Africa's comprehensive climate and disaster risk management policies and their practical implementation. It highlights that while the 2015/2016 El Niño-linked drought caused severe agricultural losses, the adoption of conservation agriculture by grain farmers in the Western Cape demonstrated improved resilience. The brief argues for a shift from disaster relief to proactive risk reduction, calling for better intergovernmental cooperation, streamlined water resource planning, and targeted financial mechanisms for vulnerable farmers.

The document serves as a resource for municipal officials to manage the implementation of small scale embedded generation (SSEG) systems under 1MW. It details the technical components of solar PV, the differences between grid-tied and off-grid configurations, and the economic trends driving adoption, such as a 40% price drop for systems under 10kWp between 2013 and 2016. The guide outlines a sustainable tariff framework that includes network costs, service charges, and feed-in rates, while emphasizing the need for cost-of-supply studies and high-resolution load profiles. It provides a comprehensive 9-step application process for grid-tied systems and lists the necessary legal documentation, including Certificates of Compliance and Supplemental Contracts. Finally, it identifies the national standards (such as NRS 097-2) and municipal by-laws required to ensure grid stability, public safety, and the prevention of illegal connections.

South Africa's 2nd Biennial Update Report (2016) provides a comprehensive assessment of the country's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from 2000 to 2012, highlighting the energy sector as the primary contributor. It outlines national mitigation strategies, including the introduction of a carbon tax and carbon budgets, and details the financial resources mobilized from bilateral and multilateral sources. The report also describes the development of a national monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) system and the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory System (NGHGIS) to improve data accuracy and transparency.

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.

The Breede Water Stewardship Programme, implemented by WWF-SA in partnership with retailers and agencies, focused on transitioning from on-farm actions to collective catchment-scale stewardship. Key initiatives included the formation of the 'Witzenberg Water Savers' to address urban water pollution in Prince Alfred Hamlet and Nduli, and a collective invasive alien plant clearing project near Wolseley funded by Woolworths. The project also tested the AWS Standard with volunteer farmers, finding that while the 2015–2016 drought drove significant improvements in water-use efficiency, farmers struggled with catchment-scale data and information disclosure. The report advocates for a collaborative extension model and the harmonisation of the AWS Standard with existing agricultural certifications to scale water stewardship across South Africa.

The report provides a comprehensive overview of South Africa's water crisis, highlighting the critical role of 'ecological infrastructure' and the need to transition from a reliance on ageing surface-water dams to sustainable groundwater management and water-sensitive urban design. It details the threats to freshwater biodiversity, the systemic failures in wastewater treatment and sanitation, and the necessity of public-private partnerships in water stewardship to mitigate risks to the economy and public health.

South Africa is overexploiting its water resources, with national withdrawals exceeding reliable supply. Forecasts indicate that municipal, industrial, and agricultural water demand will continue to rise through 2035, reaching an estimated 18.9 km3. Even if all large-scale reconciliation strategies are implemented, a supply gap is expected to persist. The paper argues that closing this gap requires additional measures beyond surface-water infrastructure, specifically focusing on groundwater development, wastewater treatment, and water conservation and water demand management (WCWDM).

The National Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Report 2015/16 details the activities of South Africa's Environmental Management Inspectorate (EMI). It records a total of 2,647 EMIs, with a significant increase in proactive inspections and a rise in administrative notices. The report highlights enforcement trends in 'brown' (pollution/waste), 'green' (biodiversity), and 'blue' (marine/freshwater) sectors, noting a stabilization in rhino poaching numbers. It also documents specific legal cases, legislative updates, and capacity-building efforts for inspectors and prosecutors.

The report examines the South African utility-scale renewable energy market, primarily driven by the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP). It details the growth of wind and solar PV, the impact of local content requirements, and the role of the Western Cape as a greentech hub. It also identifies expansion opportunities within the SADC region and other African nations, while noting infrastructure constraints at Eskom.