Consolidated Parallel Breakaway Report

Sessions 1A-1D & 2A-2B

20 May 2010

1A: Clean and Alternative EnergyContext• Low carbon emission, minimize pollution, resource

conservation & ecosystem protection• A competitive market advantage• Creating sustainable jobs

Challenges• South Africa relies on fossil fuels for energy• Poor and marginalised mostly affected by impacts

of energy use

What works/opportunities?• Policymakers and various stakeholders need to

take steps towards reduction of global greenhouse gases

• Collaborative approach towards the green economy

What must be done?• Develop long term energy vision & plan• Actions for low carbon economy using LTMS• Stimulate energy efficiency incentives• Scale up local manufacturing opportunities

1A: Clean and Alternative Energy

Context• Urbanization and economic growth have resulted in

massive waste generation• The disposal of waste has tended to lean towards the

use of landfills with devastating effects on the environment and health of the population of SA

• Promulgation of the Waste Act in 2009 represents a radical change in methods of disposal

Challenges• Need to manage waste management hierarchy as

proposed by Waste Act response to emerging environmental and socio-economic issues of the country

1B: Waste Management

What works/opportunities?• Case studies indicating that the waste management

sector is key to poverty alleviation as it can generate employment

What must be done?• Need to develop Industry Waste Management Plans

as consensual instruments for addressing waste hierarchy issues in specific industrial sectors

• More interventionist regulatory and economic measures to address gaps and market failures

1B: Waste Management

Context• Transport is the important sector in promoting economic growth,

connectivity, access to trade thereby promoting sustainable development and addressing poverty

• New thinking emerging around switching from current mode to energy efficient public transport

Challenges• Transport is a major contributor in GHG emissions with 13% of SA

energy emission base year 2000• Transport sector is the second largest contributor to poor air

quality• How to balance the unavoidable consequence of restructuring

the transport system in line with the imperatives of the green economy on the one hand, whereas eliminating the industries that have relied on heavy pollutants for their survival

1C: Sustainable Transport

What works/opportunities• BRT is the single biggest investment in reducing greenhouse

gas emissions with a case study pointing at initial estimate that Rea Vaya (BRT in Johannesburg ) will reduce 382 940 tCO2 equivalent by 2013 (122 km) and 1 600 000 tCO2 equivalent by 2020 (330km)

• Policies and programmes based on principles of sustainable development (e.g. Draft National Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) Policy, The Rural Transport Strategy for South Africa)

What must be done?• A strong need to develop one vision around sustainable

transport (i.e. integrated approach that includes government, civil society and the private sector)

• Invariably, reprioritization of new approaches on issues like land use and planning, mobility and change mindsets around modes of transport

1C: Sustainable Transport

Context• Need to consider socio-economic impact when introducing the

green economy• Maximising the contribution of agriculture and forestry to

improve natural resource management• Invasive alien species• Inequality of resource usage

Challenges• Deterioration of natural resources• Limited research and development• Skills shortage• Limited regulations• Access to land for poor communities

1D: Agriculture and Forestry

What works/ opportunities?• Positive contribution of the agriculture sector to food

production and GDP• Piloting certain projects can create lessons, e.g. the

Bavianskloof project

What must be done?• We need to have a strong economic case as well as

models• We should review and assess the capacity of the

green economy to provide jobs • Investigation of best land usage

1D: Agriculture and Forestry

Context• A green building significantly reduces or eliminates

negative impact on the environment and its occupants by being energy efficient, resource efficient and environmentally responsible

Challenges• Getting the property industry to buy into the concept of

green building• Eradicating the perception that green building costs

more than conventional building• Skills deficit in green building

2A: Green Buildings & Built Environment

What works/opportunities?• Certified green buildings are shown to have superior market

value, clearly demonstrating the enormous potential of the sector

• Buildings that are certified by Green Building Councils can consume 85% less energy and 65% less potable water and send 69% less waste to landfill than non-certified buildings

What must be done?• Green building should balance the pace of rollout with the

development of a holistic approach to greening• The economic implications of a green building and built

environment approach must balance with the development of the country

2A: Green Buildings & Built Environment

Context• Holistic approach to minimise negative impacts

from production and consumption in society• Practical implementation strategy to achieve

sustainable development

Challenges• Gaps in environmental data• Limited funding through government revenue

structures as well as a lack of appropriate incentives

2B: Sustainable consumption and Production

What works/opportunities? • Significant progress has been made in the development of

a framework for the promotion of sustainable development; key aspect being the shifting of unsustainable patterns of consumption and production

What must be done?• Stronger policy alignment required to maximize use of

funds, capacity and tools that have been dedicated to SCP implementation

• Inform the choices of consumers so as to influence behaviour changes thus promoting sustainable development

2B: Sustainable consumption and Production

Consolidated Parallel Breakaway Report

Sessions 2C-2D & 3A-3E

20 May 2010

Context• Drive towards a New Growth Path• South Africa 25 year strategic plan needs to be

relevant to the green economy

Challenges• No clear and consistent policies• Limited capacity• Prioritisation of resource allocations• Poor service delivery outcomes

2C: Policy Framework and Governance

What works/opportunities?

• Potential for job creation• Energy saving• Reducing transport cost due to redesign of

cities

What must be done?

• Increase labour absorption• Invest in studies that show the costs of the

transition into the green economy

2C: Policy Framework and Governance

Context• The EPWP projects that contribute to resources management e.g.

waste management; clearing of invasive plants; rehabilitation of wetlands; greening; fire fighting; land care & people and parks

Challenges• The drivers of biodiversity are rapidly declining, natural resources

(fauna & flora) are being exploited in an unsustainable manner, threatening the functioning of ecosystems that may undermine socio-economic development

• Land degradation• Water shortage• Waste management service bag lock

2D: Expanded Public Works Program

What works/opportunities? • Work opportunities created through EPWP while contributing

to resource management• Signatory to UNCCD and made a global commitment to address

land degradation• National Action Programme adopted• Dry Lands Rehabilitation fund

What must be done?• Rehabilitation of natural resources and protection of

biodiversity• Waste Management and other greening initiatives be

prioritised (be included in the municipal IDPs)• Addressing land degradation to restore ecological infrastructure

provides an important building block for the new green growth path

2D: Expanded Public Works Program

Context• Integrated approach to sustainable urban

development• Need to reduce carbon footprint• Introduce alternate energy efficient options

Challenges• Long term funding• Resistance to new ideas/ community engagement• How do we unlock the drivers of the green economy• Lack of regulatory enforcement

3A: Green Cities and Towns

What works/opportunities• Case studies, e.g. Lolland best practice• Smart metering can assist in monitoring• Legislation can be a driver for change

What must be done?• Address the housing development in relation to density• Awareness raising and community engagement• Identify short term funding with a long term plan• Create incentives for implementation of green economy

programmes

3A: Green Cities and Towns

Context• Sustainable, creative and efficient water

resource use

Challenges• Water quality and quantity management• Behaviour need to be changed among

consumers• Costs to incorporate creative water use• Stakeholders awareness on sustainable use of

water

3B: Water management

What works/ opportunities?• Collective effort to claim space in terms of water

management• Water for Growth Strategy

What must be done?• Need to have clear policy benchmark and encourage

economic development • Revised issues need to be elevated to a level that

Cabinet endorse• Government to take lead in awareness creation

3B: Water management

Context• Conservation of ecosystems and biodiversity is the foundation

of a sustainable economy

Challenges• Perverse incentives• Absence of standards to determine what is “conservation”

friendly• Lack of ready markets for biodiversity friendly products• Increased price charged for “organic” products• Scientists and economists need to generate the baselines • Defining incentives for resource efficiencies or resource gains

3C: Resource conservation and management

What works/ opportunities?• Current value streams from biodiversity

– Ecotourism, Wildlife ranching, Restoration, Products (primary natural products)

• New / potential value streams– Insurance sector risks ; Biotechnology Industry; Rural

development of degraded ecological infrastructure; Food security; Up scaling of Ecotourism; Wildlife ranching; Bioprospecting

What must be done?• Recognizing the real value of biodiversity as the natural capital

underpinning the green economy • Expedite the National Land Degradation Fund as a vehicle for

enabling civil society support for green economy restoration and conservation initiatives

3C: Resource conservation and management

Context• Critique current measure to support

technology development and innovation in SA• Enhance the growth of green industries

Challenges• Financing for innovation in technology

development and commercialisation

3D: Technology and Innovation

What works/ opportunities?• Centers of competence• Policy development will support innovation in

alternative and renewable energy• International policy environment

What must be done?• Grow research, development and innovation lead

green industries

3D: Technology and Innovation

Context• How to create a sustainable Solar Water Heating Industry to

best serve all stakeholders and in doing so promote a green economy?

Challenges

• Lack of clarity on government support on rebate or subsidy system

• Create risk enhancers to promote start-up heater distributors• Education campaign on viability, maintenance and other issues• Water quality corrode elements of imported heaters, thus

reducing life-span of solar water heaters

3E: Green Economy in practice

What works/ opportunities?• Creation of sustainable single body representing the interest of all

stakeholders in the solar water heating industry• Empower consumers to negotiate best deal with rebate and engage with FSP’s• Partnership between private and public sectors in creating a greener economy

What must be done?• Government to authorize and commit short, medium and long term funding

towards the support of SESSA• Funding would go towards the development of a Solar Information Centre

(home for SESSA) from which all goals and objectives could be achieved • Create risk enhancers to promote start-up heater distributors• Education campaign on viability, maintenance and other issues• Create risk enhancers to promote start-up heater distributors• Education campaign on viability, maintenance and other issues

3E: Green Economy in practice

THANK YOU