State of the Environment


National State of the Environment Report - South Africa
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What is causing environmental change in South Africa?

Please note that this section of the state of the environment report will be expanded in future to include more comprehensive desription of the following drivers of environmental change:

energy
mining
manufacturing
transport
agriculture
settlements
tourism and
recreation

For now, this section contains a brief overview of the causes of environmental change.

It is important to understand the causes of environmental change, to be able to develop and implement strategies which will encourage sustainable practices and discourage harmful ones. Experience from developed countries has shown that costs of prevention of environmental damage are very much lower than costs of rehabilitation or repair of degraded areas, or the costs associated with loss of species and ecosystems for good. Economic policies and activities are very powerful influences of human behaviour. However, where money markets and government control fails, these behaviours can become environmentally damaging. In order to promote sustainable behaviour patterns, it is therefore critical to start with improving understanding of natural resources and systems and what causes them to become depleted and degraded. Once this is understood, we can formulate and implement sustainable development strategies, monitor impacts, and evaluate and change policies accordingly.

Specific examples of driving forces behind environmental change are given in each of the NSOERI chapters. This section attempts to outline the general causes of environmental change, and to depict the inter-connectedness and complexity of all aspects of human activities in a simplified way. This section also summarises how the driving forces have changed in South Africa recently, and how they will continue to change. In later editions of this report, this section will be expanded to show how specific activities, such as mining, agriculture, manufacturing, energy, transport, tourism and recreation, and human settlements contribute to environmental change.

Environmental change in South Africa comes from both national and international driving forces. International driving forces include trade, Conventions, and standards. National driving forces are population growth, employment, equity, and economic growth. Together these forces influence the country's macro-economic policy. Macro-economic policy determines which activities are dominant and how they are controlled, and which resources are used, and how. Macro-economic policy also provides a framework for sectoral policies, and the enforcement of these policies determines resource use patterns. Resource use is strongly influenced by capitalist economics at the moment, which encourages high levels of resource exploitation in order to maximise profits in the short term. In most cases this leads to unsustainable patterns of resource use, as each user wants to use as much of the resource, as quickly as possible, before someone else uses it. Population pressures and gaps in our understanding of natural processes add to the problem, by increasing the demand and use of natural resources, without planning for the consequences to the integrity of the natural systems on which all life on earth depends. The result is that natural resources are being depleted and degraded (e.g. depletion of fish stocks from over-exploitation), whilst not meeting the national needs and international demands which drive them. Changes in macro-economic policy are then needed, to improve the meeting of needs (such as clean water for all), whilst minimising the harmful impacts on the environment, and converting resource use to sustainable levels do that we can continue to use resources and meet our needs.

Figure 1 shows the pattern of forces that are at the centre of environmental change.

1	International driving forces include trade, conventions, and standards. South Africa needs to trade with other countries in order to bring in foreign exchange, and to grow the economy through exporting more goods than are imported. Needing to trade internationally encourages production within the country. Historically this led to conversion of large areas of natural habitat to areas of agricultural production, in order to increase the quantity of foods exported; cheap methods of manufacturing were used which often had polluting effects; and mining became a significant contributor to the economy, both for the domestic market (hence reducing the need to import commodities such as coal) and to meet international demand (hence increasing exports). South Africa has also ratified several international agreements and conventions. These can become powerful forces driving national policy and behaviour patterns. For example, ratification of the Montreal Protocol in 1990 committed South Africa to phasing out production of ozone depleting substances by 2030. The actual response has been to phase out certain substances (e.g. chlorofluorocarbons and carbon tetrachloride) since 1992, although others (e.g. hydro chlorofluorocarbons and methyl bromide) are still being phased out.
2	National driving forces which have led to the current situation include the need for economic growth and job creation, self sufficiency, and exports. The large population also puts pressure on macro-economic policy to provide for basic human needs and achieve economic growth.
3	Historically in South Africa, the macro-economic and sectoral policies which resulted from these forces included settlement policies, discrimination of access, and subsidisation. For example, agricultural land was reserved for commercial farmers, whilst subsistence farmers were forced into homeland areas. Fishing permits were only issued to commercial fishermen. Energy and water use were largely subsidised by the government, so that commercial farmers and industries could produce their goods more cheaply. Conservation measures were typically to restrict access to protected natural areas, alienating large sections of the population from environmental issues such as wildlife conservation.
4	The resource use patterns that resulted were exploitative, and the problem was compounded by a large, unevenly distributed demand. Industry and agriculture used energy and water wastefully, as there were no incentives to use natural resources wisely, or to recycle. The high densities of low-income population in the homelands, forced unsustainable resource use. The large population, and failure of the government to enforce regulations put added pressure on natural resources.
5	These activities created large distortions in the economy and distribution of wealth. Large sections of the population were driven to live in informal settlements without formal services such as water supplies and sanitation, due to the imposed low income levels. Levels of resource use were unsustainable, and environmental degradation was widespread.
6	The combination of degradation and depletion of resources, and unmet basic human needs acted together to force change in national needs. The high population growth rate also contributed to national pressure for policy reform.
7	International pressure for social and political reform in South Africa, and a greater global awareness of environmental issues became the predominant international driving forces. The international community placed trade restrictions on South Africa, and excluding her from the global community. The combination of degradation and depletion of resources, and unmet basic human needs, including political enfranchisement, acted together to force change in national governance. The change in political dispensation resulted in a new Constitution, new macro-economic and framework policies, and law reform. These changes all brought about new emphases on environmental goods and services, and new management strategies. The United Nations Confrerence on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 (the Earth Summit) created greater international awareness to environmental issues. Many participating countries agreed to adopt a sustainable development strategy, Agenda 21. Later, South Africa also subscribed to Agenda 21 and its objectives. This sparked off a new interest in the environment, driving internal policies and practices and many other international agreements were initiated to use natural resources on a more sustainable basis. The Convention on Biodiversity is one of these, and South Africa ratified it in 1995. In response, a White Paper on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of South Africa's Biological Diversity was drafted in 1997. Key elements of this White Paper include: conservation of the diversity of landscapes, ecosystems, habitats, communities, populations, species and genes; sustainable use of biological resources and minimisation of adverse impacts on biodiversity; ensuring that benefits derived from the use and development of SA genetic resources serve national interests; improving capacity to conserve and use biodiversity and to address threats to biodiversity; creating conditions and incentives that support conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity; and promotion of conservation and sustainable use at the international level. The focus on use of natural resources is indicative of the world wide shift in perception from a protectionist view of natural resources to a human needs-centred view of natural resources. Since the Earth Summit, brown issues (such as pollution and consumption) have become more prominent, and green issues (such as conservation in protected areas) have taken a back seat. International trade also became a positive driving force as a consequence of increased global environmental awareness. As consumers began to understand environmental issues, and the impacts of certain activities on the environment, they changed their habits, preferring products which were manufactured in an environmentally sustainable way. An example of this is the paper export market. International companies request that the paper they buy comes from forests which are managed sustainably. The South African supplier must comply with these requirements or lose these customers, and South African paper companies now adhere to high standards of water use efficiency, re-planting of forests, and treatment of wastes.
8	National needs which, in addition to international forces, act to change macro-economic policies in South Africa include: the provision of basic needs for all South Africans equity employment creation economic growth improved quality of life With the advent of democracy in South Africa, all South Africans have the right to basic needs, and the predominant national drive is for equity, through access and redistribution of wealth and natural resources.
9	Reforms in Macro-economic policy which have followed from these national and international driving forces, are documented in the Growth, Employment and Redistribution (GEAR) Framework Strategy. GEAR focuses on creating jobs, combatting inflation, increasing exports, creating equity, and growth in GDP. However, GEAR was not developed from a sustainable development perspective, and many of the targets and strategies it sets out, will have to be implemented carefully to ensure that they are met without further degradation to the environment, and that they contribute to, rather than hinder, sustainable development.
10	GEAR has in turn driven changes in sectoral policies, and in many cases these focus on sustainable practices. For example the National Water Act (Act 36 of 1998) requires a change in pricing structures to reflect the true environmental and social costs of water, and to encourage wise, conservative use. Land reform has permitted access for all South Africans to terrestrial resources and agricultural activities, resulting in changing settlement patterns. Reforms in energy policy, as set out in the White Paper on Energy Policy include removal of subsidies, and greater cost-reflectiveness of energy prices, promotion of cleaner technologies, environmental performance auditing, and emissions reduction programmes.
11	As these policies are relatively new (promulgated during the last 2-3 years), changes in resource use patterns have yet to be determined. However, expected changes are more responsible use of water and energy, less exploitative use of resources such as fish, greater ownership and concern for the environment, reductions in pollution and waste, and investment in alternatives to natural resources.
12	The current state is one of uncertainty, as many policies are new and the impacts of their implementation are not yet evident. Furthermore, implementation depends on adequate capacity amongst government officials. In many cases this is lacking, as is the capacity for policing and enforcement. Only once implementation has been effective can we evaluate the current state resulting from policy reforms, and generate pressure for further reform, if required.

This system of environmental change is dynamic, responding to ever changing and developing international and national priorities and pressures. As understanding and awareness of driving forces and their impacts grows (both nationally and internationally), so policies and practices become more sophisticated, and if enforced, they produce successful results. These results in themselves are wrought by, and create, further changes in behaviours and resource use patterns, market demands and needs, requiring further changes in policy.