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- Janet Wilhelm
Roundtable: Small Business Development in the Climate Change Adaptation Space
- Geraldine Reymenants (Government of Flanders)
- Gaylor Montmasson-Clair (TIPS)
- Small business development in the adaptation space
- Shakespear Mudombi and Muhammed Patel (TIPS)
- The water innovation story
- Mao Amis (African Centre for a Green Economy)
- Bulelwa Ntsendwana (EWEF Sustainable Technologies)
- Jacob Bossaer (Bosaq)
- Rori Mpete (TnM Innovations)
- Sabelo Domo (Arumloo)
- Mogale Maleka (AB Farms)
- Wolfgang von Loeper (MySmartFarm)
- Grant Prince (Fetola)
- Chantal Ramcharan-Kotze (Water Research Commission)
- Claire Pengelly (GreenCape)
- Dorah Marema (Gender CC)
- Judy Abrahams (Industrial Development Corporation)
BACKGROUND
Climate change is increasingly identified as the single most pressing challenge facing society in the 21st century. In the near future, it will have exponential and disastrous effects on economic development, social progress and environmental sustainability. Such developments render the need to adapt to expected (and unexpected) impacts paramount, in order to improve the resilience of the economy, society and the environment. Water is the primary channel through which climate change influences planetary and socio-economic ecosystems. Adaptation relies on innovative solutions. Small businesses are particularly well-suited to seize such opportunities. However, this potential remains largely unexplored. The Roundtable aims to contribute towards filling the gap between the need to adapt to climate change and the potential to bring out socio-economic development benefits in the process. It investigates the interplay between climate change adaptation and small business development in the South African context.
Mpumalanga faces the reality of coal’s demise
Business Day - 9 October 2018 by Neva Makgetla (TIPS Senior Economist)
Read online at Business Day.
Or read as a PDF.
How will we measure effect of economic package on daily lives?
Business Day - 25 September 2018 by Neva Makgetla (TIPS Senior Economist)
Read online at Business Day.
Or read as a PDF.
Forward-looking approach to next generation sanitation and industrial development in South Africa – a briefing
A significant proportion of people still require proper sanitation services in South Africa, on the continent, and globally. Given the inadequacies in the current sanitation system, there is a huge potential market for new generation sanitation (NGS) technologies. The size of the market could be much bigger if we consider the proportion of people that do not have sanitation services, those with inadequate services, and those whose services are inappropriate (such as waterborne systems in water scarce areas). NGS has the potential to be a disruptive technology. If properly embraced, it can significantly transform the sanitation landscape and leapfrog the previously unserved and underserved communities. As a new field, there is need for the country to take front-runner advantage. Though South Africa has a strong research, development and innovation background on conventional sanitation, the country needs to be more active to capture the opportunity offered by NGS to industrialise. Efforts by various organisations to promote the development of NGS in the country are providing valuable platforms to leverage.
This policy brief highlights the opportunities and constraints for NGS in the context of industrial development in South Africa. It considers the status of NGS technologies worldwide and the possible opportunity for South Africa.
This policy brief is based on the report Forward looking approach to next generation sanitation and industrial development in South Africa. It can be accessed on the TIPS website at the following link: download main report
Improving vehicle technologies for sustainable development in South Africa
Economic, social and environmental consequences of the global crisis of sustainability are hindering growth and development, particularly in developing countries. In response to the awareness of a changing climate, and ratified commitments to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improve sustainability, South Africa has embraced decarbonising the transport sector, the second highest emitter of GHG emissions in the country. Beyond environmental sustainability, the high costs of importing crude oil or producing and refining these fuels, growing congestion and long commuting hours, means reforming the transport sector is a priority. Attaining sustainable transport systems requires a modal shift towards environmentally-compatible, energy-efficient and low-carbon vehicles, the promotion of public transport and non-motorised transport, as well as spatial planning to reduce travel distances for commuters.
While spatial planning and modal shifts present longer-term opportunities for transformation, this policy brief focuses on improving vehicle efficiencies, a suitable complementary option for transitioning to sustainable transport systems in the short term. The South African government should provide the necessary fiscal certainty and support to facilitate the uptake of gas-based and electric vehicles. These present low-carbon alternatives, to enhance energy efficiency and improve vehicle technologies, reduce reliance on imported crude oil and decrease harmful emissions while creating and supporting local industry in the process.
Nature in South Africa's transition to sustainability: A stocktake
This policy paper reviews the valuation, protection and management of nature in South Africa. It forms part of a series of papers aimed at providing a barometer of South Africa’s transition to sustainable development.
Development Dialogue: The Continental Free Trade Agreement and industrialisation
TIPS hosted a Development Dialogue on the Continental Free Trade Agreement and industrialisation on Wednesday, October 17. Speakers were Carlos Lopes (UCT) and Faizel Ismail (TIPS and UCT). For more information and a copy of the presentation go do Development Dialogue.
The Continental Free Trade Agreement and Industrialisation
10:30 - 10:45: Opening and Welcome
10:45 - 12:00: Presentations by:
- Carlos Lopes, UCT
- Faizel Ismail, TIPS and UCT
12:30: Lunch
BACKGROUND
The negotiations for the Continental Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) are underway. Among other things, this massive undertaking has the potential to establish a sizeable market for a range of manufactured products and in doing so support the industrialisation of African countries. Yet it holds many pitfalls that could undermine industrial capacity and contribute to deindustrialisation in those countries with existing capacity.
This Development Dialogue aims to discuss some of the challenges and issues for consideration in the negotiation of the CFTA and its alignment with Africa’s ambition of supporting industrialisation on the continent.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Carlos Lopes: Professor Lopes is a Bissau-Guinean development economist, who served as the eighth Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (2012-2016). He is a Professor at the Mandela School of Public Governance, UCT and Visiting Professor at Sciences Po, Paris. In 2017 he was a Visiting fellow at the Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford. Lopes previously served the United Nations as Kofi Annan‘s Political Director, Head of Policy at UNDP, Director of the United Nations System Staff College and Executive Director of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). He is a Chatham House Associate Fellow and currently serves as the African Union High representative for negotiations with Europe.
Faizel Ismail: Dr Faizel Ismail is an Adjunct Professor at the UCT School of Economics and a TIPS Research Associate. He has previously been an advisor to the Department of Trade and Industry on International Trade and Special Envoy on the African Growth and Opportunity Act, and served as the Ambassador Permanent Representative of South Africa to the WTO (2010-2014).
Import Tracker - Q2 2018
Quarter 2 2018 continued a trend of recovery in trade volumes. 2018 also featured a trade surplus for the quarter, although the 5% surplus was lower than the previous two years - 8% in 2017 and 10% in 2016.
Import Tracker - Q1 2018
Quarter 1 2018 marked the first trade deficit since Quarter 1 2016, but nevertheless featured a continued recovery in general trade volumes following a contraction in trade after the end of the commodity super cycle.