Coastal and fisheries governance
Environmental Management and Sustainability
Photo: Sandra Rippon
Southern Africa is at a critical point in its environmental history. The region faces a massive development backlog, an urgent need for job creation and a natural resource base that is increasingly threatened by economic development activities. Achieving environmental sustainability represents a major challenge, and one that the EEU is well placed to pursue as one of the longest-standing environmental consultancies and research institutions in southern Africa.
Our involvement in environmental management and sustainability ranges from research to inform policy and strategic plans and the development of environmental guidelines to project-level assessments and short-course training. A key area of activity involves developing guidelines and tools for integrating environmental sustainability principles into policies, programmes, plans and project-level activities. Examples are the development of a decision-support tool for the land reform programme and of environmental guidelines for strengthening sustainability in the integrated development planning process in South African municipalities. We also undertake environmental impact assessments, prepare environmental management and sustainability plans and develop environmental guidelines for particular projects such as the greening of large sports events.
Projects
- The Table Mountain Fund (TMF) have partnered with the Environmental Evaluation Unit (EEU), University of Cape Town for a programme aimed at mainstreaming sustainable development within the Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) of municipalities.
- Proposed Photovoltaic Solar Energy Facility on a site south of Sutherland, Northern Cape Province
- Touwsrivier Solar Energy Facility: Scoping and Environmental Impact Assessment Process
- Kerrie Fontein and Darling Wind Farm: Scoping and EIA Process
- Development of a Sustainable Livelihoods Strategy for the City of Cape Town
- Greening Guidelines for 2010 world Cup and other Large Sports Events
- Leadership in Sustainable Development: the Population – Environment – Development Nexus
- Development of the Western Cape Sustainable Development Implementation Plan
- Strengthening Environmental Sustainability in the Integrated Development Planning Process
- Strengthening Environmental Sustainability in the Integrated Development Planning Process
