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The race to zero: emission reduction strategies in the sugarcane growing industry in southern Malawi

This research explores emission reduction agendas in the sugarcane growing industry in southern Malawi. In doing so, it describes the various actors and their emission reduction agendas, understands relevant drivers for these, interrogates the interaction and collaboration of different actors in att...

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Main Author: Cuff, Amy
Other Authors: Wynberg, Rachel
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Department of Environmental and Geographical Science 2024
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access_status_str Open Access
author Cuff, Amy
author2 Wynberg, Rachel
author_browse Cuff, Amy
Wynberg, Rachel
author_facet Wynberg, Rachel
Cuff, Amy
author_sort Cuff, Amy
collection Thesis
description This research explores emission reduction agendas in the sugarcane growing industry in southern Malawi. In doing so, it describes the various actors and their emission reduction agendas, understands relevant drivers for these, interrogates the interaction and collaboration of different actors in attaining them, and explores the relevance of polycentric governance in the emission reduction agendas of the sugarcane growing industry in southern Malawi. The research used qualitative methods including semi-structured interviews and mixed media reviews (reports, policies, websites, and videos). Findings suggest that governance within the sugarcane growing industry's emission reduction agenda has elements of polycentricity, and is characterised by the chaos and complexity of numerous actors working through self-governance with diffusion and linkages towards the achievement of a common goal but lacks coordination or collaboration between actors. Weaknesses were identified in the lack of consistency of focus areas, with divergence in areas for emission reduction including material inputs, electricity, and burning, and poor collaboration between actors. In the context of Malawi, it is suggested that these weaknesses further underscore equity issues amongst actors at global and local scales. Malawi accounts only for 0.005% of the global greenhouse gas emission share, with national emissions in agriculture accounting for 30%. Adding further complexity, sugarcane has a long history in Malawi , with the sector playing an important role in social and economic development and contributing significantly to the country's gross domestic product. The sector is also characterised by political power plays between the state, the private sector and other actors. The research offers recommendations to enhance linkages and collaboration between actors which potentially allow for improved emission reduction strategies and consideration of local contexts and national needs, and equitable share of responsibility of the climate agenda.
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institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language eng
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:52:36.994Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2024
publishDateRange 2024
publishDateSort 2024
publisher Department of Environmental and Geographical Science
publisherStr Department of Environmental and Geographical Science
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source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/39343 The race to zero: emission reduction strategies in the sugarcane growing industry in southern Malawi Cuff, Amy Wynberg, Rachel Environmental This research explores emission reduction agendas in the sugarcane growing industry in southern Malawi. In doing so, it describes the various actors and their emission reduction agendas, understands relevant drivers for these, interrogates the interaction and collaboration of different actors in attaining them, and explores the relevance of polycentric governance in the emission reduction agendas of the sugarcane growing industry in southern Malawi. The research used qualitative methods including semi-structured interviews and mixed media reviews (reports, policies, websites, and videos). Findings suggest that governance within the sugarcane growing industry's emission reduction agenda has elements of polycentricity, and is characterised by the chaos and complexity of numerous actors working through self-governance with diffusion and linkages towards the achievement of a common goal but lacks coordination or collaboration between actors. Weaknesses were identified in the lack of consistency of focus areas, with divergence in areas for emission reduction including material inputs, electricity, and burning, and poor collaboration between actors. In the context of Malawi, it is suggested that these weaknesses further underscore equity issues amongst actors at global and local scales. Malawi accounts only for 0.005% of the global greenhouse gas emission share, with national emissions in agriculture accounting for 30%. Adding further complexity, sugarcane has a long history in Malawi , with the sector playing an important role in social and economic development and contributing significantly to the country's gross domestic product. The sector is also characterised by political power plays between the state, the private sector and other actors. The research offers recommendations to enhance linkages and collaboration between actors which potentially allow for improved emission reduction strategies and consideration of local contexts and national needs, and equitable share of responsibility of the climate agenda. 2024-04-11T12:56:09Z 2024-04-11T12:56:09Z 2023 2024-04-08T11:46:12Z Thesis / Dissertation Masters MPhil http://hdl.handle.net/11427/39343 eng application/pdf Department of Environmental and Geographical Science Faculty of Science
spellingShingle Environmental
Cuff, Amy
The race to zero: emission reduction strategies in the sugarcane growing industry in southern Malawi
thesis_degree_str Master's
title The race to zero: emission reduction strategies in the sugarcane growing industry in southern Malawi
title_full The race to zero: emission reduction strategies in the sugarcane growing industry in southern Malawi
title_fullStr The race to zero: emission reduction strategies in the sugarcane growing industry in southern Malawi
title_full_unstemmed The race to zero: emission reduction strategies in the sugarcane growing industry in southern Malawi
title_short The race to zero: emission reduction strategies in the sugarcane growing industry in southern Malawi
title_sort race to zero emission reduction strategies in the sugarcane growing industry in southern malawi
topic Environmental
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/39343
work_keys_str_mv AT cuffamy theracetozeroemissionreductionstrategiesinthesugarcanegrowingindustryinsouthernmalawi
AT cuffamy racetozeroemissionreductionstrategiesinthesugarcanegrowingindustryinsouthernmalawi