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Exploring Ecological Modernisation in an African Context: The Case of South Africa's E-waste Sector
Thesis (DPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2023.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2023
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| _version_ | 1867614076069216256 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Hector, Michael Carl |
| author2 | Lambrechts, Derica |
| author_browse | Hector, Michael Carl Lambrechts, Derica |
| author_facet | Lambrechts, Derica Hector, Michael Carl |
| author_sort | Hector, Michael Carl |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (DPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2023. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/126916 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:46:16.958Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publishDateRange | 2023 |
| publishDateSort | 2023 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/126916 Exploring Ecological Modernisation in an African Context: The Case of South Africa's E-waste Sector Hector, Michael Carl Lambrechts, Derica Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Political Science. Environmental policy -- South Africa Sustainable development -- South Africa Global environmental change -- South Africa Environmental economics -- South Africa Electronic waste -- Environmental aspects -- South Africa Refuse and refuse disposal -- South Africa Economic development -- South Africa UCTD Thesis (DPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2023. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study examines the application of ecological modernisation (EM) in the context of an emerging African economy, South Africa. Much like other states in the global South, the South African government has become enamoured with the prospects of bridging the gap between the economy, environment and society. This gap can however be bridged through the achievement of sustainable development. However, as argued in this study, there have been various approaches to the achievement of sustainability. One such approach has been the use of EM as a pathway to sustainable development, which sees the market and technological innovation as being key to the achievement of sustainable and green economies. As argued by this study, the use of EM as a pathway to sustainable development is often found within states that have adopted neoliberal and capitalist ideologies. This study therefore argues that South Africa’s neoliberal macroeconomic policy shift in the post-apartheid years have created an enabling environment for the adoption of EM as an approach to environmental management. The result of this has been the adoption of EM principles within environmental management policies such as the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) and the Waste Act. South Africa is unique in its use of EM, as environmental policy in the country highlights the importance of social and environmental justice concerns. Although the inclusion of social and environmental justice concerns has been important aspects of South Africa’s environmental management policy, these concerns have not been translated into practice. As such, it has been argued that what is evident in the case of South Africa is the application of weak sustainability and weak ecological modernisation. The purpose of this study is therefore to build on existing knowledge regarding ecological modernisation in South Africa. This study argues that the presence of strong EM in environmental policy is not enough and for EM to be considered effective, the realisation of environmental policy imperatives needs to be considered as part of the process. In its assessment of EM in South Africa, this study makes use of extended producer responsibility (EPR) in the management of electronic waste (e-waste) in South Africa. It is argued by this study that in the management of e-waste in South Africa, the implementation of the EPR needs to prioritise social and environmental justice concerns – paramount to the management of waste being the inclusion of waste pickers in decision-making and practice. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die toepassing van ekologiese modernisering (EM) in die konteks van ʼn opkomende Afrika-ekonomie, Suid-Afrika. Net soos talle ander lande in die globale suide, is die Suid-Afrikaanse regering bekoor deur die vooruitsig om die gaping tussen die ekonomie, die omgewing en die samelewing te oorbrug. Hierdie gaping kan egter slegs deur die bereiking van volhoubare ontwikkeling oorbrug word. Soos hierdie studie egter aanvoer, is daar verskillende benaderings tot die bereiking van volhoubare ontwikkeling. Een sodanige benadering is die gebruik van EM as die pad na volhoubare ontwikkeling, wat die mark en tegnologiese innovasie as die sleutel tot die bereiking van volhoubare en groen ekonomieë beskou. Soos hierdie studie aanvoer, word die gebruik van EM as die pad na volhoubare ontwikkeling dikwels gevind in lande wat neoliberale en kapitalistiese ideologieë aangeneem het. Hierdie studie voer dus aan dat Suid-Afrika se neoliberale makro-ekonomiese beleidsverskuiwing in die jare ná apartheid ʼn bemagtigende omgewing vir die aanvaarding van EM as die benadering tot omgewingsbestuur geskep het. Die gevolg hiervan was die aanvaarding van EM-beginsels in omgewingsbestuursbeleide, soos die Wet op Nasionale Omgewingsbestuur (NEMA) en die Afvalwet. Suid-Afrika is uniek in sy gebruik van EM, aangesien die omgewingsbeleid van die land die belangrikheid van maatskaplike en omgewingsgeregtigheidskwessies uitlig. Hoewel die insluiting van maatskaplike en omgewingsgeregtigheidsake belangrike aspekte van Suid-Afrika se omgewingsbestuursbeleid vorm, word hierdie sake nie na die praktyk oorgedra nie. As sodanig word daar betoog dat die toepassing van swak volhoubaarheid en swak ekologiese modernisering duidelik in die geval van Suid-Afrika blyk. Die doel van hierdie studie is dus om voort te bou op die bestaande kennis van ekologiese modernisering in Suid-Afrika. Hierdie studie voer aan dat die teenwoordigheid van sterk EM in omgewingsbeleid nie genoeg is nie en dat as EM as sterk beskou kan word, moet beleidsimplementering en -evaluering oorweeg word. In die beoordeling van EM in Suid-Afrika maak hierdie studie gebruik van, uitgebreide produsentverantwoordelik (EPV), in die bestuur van elektroniese afval (e-afval) in Suid-Afrika. Hierdie studie voer aan dat die implementering van EPV maatskaplike en omgewingsgeregtigheidskwessies moet prioritiseer in die bestuur van e-afval in Suid-Afrika – van die grootste belang in die bestuur van afval is die insluiting van afvaluitsoekers in besluitneming en praktyk. Doctoral 2023-01-11T11:56:42Z 2023-05-18T06:55:40Z 2023-01-11T11:56:42Z 2023-05-18T06:55:40Z 2023-03 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/126916 en_ZA Stellenbosch University 214 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Environmental policy -- South Africa Sustainable development -- South Africa Global environmental change -- South Africa Environmental economics -- South Africa Electronic waste -- Environmental aspects -- South Africa Refuse and refuse disposal -- South Africa Economic development -- South Africa UCTD Hector, Michael Carl Exploring Ecological Modernisation in an African Context: The Case of South Africa's E-waste Sector |
| title | Exploring Ecological Modernisation in an African Context: The Case of South Africa's E-waste Sector |
| title_full | Exploring Ecological Modernisation in an African Context: The Case of South Africa's E-waste Sector |
| title_fullStr | Exploring Ecological Modernisation in an African Context: The Case of South Africa's E-waste Sector |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring Ecological Modernisation in an African Context: The Case of South Africa's E-waste Sector |
| title_short | Exploring Ecological Modernisation in an African Context: The Case of South Africa's E-waste Sector |
| title_sort | exploring ecological modernisation in an african context the case of south africa s e waste sector |
| topic | Environmental policy -- South Africa Sustainable development -- South Africa Global environmental change -- South Africa Environmental economics -- South Africa Electronic waste -- Environmental aspects -- South Africa Refuse and refuse disposal -- South Africa Economic development -- South Africa UCTD |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/126916 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hectormichaelcarl exploringecologicalmodernisationinanafricancontextthecaseofsouthafricasewastesector |