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Exploring environmental health hazards in energy transitions : a case study of Groenheuwel community
Thesis (MPhil)--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_ | 1867613898930126848 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Sanelisiwe, Mlaba |
| author2 | Valenti, Devan |
| author_browse | Sanelisiwe, Mlaba Valenti, Devan |
| author_facet | Valenti, Devan Sanelisiwe, Mlaba |
| author_sort | Sanelisiwe, Mlaba |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2023. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/127118 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:43:27.297Z |
| 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:10019.1/127118 Exploring environmental health hazards in energy transitions : a case study of Groenheuwel community Sanelisiwe, Mlaba Valenti, Devan Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership. Renewable energy sources -- Western Cape (South Africa) Energy security -- Risk assessment -- Western Cape (South Africa) Energy development -- Environmental aspects -- Western Cape (South Africa) Energy development -- Health aspects -- Western Cape (South Africa) UCTD Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2023. ENGLISH SUMMARY: Several factors contribute to the existence of poor urban areas and the decision to establish and develop them. Poor urban areas are characterised by several deficiencies, such as inadequate housing, inadequate water supply, overcrowding, unemployment, poverty, etc. One of the challenges the urban poor battle with is energy insecurity. The socio-economic status of many households prevents them from being able to secure adequate energy sources. As a result, most households in poor urban areas adopt practices and habits that are harmful to their environment to fulfil their household energy needs. These detrimental methods, practices and habits lead to several environmental health hazards. Using the Groenheuwel community, this study explored how energy insecurity is experienced in poor urban areas. It further explored the energy practices and habits employed to solve energy insecurity in poor urban households and the impact these habits and practices have on the environment and the health and safety of residents. Using a literature review, household surveys, community observations, and community-based environmental health risk assessments this study explored the environmental health hazards attributable to poor urban environments due to energy insecurity in the Groenheuwel community. Data on energy habits and practices in the community was gathered using household surveys and community observations. The household surveys and community observations were useful in obtaining data on the impact these practices and habits have on the environment and the health and safety of community members. A Community-Based Environmental Health Risk Assessment was used to identify the hazards and risks most likely to threaten the health and safety of the community members based on the environmental hazards identified in the community. The results show that energy insecurity is a real challenge in poor urban areas and leads to several environmental health hazards that have negative impacts on the health and safety of community members. These impacts include exposure-induced infections and safety incidents such as respiratory infections, gastrointestinal infections, fires, burns, electrocution, etc. Furthermore, the results indicate that fire incidents pose the greatest threat to the health and safety of communities. The fire incidents are often caused by open fires, faulty electrical connections, and accidents associated with overcrowding and poor demarcation within the households. According to the results, energy insecurity is experienced differently in each section of one the settlement, and the energy practices and habits employed to fulfill the households’ energy needs are also different, which means that even the impacts on the environment and the health and safety of community members differ. As a result, it is complicated to design or create universal solutions to meet the energy needs of the urban poor. Furthermore, the results showed that women dominated household-decision making regarding energy sources: consequently, any negative impacts on health and safety caused by the energy habits were experienced primarily by women. The study concluded with recommendations that may be utilised by the municipality together with Community-based Organisations (CBOs) to improve the energy habits and practices that community members employ to solve their energy challenges. A proper public participation and community engagement process will assist the urban poor in exploring sustainable energy production and consumption patterns that can be adopted to solve energy hardships in their community. Public participation will also encourage investment in sustainable energy in poor urban communities, that are often viewed by investors as a risk area. Non-Government Organisations (NGOs), Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs), Private Investors or Funders, or any organisation aiming to bring energy innovations to the Groenheuwel community may also be able to use these recommendations, to ensure the innovations they design will not exacerbate existing environmental conditions but will rather prioritise the well-being of the environment and that of community members. Community energy needs and hardships need to be understood and captured to design interventions that are effective, and sustainable. Future energy innovations in poor urban environments should be designed in a way that mitigates existing environmental health hazards and prioritises the health and safety of community members. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Verskeie faktore dra by tot die bestaan van arm stedelike gebiede en die besluit om dit te vestig en te ontwikkel. Arm stedelike gebiede word gekenmerk deur verskeie tekortkominge, soos onvoldoende behuising, onvoldoende watervoorsiening, oorbevolking, werkloosheid, armoede, ens. Een van die uitdagings waarmee stedelike armes sukkel, is energie-onsekerheid. Die sosio-ekonomiese status van baie huishoudings verhoed dat hulle voldoende energiebronne kan bekom. Gevolglik neem die meerderheid huishoudings in arm stedelike gebiede praktyke en gewoontes aan wat skadelik is vir hul omgewing om in hul huishoudelike energiebehoeftes te voorsien. Hierdie nadelige metodes, praktyke en gewoontes lei tot verskeie omgewingsgesondheidsgevare. Met behulp van die Groenheuwel-gemeenskap het hierdie studie ondersoek hoe energie-onsekerheid in arm stedelike gebiede ervaar word. Dit het verder ondersoek ingestel na die energiepraktyke en -gewoontes wat gebruik word om energie-onsekerheid in arm stedelike huishoudings op te los en die impak wat hierdie gewoontes en praktyke op die omgewing en die gesondheid en veiligheid van inwoners het. Deur gebruik te maak van 'n literatuuroorsig, huishoudelike opnames, gemeenskapswaarnemings en gemeenskapsgebaseerde omgewingsgesond- heidsrisikobeoordelings het hierdie studie die omgewingsgesondheidsgevare wat aan swak stedelike omgewings toegeskryf kan word as gevolg van energie-onsekerheid in die Groenheuwel-gemeenskap ondersoek. Data oor energiegewoontes en -praktyke in die gemeenskap is ingesamel deur huishoudelike opnames en gemeenskapswaarnemings te gebruik. Die huishoudelike opnames en gemeenskapswaarnemings was nuttig in die verkryging van data oor die impak wat hierdie praktyke en gewoontes op die omgewing en die gesondheid en veiligheid van gemeenskapslede het. 'n Gemeenskapsgebaseerde omgewingsgesondheidsrisiko-evaluering is gebruik om die gevare en risiko's te identifiseer wat waarskynlik die gesondheid en veiligheid van die gemeenskapslede bedreig, gebaseer op die omgewingsgevare wat in die gemeenskap geïdentifiseer is. Die resultate toon dat energie-onsekerheid 'n werklike uitdaging in arm stedelike gebiede is en lei tot verskeie omgewingsgesondheidsgevare wat negatiewe impakte op die gesondheid en veiligheid van gemeenskapslede het. Hierdie impakte sluit in blootstelling-geinduseerde infeksies en veiligheidsinsidente soos respiratoriese infeksies, gastrointestinale infeksies, brande, brandwonde, elektrokusie, ens. Verder dui die resultate daarop dat brandvoorvalle die grootste bedreiging vir die gesondheid en veiligheid van gemeenskappe inhou. Die brandvoorvalle word dikwels veroorsaak deur oop vure, foutiewe elektriese verbindings, en ongelukke wat verband hou met oorbevolking en swak afbakening binne die huishoudings. Volgens die resultate word energie-onsekerheid verskillend in elke afdeling van een van die nedersetting ervaar, en die energiepraktyke en -gewoontes wat gebruik word om die huishoudings se energiebehoeftes te vervul verskil ook, wat beteken dat selfs die impak op die omgewing en die gesondheid en veiligheid van gemeenskapslede verskil. Gevolglik is dit ingewikkeld om universele oplossings te ontwerp of te skep om in die energiebehoeftes van die stedelike armes te voorsien. Verder het die resultate getoon dat vroue huishoudelike besluitneming oor energiebronne oorheers het: gevolglik is enige negatiewe impakte op gesondheid en veiligheid wat deur die energiegewoontes veroorsaak word hoofsaaklik deur vroue ervaar. Die studie is afgesluit met aanbevelings wat deur die munisipaliteit saam met gemeenskapsgebaseerde organisasies (GBO's) gebruik kan word om die energiegewoontes en -praktyke wat gemeenskapslede gebruik om hul energie-uitdagings op te los, te verbeter. ’n Behoorlike openbare deelname en gemeenskapsbetrokkenheidproses sal die stedelike armes help om volhoubare energieproduksie- en verbruikspatrone te ondersoek wat aangeneem kan word om energieprobleme in hul gemeenskap op te los. Openbare deelname sal ook belegging in volhoubare energie in arm stedelike gemeenskappe aanmoedig, wat dikwels deur beleggers as 'n risikogebied beskou word. Nie-regeringsorganisasies (NRO's), nie-winsgewende organisasies (NWO's), private beleggers of befondsers, of enige organisasie wat daarop gemik is om energie-innovasies na die Groenheuwel-gemeenskap te bring, kan dalk ook hierdie aanbevelings gebruik om te verseker dat die innovasies wat hulle ontwerp nie bestaande omgewingstoestande vererger maar sal eerder die welstand van die omgewing en die van gemeenskapslede prioritiseer. Gemeenskap se energiebehoeftes en swaarkry moet verstaan en vasgele word om intervensies te ontwerp wat effektief en volhoubaar is. Toekomstige energie-innovasies in arm stedelike omgewings moet ontwerp word op 'n manier wat bestaande omgewingsgesondheidsgevare versag en die gesondheid en veiligheid van gemeenskapslede prioritiseer. Masters 2023-02-27T09:50:04Z 2023-05-18T07:05:10Z 2023-02-27T09:50:04Z 2023-05-18T07:05:10Z 2023-03 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/127118 en_ZA Stellenbosch University xv, 129 pages : illustrations (some color), maps, includes annexures application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Renewable energy sources -- Western Cape (South Africa) Energy security -- Risk assessment -- Western Cape (South Africa) Energy development -- Environmental aspects -- Western Cape (South Africa) Energy development -- Health aspects -- Western Cape (South Africa) UCTD Sanelisiwe, Mlaba Exploring environmental health hazards in energy transitions : a case study of Groenheuwel community |
| title | Exploring environmental health hazards in energy transitions : a case study of Groenheuwel community
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| title_full | Exploring environmental health hazards in energy transitions : a case study of Groenheuwel community
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| title_fullStr | Exploring environmental health hazards in energy transitions : a case study of Groenheuwel community
|
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring environmental health hazards in energy transitions : a case study of Groenheuwel community
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| title_short | Exploring environmental health hazards in energy transitions : a case study of Groenheuwel community
|
| title_sort | exploring environmental health hazards in energy transitions a case study of groenheuwel community |
| topic | Renewable energy sources -- Western Cape (South Africa) Energy security -- Risk assessment -- Western Cape (South Africa) Energy development -- Environmental aspects -- Western Cape (South Africa) Energy development -- Health aspects -- Western Cape (South Africa) UCTD |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/127118 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sanelisiwemlaba exploringenvironmentalhealthhazardsinenergytransitionsacasestudyofgroenheuwelcommunity |