environmental research report · environmental research report august 2009 the materials contained...

* Compiled by Louise du Toit (BA LLB)Research Assistant Centre of Criminology, Public Law DepartmUniversity of Cape Town

E-mail: [email protected]

Environmental Research Report

August 2009

The materials contained herei

category, as well as according to the specific projects being wild law,

governance, waste, responding to risk

of the resources are provided as well as information regarding where the resource may be

accessed.

General observatory

The resources incorporated

transforming high-waste, unstable economies to low

while maintaining human well

Europa ‘Statement of President Barroso on

the result of the meeting of the Major

Economies Forum on Climate Change: 2

target is now written in stone’ Press Release

(9 July 2009) available at

http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do

?reference=MEMO/09/329&format=HTML&ag

ed=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

The leaders of the G8 have conclusively

committed to the target of ensuring that global

average temperatures do not exceed 2

degrees Celsius. This consequently requires

* Compiled by Louise du Toit (BA LLB) Clip art obtained from Microsoft Office Online.Research Assistant Centre of Criminology, Public Law Department

Environmental Research Report

in have been arranged according to the ‘general observatory’

category, as well as according to the specific projects being wild law, envir

waste, responding to risk, green building and climate policy. Brief descriptions


General observatory

The resources incorporated here are concerned with meeting the challenge of

waste, unstable economies to low-waste, stable economies,

while maintaining human well-being.

Europa ‘Statement of President Barroso on

the meeting of the Major

Economies Forum on Climate Change: 2°°°°C

Press Release

http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do

?reference=MEMO/09/329&format=HTML&ag

ed=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

The leaders of the G8 have conclusively

committed to the target of ensuring that global

average temperatures do not exceed 2

Celsius. This consequently requires

that global emissions are reduced by 50 per

cent below 1990 levels by 2050.

Deborah Murphy, John Drexhage and Peter

Wooders ‘International Carbon Market

Mechanisms in a Post-2012 Climate Change

Agreement’ International Institute for

Sustainable Development

available at

http://www.iisd.org/pdf/2009/international_carb

on_market_mechanisms.pdf

Clip art obtained from Microsoft Office Online.

Page | 1

Environmental Research Report*

have been arranged according to the ‘general observatory’

ronmental

. Brief descriptions


are concerned with meeting the challenge of

waste, stable economies,

that global emissions are reduced by 50 per


Deborah Murphy, John Drexhage and Peter

Wooders ‘International Carbon Market

2012 Climate Change

International Institute for

Sustainable Development (May 2009)

http://www.iisd.org/pdf/2009/international_carb

on_market_mechanisms.pdf

Page | 2

Extract from introduction: ‘This background

paper provides an overview of the role and

profile of international carbon market

mechanisms in a new international post-2012

climate change agreement. The paper first

reviews the three market-based instruments

under the Kyoto Protocol and then examines a

range of possible market mechanisms under

consideration in the international climate

change negotiations. The concluding section

discusses critical issues that will need to be

considered in choosing and further developing

international market mechanisms for a new

climate regime.’

Oxfam ‘Suffering the Science: Climate

change, people and poverty’ (6 July 2009)

Oxfam Briefing Paper 130 available at

http://www.oxfam.org/sites/www.oxfam.org/file

s/bp130-suffering-the-science.pdf

‘Climate change is damaging people’s lives

today. Even if world leaders agree the strictest

possible curbs on greenhouse gas (GHG)

emissions, the prospects are very bleak for

hundreds of millions of people, most of them

among the world’s poorest. This paper puts

the dramatic stories of some of those people

alongside the latest science on the impacts of

climate change on humans. Together they

explain why climate change is fundamentally a

development crisis. The world must act

immediately and decisively to address this, the

greatest peril to humanity this century.’

Lars-Göran Engfeldt From Stockholm to

Johannesburg and beyond (2009) Executive

summary is available at

http://www.sweden.gov.se/content/1/c6/12/99/

13/d442fe22.pdf

This study looks at the processes that

occurred in Stockholm, Rio de Janeiro and

Johannesburg in outlining the ‘international

system that now governs sustainable

development’. The study concludes that ‘[t]he

high price to be paid for not trying to meet [the

challenge of implementing a sustainable

development strategy]… should be a

compelling stimulus for action. Looking at it

from a more positive point, the vision of a

world with sustainable development unfolding

at all levels should offer a powerful and

positive incentive and a much needed unifying

factor for global sustainable development.

The concerted energy put into recent efforts to

deal with unstable financial institutions shows

what can, in fact, be accomplished globally

within a very short time span. This example

underpins the final conclusion of this study –

that there should be reason to hope that the

collective experience, political will and energy

exist to move forward in mitigating and

adapting to the current challenges as well as

those that are yet to emerge from our planet’s

sustainability crisis.’

Reena Patra ‘Vaastu Shastra: Towards

Sustainable Development’ 2009 (17)

Sustainable Development 244-256

Abstract: This article discusses Vaastu

Shastra (an ancient Indian knowledge of

architecture) in relation to the idea of

sustainable development. It informs the

complicated problems of urbanization and

overpopulated cities of today. By drawing

attention towards Vaastu Shastra, this paper

Page | 3

discusses the built form of Indian settlements

and explores the possibility of creating a living

environment that is self-sufficient, ecologically

balanced and culturally stimulating. It explains

the concept of sustainable development based

on ancient Indian traditional knowledge,

through its culture, heritage and orientation

towards forest sustainability, as a way to

address elements within sustainable

development. Further, the fundamental

principles, the relevance of Vaastu-Purusha-

Mandala and the history of Vaastu Shastra are

highlighted with discussions on its

philosophical and social aspects. Last, an

attempt has also been made to create a close

relationship between Vaastu Shastra and

sustainable development that can redefine the

present form of planning human settlement.

Worldwatch Institute Vital Signs 2009 (2009)

can be ordered from

http://www.worldwatch.org/vs2009

This report ‘[i]ncludes 25 key trends with

concise analysis, charts and graphs to inform

and inspire changes needed to build a

sustainable world.’

NEF The Happy Planet Index 2.0 (2009)

available at

http://www.happyplanetindex.org/public-

data/files/happy-planet-index-2-0.pdf

‘In an age of uncertainty, society globally

needs a new compass to set it on a path of

real progress. The Happy Planet Index (HPI)

provides that compass by measuring what

truly matters to us – our well-being in terms of

long, happy and meaningful lives – and what

matters to the planet – our rate of resource

consumption.

It brings them together in a unique form which

captures the ecological efficiency with which

we are achieving good lives. This report

presents results from the second global HPI. It

shows that we are still far from achieving

sustainable well-being, and puts forward a

vision of what we need to do to get there.’

Christopher Flavin ‘Low-Carbon Energy: A

roadmap’ Worldwatch Report 178 available at

http://www.worldwatch.org/press/prerelease/E

WP178.pdf

There is huge potential for the dominance of

renewable energy sources. In order for world

emissions to be reduced by 50-80 per cent by

2050 it is crucial to ‘transform the energy

economies of industrial and developing

countries almost simultaneously.’ Developing

countries now have the opportunity ‘to

“leapfrog” the carbon-intensive development

path of the 20th century and go straight to the

advanced energy systems that are possible

today’. However, this will require strong

policies and leadership.

OECD Green Growth: Overcoming the Crisis

and Beyond (2009) available at

http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/4/40/43176103.

pdf

Introduction: Within the context of sustainable

development, natural resources and

ecosystem services provided by the

environment are essential to support economic

Page | 4

growth, social wellbeing, and human health.

Inaction on key environmental challenges,

such as climate change, could lead to severe

economic consequences in the future. It is

important that the measures governments are

taking now to address the economic crisis are

designed so that they support – and at least do

not compromise – sustainable, long-term,

environmentally friendly growth in the future.

This discussion paper highlights some of the

measures governments are already taking to

“green” their approaches to economic

recovery, and some of the key issues they

may wish to further consider going forward

regarding the impact of these approaches on

the environment.

Judith A Cherni and Yohan Hill ‘Energy and

policy providing for sustainable rural

livelihoods in remote locations – the case of

Cuba’ 2009 (40) Geoforum 645-654

Abstract: Modern, small-scale renewable

energy technology has the potential to enable

and sustain rural livelihoods, particularly in

developing countries remote locations without

access to the grid. Yet, the provision of rural

energy to isolated communities might not

achieve the desired long-term result unless its

development is part of wider national policy

geared to sustainable development and social

equity. This article shows how a combination

of technology and policy targeted at the

improvement of livelihoods in rural areas is the

best solution for maximising the capacity of

renewable energy to deliver services. It

pinpoints the transforming processes and the

institutions participating in the delivery of

energy technology. This work draws on the

Cuban experience of renewable energy

technology, that country’s efforts to improve

quality of life for remote populations, and its

pledge to promote environmental

sustainability. Using a sustainable livelihoods

approach, the results of a survey in a rural

community are analysed in the framework of

existing assets and policies. The article

describes how it is not only local users who

benefit from a comprehensive technical, social

and environmental energy approach. The

same governmental administration that

promotes such services has much to gain from

technology that works well, benefits the poor in

remote locations and protects the environment

within its larger policy promoting sustainable

and egalitarian society.

Anna da Costa ‘India Announces

Groundbreaking Solar Plan’ Worldwatch

Institute (10 August 2009) available at

http://www.worldwatch.org/node/6220?emc=el

&m=282477&l=7&v=6372ccaebb

India has announced, and in principle

approved, a huge solar plan that is aimed at

increasing India’s solar capacity from 3MW

(currently) to 20 GW by 2020 and 200 GW by

2050.

Mail & Guardian ‘Kenya to Build Africa’s

Biggest Windfarm’ (28 July 2009) available at

http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-07-28-kenya-

to-build-africas-biggest-windfarm

This project aims to install about 365 wind

turbines, which will have a capacity of 300MW,

Page | 5

when completed in 2012. This will amount to a

quarter of Kenya’s ‘current installed power’.

The country’s energy supply is already very

‘green’, with a large proportion of its ‘installed

capacity’ being supplied by hydropower and

geothermal. While North African countries

such as Egypt and Morocco have also relied

on wind power, this will be the biggest

windfarm on the continent. The project is being

supported by the African Development Bank.

Mail & Guardian ‘SA on climate change: “No

money, no deal”’ (5 August 2009) available at

http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-08-05-sa-on-

climate-change-no-money-deal

South African officials, who are to lead the

African bloc at the negotiations in

Copenhagen, have said that developed

countries should set aside 1 per cent of their

GDP to contribute to climate efforts in

developing countries. If this is not provided,

developing countries will not ‘put together any

comprehensive plans’ to deal with climate

change.

The Weekender ‘Timing is everything in

move to cleaner fuel’ (8 August 2009)

available at

http://www.theweekender.co.za/article.aspx?ID

=BD4A1046808

South African vehicle manufacturers would like

to soon make a switch to the cleaner ‘Euro-4

emission levels’. It will be costly to move to

‘Euro-4’ by 2014, costing something in the

vicinity of R40bn. South Africa’s fuel currently

complies with the ‘Euro-2 emission levels’, and

is thus behind the EU, which is set to move to

‘Euro-5’ early next year; as well as Brazil,

which has already switched to the ‘Euro-4’

standard. While oil producers are opposed to

this move, some agreement between oil

producers and vehicle manufacturers has

been reached.

Mariaan Webb (ed) ‘Sasol sponsors

Stellenbosch solar thermal energy research’

Engineering News (4 August 2009) available

at

http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/sasol

-sponsors-stellenbosch-solar-thermal-energy-

research-2009-08-04

Sasol is providing funding of R3m over the

next five years to the Department of

Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering at

the University of Stellenbosch. The money will

be used to support the Department’s ‘solar

thermal energy research’ and will inter alia be

used to appoint a senior researcher and to

purchase new equipment. This research has

supported the initiative of Sasol ‘to investigate

opportunities in the field of renewable energies

and low-carbon electricity’.

The World Bank ‘In the Democratic Republic

of Congo, Planting Trees for a Better

Environment and Healthier Citizens’ (4

August 2009) available at

http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL

/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:22266092~pagePK:34

370~piPK:34424~theSitePK:4607,00.html?cid

=ISG_E_WBWeeklyUpdate_NL

Page | 6

The DRC’s first clean development

mechanism project (and first reforestation

project) will see the reforesting of 4200

hectares of degraded land. It is expected that

about 2.4 million tons of carbon dioxide will be

trapped by the project over the next 30 years.

Carbon credits generated will be sold to

finance the expansion of the project as well as

local ‘agro-forestry activities’.

Godwin Arku ‘Rapidly Growing African Cities

Need to Adopt Smart Growth Policies to

Solve Urban Development Concerns’ 2009

(20) Urban Forum 253-270

Abstract: This study reviews the smart growth

concept- and identity-specific principles that

could be adopted by rapidly growing African

cities. Given the macroeconomic reform

changes over the last two decades and given

the persistently high natural population growth

and continuous influx of rural residents to

urban areas, the application of these principles

may ensure sustainable urban development.

The main assertion of this paper is that due to

the rapid spatial expansion of major African

cities in recent years, a more informed and

thoughtful approach to urban development is

needed to achieve efficiency and long-term

sustainability. The current urban development

pattern, which is dominated by unlimited

outward extension, low-density residential

developments, and haphazard patterns, is

unacceptable. This pattern is destroying prime

agricultural and environmentally sensitive

lands, while increasing air pollution and traffic

congestion. This paper suggests that these

problems can be addressed by the adoption of

smart growth principles. Smart growth

principles promote compact urban

development by concentrating growth in

existing urban areas. The principles also

encourage creating a strong municipal

government with the authority to implement

land-use legislation and regulations,

developing a comprehensive physical plan to

guide the location and timing of development,

committing strongly to manage urban areas,

and providing a wide range of housing choices

that are affordable to residents of various

incomes, ages, and lifestyles. The central idea

of smart growth is that structured and strategic

planning supports economic growth,

addresses community needs, and protects the

environment.

European Environment Agency Cities of the

Future: How will European cities adapt to

new climate conditions? (27 July 2009)

available at

http://www.eea.europa.eu/articles/cities-of-the-

future-2013-how-will-european-cities-adapt-to-

new-climate-

conditions?&utm_campaign=cities-of-the-

future-2013-how-will-european-cities-adapt-to-

new-climate-conditions

Cities are highly vulnerable to the impacts of

climate change such as flooding and droughts.

Cities can play a large role in regard to

mitigation and adaptation and adaptation in the

context of cities calls for a ‘fundamental

rethinking of urban design and management’.

This approach needs to be integrated into all

relevant policies. While very few European

cities have taken action, inspiration can be

drawn from the action plans of cities such as

London and Copenhagen.

Page | 7

Climate Capital Copenhagen ‘Copenhagen

Climate Neutral by 2025’ Copenhagen

Climate Plan (draft) available at

http://www.kk.dk/sitecore/content/Subsites/Kli

ma/SubsiteFrontpage/HvadGoerKoebenhavns

Kommune/~/media/F14B427B54874117A430

DE1AD08B3879.ashx

This plan has as its objectives the reduction of

carbon dioxide emissions in Copenhagen by

20 per cent by 2025, and ensuring that

Copenhagen becomes the ‘first carbon neutral

capital in the world’.

Ben Block ‘North American Feed-In Tariff

Policies Take Off’ Worldwatch Institute (12



&m=282477&l=6&v=6372ccaebb

This programme introduced in the U.S. and

Canada allows anyone to produce electricity

from renewable sources of energy and sell the

electricity into the grid ‘and receive long-term

payments for each kilowatt-hour produced’.

Allan Hunt Badiner ‘Is Vancouver About to

Become the Greenest City in the World?’

Alternet (30 July 2009) available at

http://www.alternet.org/environment/141657/is

_vancouver_about_to_become_the_greenest_

city_in_the_world/?page=entire

This article lists the various efforts of the

mayor of Vancouver, Robertson, to improve

the city. Vancouver currently obtains 90 per

cent of its energy from renewable sources and

there are plans to further promote renewable

energy to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Other

initiative relate to the introduction of bicycle

lanes on major roads, as well as plans to

‘greenify’ the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Ben Block ‘Wal-Mart Scrutinizes Supply-

Chain Sustainability’ Worldwatch Institute (20

July 2009) available at


&m=274062&l=5&v=6372ccaebb

In future, Wal-Mart will require its suppliers to

complete an ‘environmental and social

sustainability’ assessment. Information on the

‘life cycle assessment (LCA)’ will be made

available on the product label thereby allowing

consumers to make more informed decisions.

It is expected that this will prompt companies

to produce lower-carbon, more sustainable

products.

Hannah Choi Granade et al ‘Unlocking Energy

Efficiency in the U.S. Economy’ McKinsey

Global Energy and Materials (July 2009)

available at

http://www.mckinsey.com/clientservice/electric

powernaturalgas/downloads/US_energy_effici

ency_full_report.pdf

This report finds that there are significant

energy efficiency opportunities in the US,

which have until now gone unrealised, despite

their potential to result in large savings, also

financially. The report aims to find ways to

overcoming barriers to realising these

opportunities.

Page | 8

Julia K Steinberger and J Timmons Roberts

‘Across a Moving Threshold: Energy, carbon

and the efficiency of meeting global human

development needs’ Social Ecology Working

Paper 114 (May 2009) available at

http://www.uni-

klu.ac.at/socec/downloads/WP114_WEB.pdf

Abstract: We approach the twin challenges of

global warming and finite fossil fuel reserves

from the perspective of human development

rather than economic or technical

performance. Human development depends

strongly on energy use. Rather than remaining

static, however, the crucial relationship

between energy consumption and human

development is shifting steadily. We derive

time-dependent threshold functions of energy

and carbon emissions required for human

development. From these threshold functions,

we show that higher national values of the

Human Development Index (HDI) are now

attained at half the energy use and carbon

emissions than they were three decades ago.

An important result from this analysis is that,

starting in the 1990s, the total amount of

energy consumed was large enough to raise

all nations to high living standards. Globally,

despite population growth, the energy required

to meet human development needs is

decreasing with time. Projections of the

threshold functions show a continuing global

decrease of energy and carbon required for

high human development until at least 2020.

Robert Constanza ‘Toward a new sustainable

economy’ 2009 (49) real-world economics

review available at

http://www.paecon.net/PAEReview/issue49/wh

ole49.pdf 20-21

Extract: ‘The current financial meltdown is the

result of under-regulated markets built on an

ideology of free market capitalism and

unlimited economic growth. The fundamental

problem is that the underlying assumptions of

this ideology are not consistent with what we

now know about the real state of the world.

The financial world is, in essence, a set of

markers for goods, services, and risks in the

real world and when those markers are

allowed to deviate too far from reality,

“adjustments” must ultimately follow and crisis

and panic can ensue. To solve this and future

financial crisis requires that we reconnect the

markers with reality. What are our real assets

and how valuable are they? To do this requires

both a new vision of what the economy is and

what it is for, proper and comprehensive

accounting of real assets, and new institutions

that use the market in its proper role of servant

rather than master.’

Sean Mallin ‘A non-formal look at the non-

formal economy’ 2009 (49) real-world

economics review available at

http://www.paecon.net/PAEReview/issue49/wh

ole49.pdf 36-41

Extract: ‘Non-formal economic exchange is not

a relic of the distant past nor is it a practice

limited to the most underdeveloped and

economically “backward” of modern times. It is

ubiquitous, yet frequently overlooked; under

various guises, non-formal economies exist

today alongside and intermixed with formal

markets, even in the most advanced capitalist

Page | 9

countries. From the trading of snacks in an

elementary school playground to the trafficking

of people all around the world, the workings of

non-formal economies are embedded in our

daily lives, actively shaping everything from

bank policies to foreign policies. The world we

know floats atop a tumultuous ocean of non-

formal economics. It’s about time

economists—and the ordinary person on the

street—take a look.’

News24 ‘Broad action on climate change

needed’ (4 August 2009) available at

http://www.news24.com/Content/SciTech/New

s/1132/998962daf6634845b2906b8965436b5

e/04-08-2009%2010-

08/Broad_action_on_climate_needed . The

study is available at

http://mydocs.epri.com/docs/Portfolio/PDF/200

9_P170.pdf

A US research institute has found that to

tackle climate change at a reasonable cost

reliance cannot be placed on a single

technology and that ‘broad action’ needs to be

taken.

The Times ‘Cloud ships on course to beat

climate change, says Copenhagen study’ (7


http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environ

ment/article6742023.ece. The study is

available at

http://www.copenhagenconsensus.com/Admin/

Public/DWSDownload.aspx?File=/Files/Filer/C

C08/Papers/3+Summaries/Challenges/CP_Su

mmary_Global_Warming_-_Yohe.pdf

‘Giant engineering schemes’ are increasingly

being seen as the cheapest way to avert

‘catastrophic global warming’. While many of

these schemes are not feasible, an idea that is

gaining popularity relates to a fleet of 1900

(wind powered) ships that would ‘criss-cross’

the world’s oceans, suck up water, and spray it

from funnels in order to create white clouds

thereby reflecting about 1-2% per cent of the

sunlight, thus reducing warming of the oceans,

which ‘would be enough to cancel out the

greenhouse gas effect caused by carbon

dioxide emissions’. According to the think-tank,

Copenhagen Consensus Centre, it would cost

$9bn to test and launch this project in the next

25 years.

Shane Tomlinson Breaking the Climate

Deadlock: Technology for a low carbon future

(The Climate Group and the Office of Tony

Blair) available at

http://www.theclimategroup.org/assets/resourc

es/Technology_for_a_low_carbon_future_repo

rt.pdf

Importantly, this report finds that the generally

accepted climate targets are within reach. Its

main findings include:

• ‘Major emission reductions are

achievable by 2020 if we focus action

on certain key solutions now;

• Fully 70% of the reductions needed by

2020 can be achieved by investing in

energy efficiency – lighting, vehicles,

buildings and motors - and reducing

deforestation, the costs of which are

manageable and generate positive

returns;

Page | 10

• Just seven known policies that are

already being successfully

implemented in different parts of the

world can deliver these reductions:

they just need scaling up;

• We need to invest now in the

development of those future

technologies that will take time to

mature, in particular carbon capture

and storage (CCS), large scale solar

and new generation nuclear, along

with public infrastructure such as

smart grids;

International cooperation spurred by an

ambitious agreement in Copenhagen can

rapidly bring costs down and accelerate scale

up of both current and future technologies.’

Kevin Bullis ‘A Biofuel Process to Replace all

Fossil Fuels’ MIT Technology Review (27 July

2009) available at

http://www.technologyreview.com/business/23

073/

A company in Massachusetts, Joule

Biotechnologies, has developed a technology

to produce fuel from sunlight and carbon

dioxide. If this could be produced on a large-

scale this would provide a promising

alternative to regular biofuels, as they produce

higher yields of fuel per acre. The company

plans to build a ‘pilot-scale plant’ in early 2010

and thereafter produce these fuels

commercially by the end of 2010. The

company claims that the price of its fuel will be

competitive with oil.

Jane A Alexander ‘An Energy Future

Transformed: The Advanced Research

Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) – R&D

pathways to a low carbon future’ (2009)

available at http://www.cleanair-

coolplanet.org/cpc/documents/ARPA-

E_AnEnergyFutureTransformed.pdf

Focusing largely on R&D, this report explores

how the U.S. can harness non-carbon and

low-carbon technologies through the

Advanced Research Projects Agency –

Energy, thus simultaneously addressing the

challenges of climate change and energy

security.

Kelly Levin and Dennis Tirpak (eds) ‘Climate

Science 2008: Major new discoveries’ WRI

Issue Brief (July 2009) available at

http://pdf.wri.org/climate_science_2008.pdf

Excerpt from introduction: ‘This annual WRI

review highlights the latest major research and

innovations in climate change science and

technology. It presents a timely synthesis of

current understanding of global warming at a

critically important time for the United States

and the world. The international community is

negotiating a new global agreement to reduce

emissions of greenhouse gases for the period

post-2012, while the U.S. Congress is drafting

landmark climate and energy legislation to

reduce domestic emissions. Our review of

select peer reviewed 2008 science and

technology publications, including those from

key general scientific journals and technical

journals, aims to inform policymakers and

legislators, the NGO community, and the

media … . The latest science summarized

Page | 11

below supplies further evidence confirming

that anthropogenic activities are the primary

cause of rising temperatures over the last

century, and supports the need for rapid and

substantial greenhouse gas mitigation efforts

worldwide. It also confirms that adaptation

measures are increasingly required today –

and will be ever more important in the future –

to enhance the resilience of both human and

non-human populations in a changing climate.’

Yuya Kajikawa ‘Research Core and

Framework of Sustainability Science’ 2008(3)

Sustainability Science 215-319

Abstract: This paper reviews recent

achievements in sustainability science and

discusses the research core and framework of

sustainability science. We analyze and

organize papers published in three selected

core journals of sustainability science:

Sustainability Science, Proceedings of the

National Academy of Sciences of the United

States of America, and Sustainability: Science,

Practice, & Policy. Papers are organized into

three categories: sustainability and its

definition, domain-oriented research, and a

research framework for sustainability science.

First, we provide a short history and define the

basic characteristics of sustainability; then we

review current efforts in the following research

domains: climate, biodiversity, agriculture,

fishery, forestry, energy and resources, water,

economic development, health, and lifestyle.

Finally, we propose a research framework for

sustainability science that includes the

following components: goal setting, indicator

setting, indicator measurement, causal chain

analysis, forecasting, backcasting, and

problem–solution chain analysis. We

emphasize the importance of this last

component for improving situations and

attaining goals.

Workshops

International Workshop on Mainstreaming

Adaptation to Climate Change – Guidance

and Tools (May 2009) Workshop

documentation is available at en-climate-

mainstreaming-adaptation-workshop-

report.pdf. Further information on the

workshop is available at

http://www.gtz.de/en/themen/umwelt-

infrastruktur/umweltpolitik/27616.htm

In May 2009 a workshop entitled ‘International

Workshop on Mainstreaming Adaptation to

Climate Change – Guidance and Tools’ was

held in Berlin. Some background information:

‘A number of actors in the fields of science,

administration and development cooperation

have for some time now been developing

practical approaches and instruments to assist

the process of mainstreaming adaptation to

climate change, and are testing them in the

field. The OECD has finalized its “Policy

Guidance on Integrating Climate Change

Adaptation into Development Co-operation”,

which represents a significant step towards the

creation of a general framework to assist the

design of resilient national development plans

and projects.

With the first pilot applications of decision-

making tools taking place it was time to

evaluate progress and foster exchange among

those having developed mainstreaming

approaches and tools and the potential users.’

Books

Specific Projects

Wild Law

The resources listed here are concerned generally with the issue of changing

society’s perceptions so as to recognise that humans are part of the bigger

system. More narrowly, they are concerned with the question of rights for

nature.

Rebecca Tuhus-Dubrow ‘Sued by the forest:

Should nature be able to take you to court?’

The Boston Globe (19 July 2009) available a

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/artic

les/2009/07/19/should_nature_be_able_to_tak

e_you_to_court/?page=full

While the extension of rights to nature may be

considered to be ‘preposterous’ by some, the

author inter alia points out that slaves and

women were historically viewed as property as

is nature today. Furthermore, certain rights as

well as ‘personhood’ have been extend

non human entities namely ships and

corporations. Proponents of the idea of

those having developed mainstreaming

ols and the potential users.’

Sally Andrew The Fire Dogs of Climate

Change (Findhorn Press, 2009)

In this book, Andrew provides ‘tools and tips

from around the world’ to take action against

climate change.

[http://firedogs.findhornpress.com/

Specific Projects



narrowly, they are concerned with the question of rights for

Dubrow ‘Sued by the forest:

Should nature be able to take you to court?’


http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/artic

les/2009/07/19/should_nature_be_able_to_tak

tension of rights to nature may be

considered to be ‘preposterous’ by some, the

author inter alia points out that slaves and

women were historically viewed as property as

is nature today. Furthermore, certain rights as

well as ‘personhood’ have been extended to

non human entities namely ships and

corporations. Proponents of the idea of

extending rights to nature believe that this

could lead to ‘more effective environmental

protections’. While this concept may prove

difficult in practice it is gaining increa

prominence.

Jonathan Hunt ‘Test wells pulled from

Shapleigh’ Keep me current

available at

http://www.keepmecurrent.com/reporter/

article_14ee1eec-7d49-11de

001cc4c03286.html

Page | 12

The Fire Dogs of Climate

(Findhorn Press, 2009)

In this book, Andrew provides ‘tools and tips

from around the world’ to take action against

http://firedogs.findhornpress.com/]



narrowly, they are concerned with the question of rights for

extending rights to nature believe that this

could lead to ‘more effective environmental

protections’. While this concept may prove

difficult in practice it is gaining increasing

Jonathan Hunt ‘Test wells pulled from

Keep me current (30 July 2009)

http://www.keepmecurrent.com/reporter/news/

11de-afe3-

Page | 13

Nestle had been attempting to tap into an

underlying aquifer on the border of Shapleigh

and Newfield for the purposes of ‘commercial

bottled-water production’. This was strongly

opposed by the citizens of Shapleigh. Nestle

withdrew after unsuccessful negotiations with

the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and

Wildlife. This is the same town where earlier

this year an Ordinance was enacted stripping

corporations of their personhood and

bestowing rights on ecosystems.

Burns H. Weston and Tracy Bach

‘Recalibrating the Law of Humans with the

Laws of Nature’ Climate Legacy Initiative

(2008) available at

http://www.vermontlaw.edu/Documents/01210

8-cliPolicyPaper.pdf

In the context of climate change, this (draft)

paper discusses the ‘need for a paradigm shift

in the way law and nature interact’ and the

need ‘to bring our constitutional and legal

systems into realistic relationship with our

circumstances’. The authors make 16

recommendations in this regard.

Books

James Lovelock The Vanishing Face of Gaia:

A Final Warning (2009) A review by Martin

Mittelstaedt is available at

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/books/hot-

times-ahead/article1183726/

Extract from review: ‘ … These days, the

octogenarian Lovelock is making another bold

– and scary – prediction, this time about

humankind's future. He's worried that global

warming – a term he eschews and calls global

heating instead – is going to amount to a

planetary disaster. He thinks that after the

cataclysm, there could be only a billion and

perhaps as few as 100 million of us left,

compared to 6.8 billion currently.

What is more, he thinks it's too late to dodge

the looming disaster because our releases of

carbon dioxide have been so massive that

climate upheaval is all but baked into the pie.

In the time remaining before the climate

blowout, he contends that the few countries

likely to escape relatively unscathed, Canada

among them, should figure out how cope with

the millions of environmental refugees that will

wash up on their shores from the soon-to-be

scorched areas of the world…’

Page | 14

Environmental Governance

The resources listed here are concerned generally with environmental

governance and more specifically, with collaborative environmental

governance.

Claudia Pahl-Wostl ‘A conceptual framework

for analysing adaptive capacity and multi-

level learning processes in resource

governance regimes’ 2009 (19) Global

Environmental Change 354-365

Abstract: ‘Governance failures are at the origin

of many resource management problems. In

particular climate change and the concomitant

increase of extreme weather events has

exposed the inability of current governance

regimes to deal with present and future

challenges. Still our knowledge about resource

governance regimes and how they change is

quite limited. This paper develops a

conceptual framework addressing the

dynamics and adaptive capacity of resource

governance regimes as multi-level learning

processes. The influence of formal and

informal institutions, the role of state and non-

state actors, the nature of multi-level

interactions and the relative importance of

bureaucratic hierarchies, markets and

networks are identified as major structural

characteristics of governance regimes.

Change is conceptualized as social and

societal learning that proceeds in a stepwise

fashion moving from single to double to triple

loop learning. Informal networks are

considered to play a crucial role in such

learning processes. The framework supports

flexible and context sensitive analysis without

being case study specific.

First empirical evidence from water

governance supports the assumptions made

on the dynamics of governance regimes and

the usefulness of the chosen approach. More

complex and diverse governance regimes

have a higher adaptive capacity. However, it is

still an open question how to overcome the

state of single-loop learning that seem to

characterize many attempts to adapt to climate

change. Only further development and

application of shared conceptual frameworks

taking into account the real complexity of

governance regimes can generate the

knowledge base needed to advance current

understanding to a state that allows giving

meaningful policy advice.’

Orjan Bodin and Beatrice I Crona ‘The Role of

Social Networks in Natural Resource

Governance: What relational patterns make

a difference?’ 2009 (19) Global Environmental

Change 366-374

Abstract: Resent research has identified the

existence of social networks as a common and

Page | 15

important denominator in cases where

different stakeholders have come together to

effectively deal with natural resource problems

and dilemmas. It has even been shown that

social networks can be more important than

the existence of formal institutions for effective

enforcement and compliance with

environmental regulations. However, all social

networks are not created equal. On the

contrary, the structural pattern of relations (i.e.

the topology) of a social network can have

significant impact on how actors actually

behave. This clearly has implications for

actors’ abilities to manage environmental

challenges. This review aims to add more

precision to initial insights and pending

hypotheses about the positive impacts of

social networks on governance processes and

outcomes, by reviewing and synthesizing

empirically based literature explicitly studying

structural characteristics of social networks in

natural resource governance settings. It is

shown that significant differences in

governance processes and outcomes can be

expected among networks experiencing

structural differences in terms of density of

relations, degree of cohesiveness, subgroup

interconnectivity, and degree of network

centralization. Furthermore, the review shows

that none of these structural characteristics

present a monotonically increasing positive

effect on processes of importance for resource

governance, and that favoring one

characteristic likely occurs at the expense of

another. Thus, assessing the most favorable

level and mix of different network

characteristics, where most of the positive

governance effects are obtained while

undesired effects are minimized, presents a

key research and governance challenge.

Craig W. Thomas Evaluating the Performance

of Collaborative Environmental Governance

(Prepared for presentation at the Consortium

on Collaborative Governance Mini-

Conference, Santa Monica, April 10-12, 2008)

available at

http://www.usc.edu/schools/sppd/bedrosian/pri

vate/docs/ccg_papers/Thomas.pdf

Abstract: Collaboration has increasingly

supplemented and other forms of

environmental governance, such as

centralized planning and command-and-

control regulation. Hence, practitioners and

academics routinely debate whether

collaboration improves the environment over

alternative governance systems. But the

debate is largely rhetorical and theoretical,

because there is little empirical evidence to

suggest whether collaboration has a positive

or negative impact on the environment. This

paper reviews the current state of research on

collaborative governance, and suggests ways

to design research studies that test the links

between collaborative processes and

environmental outcomes. The paper also

argues that collaborative governance should

be held to environmental performance

standards, just like other governance systems.

* Compiled by Louise du Toit (BA LLB)Research Assistant Centre of Criminology, Public Law DepartmUniversity of Cape Town

E-mail: [email protected]

Waste

The resources listed here are generally concerned with

FinWeek ‘Yes, we can: SA’s recycling

recovery rates among the best in the world’

Focus on Recycling (16 July 2009).

This article discusses the newly enacted

National Environmental Management: Waste

Act. It furthermore discusses recycling in

South Africa, and states that South Africa has

one of the highest recycling recovery rates in

the world. Informal entrepreneur waste

collectors play a large role in this.

Marianne de Nazareth ‘Waste Pickers:

friends of the polluted earth’ Deccan Herald


http://www.deccanherald.com/content/17818/w

aste-pickers-silent-friends-pollute

This article discusses the climate benefits of

waste picking and argues for the formalisation

of this trade.

Antoinette White ‘Rural School in Limpopo

Embraces Environmental Issues

available at

http://www.panda.org.za/?section=Publication

_AboutUs

This article briefly discusses the various

innovative measures that have been taken by

* Compiled by Louise du Toit (BA LLB) Clip art obtained from Microsoft Office Online.Research Assistant Centre of Criminology, Public Law Department

The resources listed here are generally concerned with informality in waste

FinWeek ‘Yes, we can: SA’s recycling

recovery rates among the best in the world’

(16 July 2009).

This article discusses the newly enacted

National Environmental Management: Waste

ct. It furthermore discusses recycling in

South Africa, and states that South Africa has

one of the highest recycling recovery rates in

the world. Informal entrepreneur waste

collectors play a large role in this.

Marianne de Nazareth ‘Waste Pickers: Silent

Deccan Herald

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/17818/w

polluted.html

This article discusses the climate benefits of

waste picking and argues for the formalisation

Rural School in Limpopo

Embraces Environmental Issues’ (2009)

http://www.panda.org.za/?section=Publication

This article briefly discusses the various

innovative measures that have been taken by

a rural school, Dikolobe School, to contribute

to sustainability, including the recycling and r

use of waste.

Francis Kagolo ‘Uganda: Municipalities Get

Recycling Plants’ All Africa

available at

http://allafrica.com/stories/200907140039.html

Nine municipalities in Uganda

waste management plants in terms of which,

waste will be recycled to produce organic

manure. Metals and polythene will also be

separated out for recycling. This programme

aims to ‘curb environmental degradation’ in

Uganda.

LowCarbonEconomy Indian City of

Ahmedabad to Implement EFW Scheme

July 2009) available at

http://www.lowcarboneconomy.com/communit

y_content/_low_carbon_news/6750

This Indian city plans to derive fuel from its

municipal waste. This will result in the

reduction of waste as well as the promotion of

energy independence.

Clip art obtained from Microsoft Office Online.

Page | 16

informality in waste.

a rural school, Dikolobe School, to contribute

to sustainability, including the recycling and re-

Francis Kagolo ‘Uganda: Municipalities Get

All Africa (13 July 2009)

http://allafrica.com/stories/200907140039.html

Nine municipalities in Uganda have received

waste management plants in terms of which,

waste will be recycled to produce organic

manure. Metals and polythene will also be

separated out for recycling. This programme

aims to ‘curb environmental degradation’ in

Indian City of

Ahmedabad to Implement EFW Scheme (29



s to derive fuel from its

municipal waste. This will result in the

reduction of waste as well as the promotion of

Page | 17

The World Bank ‘US$320 Million for

Improving Public Transportation and Waste

Treatment in Colombia’ (4 August 2009)

available at


/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:22266442~menuPK:34

463~pagePK:34370~piPK:34424~theSitePK:4

607,00.html?cid=ISG_E_WBWeeklyUpdate_N

L

The World Bank has approved a loan of $20

million for the Solid Waste Management

Programme in Colombia. It will ‘seek to

improve the quality and coverage of the

country’s integrated waste treatment services,

benefiting close to 400,000 people thanks to

the appropriate management of solid waste in

landfills built by the project’.

BBC ‘Brazil returns hazardous UK waste’ (6


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8187081.st

m

Between February and May 2009, 81

containers arrived in Brazil marked ‘recyclable

plastics’. However, it was found that these

contained domestic and hospital waste

including used syringes, condoms and dirty

nappies. Three British men have been jailed.

The containers were sent back to the UK on 5

August.

Responding to Risk

Resources included below are generally intended to cover social networks and

social learning in the context of climate change.

Susanne C Moser ‘Resilience in the Face of

Global Environmental Change’ CARRI

Research Report 2 (2008) available at

http://www.resilientus.org/publications/reports.

html

‘The paper provides relevant insights on

resilience from the global change literature. It

discusses a number of aspects feeding into

resilience, such as vulnerability, adaptive

capacity, and social capital. The paper points

to some promising research frontiers on

resilience in the human dimensions field.’

(Overview obtained from AdaptNet newsletter

of 6 July 2009; available at

http://www.globalcollab.org/gci/adaptnet/2009/

07-july-2009/)

Magda Nassef, Simon Anderson and Ced

Hesse Pastoralism and Climate Change:

Page | 18

Enabling adaptive capacity (April 2009)

available at

http://www.iied.org/pubs/pdfs/G02497.pdf

‘This publication forms one of a series of six

reports prepared under the ECHO-funded

project on ‘Reducing the vulnerability of

pastoral communities through policy and

practice change in the Horn and East Africa’.

The aim of the project is to raise awareness

among planners and policymakers about the

full potential of pastoral systems to make a

significant contribution to the economies of the

region. … The overall message that emerges

from this publication series is that pastoralists

must be supported not only to maintain the

extraordinary resilience inherent in their

traditional way of life, but also to adapt and –

for some – to create viable alternative

livelihoods in and beyond the ASALs.

Concerns over population growth, climate

change, conflict and declining productivity of

the natural resource base present very real

challenges for pastoralists in the Horn of

Africa. Without significant support, levels of

poverty, vulnerability and destitution will rise

due to the effects of marginalisation, recurrent

drought and floods, conflict and livestock

epidemics….’

Manish Bapna, Heather McGray, Gregory

Mock and Lauren Withey ‘Enabling

Adaptation: Priorities for supporting the

rural poor in a changing climate’ WRI Issue

Brief (June 2009) available at

http://www.wri.org/publication/enabling-

adaptation-climate-change

‘Effective climate adaptation requires an

enabling environment—one that grants the

poor the rights, resources and access they

need to sustain and benefit from ecosystems,

governments and markets. Development

experience provides important lessons for

fostering such enabling environments,

including principles of good governance that

provide the rural poor with control of the

ecosystems on which they depend.’

Tom Bigg ‘Building Resilience for an

Interdependent World: Why the

environment matters and what DFID should

do about it’ IIED (March 2009) available at

http://www.iied.org/pubs/pdfs/G02481.pdf

In the context of a world that is being faced by

environmental, economic and security threats,

this paper considers how human security can

be ensured through the increase of the

resilience of people, ecosystems and

economies.

World Bank Philippines: Community-Driven

Development Strategy Frees Poor Samar

Town from the Scourge of Floods (15 July

2009) available at


/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:22242888~pagePK:34

370~piPK:34424~theSitePK:4607,00.html

‘In the last two decades, storms and monsoon

rains have brought floods, sickness, and a

standstill in business activities in Balangiga,

Eastern Samar every time floodwaters rise.

Using community-driven development (CDD)

approach, residents addressed this problem by

constructing a network of canals to channel

floodwaters towards the sea.

CDD not only empowered local communities to

address flooding and improve their health, but

also created jobs for local residents, thus

lessening poverty. But the real gain, residents

say, lies in community’s as well as the local

government unit's improved capability in local

governance.’

Dasgupta et al ‘Sea-Level Rise and Storm

Surges: A comparative analysis of impacts in

developing countries’ The World Bank:

Research Working Paper 4901 (April

available at http://www-

wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSConte

Green housing

The resources in this section are concerned

housing and with creating better low cost housing, more sustainably.

Iftekhar Ahmed et al ‘Infrastructure Scoping

Study: Sustainable built environments in

Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City’ Global Cities

Research Institute, RMIT University

2009). Chapters available at

http://www.globalcollab.org/gci/ccap

publications-1/ccap-researcher-

publications/infrastructure-scoping

hanoai-and-hcmc/

driven development (CDD)

approach, residents addressed this problem by

constructing a network of canals to channel

CDD not only empowered local communities to

address flooding and improve their health, but

created jobs for local residents, thus

lessening poverty. But the real gain, residents

say, lies in community’s as well as the local

government unit's improved capability in local

Level Rise and Storm

e analysis of impacts in

The World Bank: Policy

(April 2009)

wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSConte

ntServer/IW3P/IB/2009/04/14/000158349_200

90414102048/Rendered/PDF/WPS4901.pdf

Abstract: An increase in sea surface

temperature is evident at all latitudes and in all

oceans. The current understanding is that

ocean warming plays a major role in intensified

cyclone activity and heightened storm surges.

The vulnerability of coastlines to intensified

storm surges can be ascertained by overlaying

Geographic Information System information

with data on land, population density,

agriculture, urban extent, major cities,

wetlands, and gross domestic product for

inundation zones likely to experience more

intense storms and a 1 meter sealevel rise.

The results show severe impacts are likely to

be limited to a relatively small number of

countries and a cluster of large cities at the low

end of the international income distribution.

Green housing

The resources in this section are concerned generally with improving access to

with creating better low cost housing, more sustainably.

Iftekhar Ahmed et al ‘Infrastructure Scoping

Study: Sustainable built environments in

Global Cities

Research Institute, RMIT University (January

http://www.globalcollab.org/gci/ccap-

scoping-study-

There has been a lack of attention paid to

sustainable building practices

Chi Minh City. This project thus aims t

promote ‘adaptive and sustainable built

environment options in the challenging urban

context of Vietnam experiencing rapid growth

and set to face severe climate change

impacts’. (AdaptNet newsletter

2009)

Page | 19

ntServer/IW3P/IB/2009/04/14/000158349_200

90414102048/Rendered/PDF/WPS4901.pdf

Abstract: An increase in sea surface

temperature is evident at all latitudes and in all

derstanding is that

ocean warming plays a major role in intensified

cyclone activity and heightened storm surges.

The vulnerability of coastlines to intensified

storm surges can be ascertained by overlaying

Geographic Information System information

ta on land, population density,

agriculture, urban extent, major cities,

wetlands, and gross domestic product for

inundation zones likely to experience more

intense storms and a 1 meter sealevel rise.

The results show severe impacts are likely to

d to a relatively small number of

countries and a cluster of large cities at the low

end of the international income distribution.

improving access to

with creating better low cost housing, more sustainably.

There has been a lack of attention paid to

sustainable building practices in Hanoi and Ho

. This project thus aims to

promote ‘adaptive and sustainable built

environment options in the challenging urban

context of Vietnam experiencing rapid growth

and set to face severe climate change

(AdaptNet newsletter – 11 August

Page | 20

Brian Clark Howard ‘Twelve amazing

shipping container houses’ Yahoo! Green (16

March 2009) available at

http://green.yahoo.com/blog/daily_green_news

/8/twelve-amazing-shipping-container-

houses.html

This article discusses ‘shipping container

architecture’. Whether being used to construct

emergency housing following disasters or

luxury accommodation, containers provide low

cost and environmentally friendly housing.

Mohammad Sharif Zami and Angela Lee ‘Use

of Stabilised Earth in the Construction of Low

Cost Sustainable Housing in Africa - An

energy solution in an era of climate solution’

2009 (3) International Journal of Architectural

Research 51-65

Abstract: Stabilised earth is an alternative

building material which is significantly cheaper

than using conventional brick and concrete,

and is also environmentally sustainable. Earth

has been used as a construction material in

every continent and in every age. It is one of

the oldest building materials. The use of earth

on site as a building material saves

manufacturing cost, time, energy,

environmental pollution and transportation

cost. Most African countries do not have any

well structured and effective program to

address the global agenda of sustainability

through the use of appropriate construction

materials. In order to demonstrate stabilized

earth as a sustainable appropriate construction

material, the experiences and practices of

using earth construction can be studied and

harnessed from other subcontinents to

demonstrate the dynamism of this material

suitable for low cost house construction in the

African subcontinent. This paper aims to

identify and highlight potentiality of stabilized

earth construction in the solution of low cost

housing crisis in Africa and justify the use of

this appropriate construction material is an

energy solution in the era of climate change.

Technical Team Planning for Self-Help

Housing in the Kambi Moto Community:

Kenya World Habitat Awards (2009) available

at http://www.worldhabitatawards.org/winners-

and-finalists/project-

details.cfm?lang=00&theProjectID=18A60F52-

15C5-F4C0-99C4EF674461D6A1

‘This programme is working to enable the 270

households of Kambi Moto informal settlement

to gain security of tenure and to design and

construct their own homes, whilst

simultaneously developing their skills in

procurement and project management

procedures. The aim is that these tasks can be

adopted by community members, minimising

future long-term reliance on professional input.

Through negotiation with the city council the

land was transferred to the community as a

whole, with each and every household

receiving sectional title for an equal plot. A

collaborative design process using life-size

demonstration models settled on a design

organised over three floors that could be built

incrementally over time and is connected to

water, sanitation and electricity services.’

Page | 21

Ecomaterials in Social Housing Projects: Cuba

World Habitat Awards (2007) available at

http://www.worldhabitatawards.org/winners-


details.cfm?lang=00&theProjectID=8CF5995B-

15C5-F4C0-997B214C8DFB72F7

‘This project has developed and transferred a

range of innovative and environmentally

sustainable building materials which can be

manufactured locally in small workshops and

are suitable for both rural and urban areas.

New job opportunities have been created and

an estimated 2,300 houses in the Villa Clara

province, and over 5,000 nationwide, have

been built or renovated using ecomaterials.’

ZukunftsWerkStadt Leinefelde: Germany

World Habitat Awards (2007) available at

http://www.worldhabitatawards.org/winners-


details.cfm?lang=00&theProjectID=73731BB1-

15C5-F4C0-9900BBA4F68107AE

‘The municipality of Leinefelde-Worbis in

former East Germany has effectively engaged

with the challenges of depopulation, a failing

economy and large numbers of empty and

deteriorating housing stock through an

innovative and integrated, participatory

approach. New job opportunities have been

created, the urban infrastructure and living

environment have been significantly upgraded,

and over 2,500 apartments have been

refurbished to high environmental standards.’

Marie Huchzermeyer ‘Enumeration as a

Grassroot Tool Towards Securing Tenure in

Slums: Insights from Kisumu, Kenya’ 2009

(20) Urban Forum 271-292

Abstract: Community-based slum enumeration

was carried out in Kisumu from 2005 to 2008

as part of a city-wide slum-upgrading initiative.

This paper analyses this enumeration exercise

particularly in relation to land management and

tenure security. The paper draws on a peer

evaluation that included interviews with slum

upgrading stakeholders as well as community-

based focus group discussions, mainly with

enumerators. The paper finds that, for a

grassroots enumeration exercise to be

successful, grassroots trust must be sustained

for ongoing verification and updating of the

enumeration data and the enumeration must

link up effectively with the planning authorities.

Broader preconditions are the coordination of

the slum upgrading initiative, and beyond this,

of wider and often competing city initiatives.

Key findings towards securing tenure include

the importance of various forms of mobilisation

that accompany enumeration and of the

informal and formal knowledge generation that

results from the enumeration process.

Page | 22

Climate Policy

The resources listed here are concerned with tracking domestic efforts

internationally, to develop climate change related policy.

LowCarbonEconomy Eco towns given green

light as tougher UK housing standards

announced (17 July 2009) available at



The UK government is moving ahead with the

establishment of ‘eco towns’ in Norfolk,

Cornwall, Hampshire and Oxfordshire; and

aims to have 20 established by 2010. In

addition, more stringent standards for homes

are to be imposed.

Department for Transport ‘Low Carbon

Transport: A greener future’ (July 2009) A

Carbon Reduction Strategy for Transport

available at

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/sustainable/carbonre

duction/low-carbon.pdf

This document was presented to Parliament

by the UK’s Department for Transport, which

sets out how the department will achieve the

emission reductions required in order to

comply with the carbon budgets provided for in

the (UK) Climate Change Act of 2008.

Department of Energy and Climate Change

‘The UK Low Carbon Transition Plan’

available at

http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/publica

tions/lc_trans_plan/lc_trans_plan.aspx

This White Paper systematically sets out how

the UK government intends to achieve its

ambitious carbon reduction target of 80 per


Ontario Ministry of the Environment

‘Proposed Content for the Renewable Energy

Approval Regulation under the

Environmental Protection Act’ (9 June 2009)

available at

http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/envision/env_reg/er/

documents/2009/010-6516.pdf

The Ontario Ministry of Environment is

currently consulting on the proposed content of

a new regulation to be passed under its Green

Energy and Green Economy Act, 2009, which

recently came into force. The proposal inter

alia deals with the requirements that must be

met in order to obtain a Renewable Energy

Approval for ‘renewable energy generation

facilities’ as well as the general requirements

concerning such facilities.