Abstract
This study examined 13 purposively selected climate change projects in eThekwini Municipality to determine their poverty reduction potentials (or the lack thereof). The study builds on the document analysis of the poverty reduction co-benefits of 104 climate change projects in the Municipality. Using a qualitative approach, interviews (15 with municipal staff and 14 with experts) and 18 focus group discussions with project beneficiaries were used with purposively selected participants for data collection. Findings of the study revealed that all the projects assessed have poverty reduction co-benefits (although this varied across projects). The study found several challenges associated with the projects including concerns about short-term contracts, dissatisfaction with salaries, and insufficient work gear that exposes workers to health risks. Those employed under the project expressed a preference for greater involvement of the municipality in the management of the projects. Considering the poverty reduction co-benefits of the climate change projects, the study recommends a move beyond a project-based approach to institutionalising climate change to provide permanent employment. There is also a need to emphasise the multiple dimensions of poverty reduction in project design beyond job creation. Furthermore, the experiences of climate change in eThekwini Municipality provide a model that can be adopted and contextualised by other local government authorities particularly in the global south.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsNotes
- 1.
Low-cost housing provided by the South African government under the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) are usually referred to as RDP houses.
- 2.
Approximately USD11,83 (at a rate of USD1 to ZAR12.08 as at 20 April 2018).
References
Agard, J., & Schipper, F. E. L. (2014). Glossary, Climate Change 2013: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0959-3780(06)00031-8.
Anguelovski, I., Chu, E., & Carmin, J. A. (2014). Variations in Approaches to Urban Climate Adaptation: Experiences and Experimentation from the Global South. Global Environmental Change. Elsevier Ltd,27(1), 156–167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2014.05.010.
Baker, I., et al. (2012). Local Government Response to the Impacts of Climate Change: An Evaluation of Local Climate Adaptation Plans. Landscape and Urban Planning,107(2), 127–136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2012.05.009.
Carmin, J. A., Anguelovski, I., & Roberts, D. (2012). Urban Climate Adaptation in the Global South: Planning in an Emerging Policy Domain. Journal of Planning Education and Research,32(1), 18–32. https://doi.org/10.1177/0739456X11430951.
Diga, K. (2016). A Review of Poverty Reduction Within Local Climate Change Initiatives: A Case of eThekwini Municipality (Technical Research Report 2016 No.10) http://appliedpovertyreduction.ukzn.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/A-review-of-poverty-reduction-within-local-climate-change-initiatives-a-case-of-eThekwini-Municipality.pdf, 1–50.
eThekwini Municipality. (2007). Climate Change—What Does it Mean for eThekwini Municipality? Durban. Available at http://www.durban.gov.za/City_Services/development_planning_management/environmental_planning_climate_protection/Publications/Documents/ClimateChangewhatdoesitmeanforEM.pdf.
eThekwini Municipality. (2012). Durban: A Climate For Change—Transforming Africa’ s Future. Available at http://www.mile.org.za/Come_Learn/Knowledge_Management/MultimediaLibrary/ABMExperiencesBook/DurbanaClimateforChange.pdf.
eThekwini Municipality. (2016). Integrated Development Plan 5 Year Plan: IDP Annual Review, Integrated Development Plan. Durban. Available at http://www.durban.gov.za/City_Government/City_Vision/IDP/Documents/Final2016_17IDP29052016.pdf.
Floater, G., et al. (2016). Co-benefits of Urban Climate Action : A Framework for Cities. Available at http://www.c40.org/researches/c40-lse-cobenefits.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (2007). Mitigation of Climate Change. Contribution of Working Group III to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/.htm.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (2015). Adoption of the Paris Agreement. Paris. Available at https://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2015/cop21/eng/l09.pdf.
KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government. (2015). KwaZulu-Natal Socio Economic Review and Outlook 2015/2016.
Laros, M., et al. (2013, August). Ecosystem-Based Approaches to Building Resilience in Urban Areas: Towards a Framework for Decision-Making Criteria. Workshop Background Paper, pp. 1–25. Available at http://durbanadaptationcharter.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Urban-EBA-Background-Literature-Review-2013.pdf.
Mayrhofer, J. P., & Gupta, J. (2016). The Science and Politics of Co-benefits in Climate Policy. Environmental Science & Policy, 57, 22–30.
Measham, T. G., et al. (2011). Adapting to Climate Change Through Local Municipal Planning: Barriers and Challenges. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change,16(8), 889–909. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11027-011-9301-2.
Moser, S. C., & Luers, A. L. (2007). Managing Climate Risks in California: The Need to Engage Resource Managers for Successful Adaptation to Change. Climatic Change, 87(1), 309–322. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-007-9384-7.
Roberts, D. (2008). Thinking Globally, Acting Locally—Institutionalizing Climate Change at the Local Government Level in Durban, South Africa. Environment and Urbanization,20(2), 521–537. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956247808096126.
Roberts, D., et al. (2016). Durban, South Africa. In S. Bartlett & S. David (Eds.), Cities on a Finite Planet: Towards Transformative Responses to Climate Change. New York: Routledge.
The World Bank. (2016). Promoting Green Urban Development in African Cities. Washington. Available at http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/312921468184169809/pdf/103643-REVISED-PUBLIC-P148662-Report-eThekwini-UEP-Final-February-2016.pdf.
Ürge-Vorsatz, D., et al. (2014). Measuring the Co-Benefits of Climate Change Mitigation. Annual Review of Environment and Resources,39(1), 549–582. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-031312-125456.
Acknowledgements
This work is based on the report of a research supported by the South African Research Chairs Initiative of the Department of Science and Technology and National Research Foundation (DST/NRF) of South Africa (Grant No. 71220 held by Professor Sarah Bracking). The work was also produced with the assistance of the Programme to Support Pro-Poor Policy Development (PSPPD Phase II) a Partnership between the Presidency, the Republic of South Africa and the European Union under the project Addressing the Poverty and Inequality Challenge, grant for Climate Change Adaptation and Poverty Reduction co-benefits: human capabilities toward green micro-enterprise. The contents of this work are the sole responsibility of the authors and can in no way be taken to reflect neither the views of the European Union nor the National Research Foundation. The contribution of the project leader, Sarah Bracking, and the project team members, Mvuselelo Ngcoya and Kathleen, Stephen Olivier, Siyabonga Ntombela, Phindile Ngubane, Mandy Lombo, Smanga Mkhwanazi, Ntando Ninela, Nokubonga Shezi, Ayanda Tshabalala and Bahle Mazeka, is hereby acknowledged. The overall methodology referred to here was collectively pursued and may be referred to elsewhere in publications by other project participants. The overall research design was the work of Prof Sarah Bracking as Principal Investigator of the PSPPD Grant and holder of the SARCHi Chair while Andrew Emmanuel Okem was the report writer and Senior Research Officer.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Okem, A.E., Bracking, S. (2019). The Poverty Reduction Co-benefits of Climate Change-Related Projects in eThekwini Municipality, South Africa. In: Cobbinah, P.B., Addaney, M. (eds) The Geography of Climate Change Adaptation in Urban Africa. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04873-0_10
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04873-0_10
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-04872-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-04873-0
eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)