According to Buckler, environment is a critical factor in the nourishment of the nations. The Eastern nations grow because of their very large quantity warm climates, fertile soil, rain. The Northern nations were innovated to survive the cold, producing a scale of food, while the Southern nations become trapped. In South Africa there are different climate change, that result in some areas such as Free State to have fertile soil, rain and produce a large scale of food and other areas such as Northern Cape have dry land making it hard to grow food, the soil unable to produce as the is no enough rain. 

Due to the inequality and ineffective distribution in South Africa, those who hold great power and authority have better access to most resources than the economically vulnerable groups. For example, water in South Africa is a known scarce resource, people in urban areas have somewhat better access to the basic utility than those in under developed regions (rural areas). In essence some groups (those with power) benefit more at the expense of others, which is impacted by a skewed economical system which plays at the advantage of others, yet living those in need to experience detrimental receiving end.

Huntington created a correlation between climate and intrapersonal factors and external factors, that a productive climate results from the industrial efficiency which was later criticized. In south Africa there are many human activities which may include mining, which destroy the ozone layer leading to lack of rainfall in the country and also affect the water quality when the chemicals used are flushed in the water sources . Lack of rainfall results in shortage of clean and drinkable water.

The environmental problems within society are resilience, according to Hosu et al. (2018) South African service delivery is not key, the leaders are promising the society change but it takes time. In South Africa a policy documents for water suppliers were introduced in 1994, but there are still areas facing water shortage, this still shows inequality.