Critically discuss the contribution of environmental narratives and discourses to an understanding of environment in South Africa and of SA environment policy contribution to sustainable development of South Africa.

Environmental narratives and discourses with an understanding of environment in South Africa and the South African environment policy does contributes to sustainable development moreover in South Africa. There are four narratives of environment whereby we find conservative view in which it is of authoritarian ideology whereby community opinions are not taken into consideration in decision making. For the view to be considerate there should be conservative of land in the interest of a nation,region,communities. The authoritarian approach has objectives because it regulates by limiting the number of users on land under threat of degradation. In South Africa conservative view is motivated with a reason that it is an approach which creates alarm and panic about the state of the environment moreover, declining quality of the environment Such view sees environment as victim of rescue from ignorant and destructive local communities. The narrative conservative says nature restores itself and does not require human interference, but it has critics which says locals are excluded from decision making and also movement of animals and humans are constrained.

Another narrative is the economic view which it entails that the environment is a commodity that is primarily there to buy-sell for a privileged group and profit out of them, such view is an economic asset which brings about lasting socio-economic development and change not only in a certain locality but country-wide. Economic view is motivated in a stance that its approach sees nature is an untapped resource that should be exploited in order to lift people out of poverty. It is quite critiqued an a way that if locals are not included in such development it may have the opposite effect whereby if mining rights are given to international companies and locals cannot participate in opportunities due to lack of relevant education and skills, nature areas/eco-systems may be damaged.

Third view narrative is the non-state actor which views originate from external interested parties and the motivation is the rejection of a anthropocentric attitudes of humans which leads to using of nature for personal benefits/needs. Its motivation is also the challenging of state power and decision making in promoting unrestrained economic growth, but  moreover the critique is supportive of economic growth but more preserve the integrity of the environment. Last narrative view is the local community one whereby it is complex and highly differentiated because it is informed by time,place,individual characteristics and circumstances as well as power and politics. It is certainly motivated by the nature of the relationship with the environment as shaped by the socio-political context and its critics is if communities benefit from and receives financial support for projects extracting value from the environment,relationship with the environment may change.

There are sustainable development discourses South Africa faces in this instance in international politics of environment but it is approached differently by developed and developing countries as well as different groups. The development is motivated by beliefs about environment relationship to pursue development without harming the environment and also profit from the environment but do justice to communities.

Second discourse is the social justice whereby equitable distribution and access to good quality environmental resources are narrowly linked to overcoming social problems and their effects experience faced by communities. There environmentalism discourse in South Africa says there is no broad-based environment , no special strategy for environment with the 1994 political liberation.

Discussion,reflection and application: the classical environmental theories and its usefulness in the SA context.

The classical  environmental theories aims in analyzing and discussing society's response to environmental problems or challenges and also impart  social justice social resilience.

In South Africa were faced with environmental problems or challenges such as clean water,water sustainability and also water accessibility.Clean water may be an issue in a manner that climate change and its attendant effects on temperature and precipitation occurs, as the issue occurs the water then be vulnerable which therefore water transmitted diseases to exist. Environmental pollution is an issue whereby causes be urbanization, oil spills,coal mining,air pollution and also littering, such issues leads to certain socio-economic impacts of the country.

There are critiques which comes up from the classical environmental theories whereby classical lacks adequate conceptual framework which would the come of understanding the complexity of interactions between societies and environments. It also outlined by theorists that such theory does not offer no more than a few insights into the relatively new world of environmental policy-making. Classical environmental theories as thrust of classicists was to downplay ecological questions and biophysical forces.

In the context of South Africa the classical environmental theories does assist on the way in which the economic system draws on the natural environment for raw material inputs to production and consumption, and the way in which it releases the byproducts of such economic activity back into the environment. The theory could then also contributes to policy and decision making with regards to allocation and management of land, water and energy resources, as well as the management of air and water pollution and solid waste, in order to meet socio-economic and environmental goals.

As we realized that South Africa is faced with more of environmental issues or challenges it is therefore clear that there were theories which aims to curb the spread of such. In order to curb environmental issues faced in South Africa there are therefore solutions such as replacement of disposal items with reusable item, which in this instance you can use an item more than once. Conservatism of water and electricity, supporting of environmental friendly practices and also recycle the waste to conserve natural resources which is the case in South Africa whereby people picks up littered things such as bottles,plastics,boxes etc. and sell them in scrapyards for recycling.

Critical Discussion,reflection,application: the anthropogenic nature of environmental problems and with examples from the SA context.

Humans are the one that impact the environment and more in the physical manner  through overpopulation,pollution,burning fossil fuels and deforestation. Due to such issues there has been changes which had been led to such as climate change.soil erosion,poor air quality and undrinkable water. We realised that South Africa many parts if the country has undrinkable water because water is being polluted and therefore it is dirty.

It is therefore a need for the anthropogenic nature of environmental problems to have solutions and it is clear that there should be sustainability whereby unprecedented collective effort is needed to return human use of natural resources to within sustainable limits. In order for such sustainability natural resources should be used at a rate at which they can be replenished.

Participatory development approach and its critiques with examples in the context of South Africa.

Participatory development approach is the approach which allows individuals to build their own capacity and self-reliance, you are granted the opportunity in the process of development and you can also partner in it.  By such development information between community members and all stakeholders who are involved is provided, it is however realized that community groups tends to take part in the development and therefore empowerment occurs in a form that is of structural transition and access to resources as part of empowerment strategies.

The concept of this approach entails that people are actively involved in the development processes whereby they can also partake in making decisions about implementation of processes, programs and projects that affects. This approach aims to ensure that there is full attention and focus of enhancing benefits of local people and to ensure that negative results of gauging the needs and views of local communities that will be affected and seeking to construct a consensus about development project plans are carried by lessening them.

The approach is about introducing mechanisms from informal institutions such as the existing traditional resource management systems of local societies to enhance the effectiveness of existing formal institutions. It also about constructing or restructuring formal institutions as legal and administrative systems. The participatory development approach benefits people in a way that it allows the incorporation of local knowledge, skills and resources in the design of interventions, it can also ensure that there is responsiveness of the projects/programme to people's needs, moreover enhancement of sustainability and assists breaking the mentality of dependency.

Compare and contrast core tenets of modernisation and dependency theories.

The dependency theory challenged modernization whereby its main focus was on the origins and subsequent  development of underdevelopment. Theory of dependency aims to pursue all societies to integrate into a single world economic system which is capitalist. In accordance to theorist of dependency is that Third World countries are poor as they had and resumed to be exploited by the first world countries and colonialism was caused by exploitation. The theory does pay more attention on external variables and ignores internal factors that could also explain the underdevelopment of Local Developed Countries (LDC's). Such theory does hold the fact that some nations gained wealth at the expense of other nations which moreover colonization had been the cause/factor.

Dependency theory focuses more on the role of history, moreover the role of colonialism in structuring the positions of different countries withing the global economy. Such theory does analysis the matter of why a country does occupy certain positions within the world economy should there begin at the global level. Both theories contrast each other in a manner that dependency theory possesses that association between the developed and developing nations is not simply based upon mutual assistance between them which keeps on growing rather it is based upon reliance of developing nations in Western nations. Meanwhile modernization theory possesses that the modernisation of the developing countries politically and socio-economically taking examples from the western countries as examples are the only key to solve issues of backwardness of the developing or poor countries.

Tenets of modernization are that societies develop through a series of evolutionary stages. Such stages based on degrees and patterns which are different on social differentiation, in this instance reintegration of structural and cultural components that are functionally compatible for the maintenance of society. Modernization theory possess a tenet of contemporary developing societies which are at a pre-modern stage of evolution and they eventually would achieve economic growth and would then take on the social, political and economic features. This type of theory suggests that advanced industrial technology produces not only economic growth in developing societies but also other structural and cultural transitions. Modernization theory it does hold the increase in technology which would then increase wealth throughout the globe, and that of low-income nations which could then follow the path taken wealthier, modernized nations.

The dependency and modernization theory contrast each other in a manner that they both discuss about the prominent gap present between the developed and developing countries. They both states that due to very high development in the West countries they stand out as world leaders and at the outcome would then outline impacts on all aspects of life whether socially, economically and politically. Both theories possess the thought that experiences of the western nations are being followed by the developing and undeveloped countries.

Exparts such as Peter Townsend sees/defines poverty as a standard of a certain society at a certain time, seeing that people's needs are determined by the society's effects. In his theory be states that poverty means or occurs when individuals, families and groups on population lacks the resources to obtain the types of diet, participate in the activities and have the living conditions and amenities are customary, or at least encouraged or approved widely in their belonging societies. Whenever your resources are seriously below those commanded by the average individual or family that they are in effects not considered from ordinary patterns, customs and activities, you therefore under the definition of poverty in accordance to Townsend.

In this expert theory a family can be said to be in relative poverty when possessing certain factors such as you had no week's  holiday away from home in last 12  months or household has no refrigerator. Certain experts or sociologists define poverty as a social condition which is compromised by lack of resources which is of necessary for basic survival in order to meet a certain minimum level of standards expected for the place where one lives. Conditions of existence can be a definition in accordance to other scientists, whereby lack of access to food, clothing and shelter are conditions. Whenever you experience persistent hunger/starvation, inadequate education and health care you are therefore regarded poor.

Experts has defined poverty in types which comprises of absolute poverty, whereby there is total lack of resources and means required in order to reach most basic standards of living. Another type of poverty is relative poverty when one lacks the means  and resources needed to meet a minimum level of living standards which are considered normal in society which you live in.

South Africans are living below the poverty and struggling to live day by day. It is therefore clear that there are benefits of poverty for both the individual and the community. In both individual individual and the community they benefit, whereby there is helping others in achieving something in this instance the poor help in mobility of upward of other groups, dirty work and immigration leads to investment class to do very well on the backs of underpaid workers.

Low-wage work gets done, whereby welfare reform is moreover designed to motivate welfare recipients into the workforce. Individuals tends to go into recycling contributions which then recycling of goods and incompetent professional is encouraged and gains momentum all helped by poverty.

Due to poverty individual and community benefits whereby professional and business niches get created. In this regard individuals or community at large tends to open pawn shops, liquor stores,payday loans and more which certain living allowance/incomes could come in and the livelihoods of all be better. Poverty benefits individual in a way that it leads them to know how to do more, as one had always had to do it himself/herself. Poverty brings about an individual to accumulate variety of skills, have collection of tools and know how to use them, in this instance are benefits in such manner.

One becomes more resourceful as poverty leads to finding creative solutions and therefore can-do attitude and creative approach to problem-solving is applied and exists. Managing of finances is what benefits individual and the community, in this instance one learnt about budget and how to stick to it and thereafter leads to simple and straightforward financial situations. Benefits is that family is brought closer, it is seen in a way whereby poor people work together as a team to achieve a common goal. One can make a bigger positive difference in his/her lifetime, one eventually have the stamina and therefore does not relax to change their socio-economic status for the better, as they know how difficult it is to get something.

Comparison and contrasting two theoretical approaches to social problems.  I choose the structural functionalist orientation approach and conflict orientation which their similarities and differences will be discussed as part of comparison and contrast. The structural functionalist orientation sees social stability as a necessary assumption for a strong society and therefore for social stability adequate socialization and social integration are the necessity. This type of orientation approach sees social problems as the weakening of society's stability, but moreover it does not reflect fundamental faults in how society is structured. The structural functionalist orientation does sees amicable solutions to social problems should partake the gradual social form, rather than sudden transition. Social problems has their negative effects more especially to society but structural functionalist orientation sees them as significant functions for society.

The second theoretical approach chosen is conflict orientation which contrast with the functionalist one, in this instance the conflict orientation has the assumption that society is characterized by pervasive inequality based on social class, race, gender and other factors that may occur. This type of theory aims for far-reaching social transition in order to reduce or eliminate social inequality and to create an egalitarian society. Conflict orientation has its views on social problems whereby it sees that social problem only arises from fundamental faults in the structure of a society. It sees that both are reflected and reinforced inequalities based on social class, race, gender, and other dimensions. Such orientation aims for successful solutions to social problems and in order to maintain that far-reaching transition in the structure of society must be involved.

Depression, smash-and-grab,fast food and HIV/AIDS according to me are examples of social problems, as they are conditions or behaviour which has the negative results for large groups of people. It is defined by others that social problems are generally recognized as a condition or behaviour which needs to addressed, it is therefore clearly shown that the issues named are social problems as they tend to seek intervention.

Depression is a social problem as it deals with human behaviour,it is therefore clear that there are major factors that causes the problem. It is therefore stated that death of a loved one, divorce or marital problems, loss of a job, financial problems or poverty leading to homelessness may cause depression. Smash-and-grab comes as a social problem as such crime turns a pleasant drive into a nightmare when criminals are pouncing on suspecting drivers and therefore livelihoods are impacted negatively.

Rape victims tends to be impacted negatively in a manner that deals with their human behaviour. To those who experienced rape tends to be impacted socially, emotionally and physically whereby, at some point they end up committing suicide and/or become violent. Fast food becomes a social problem as it eventually impact one's life negatively, in a manner that it deals with one being linked to obesity, digestive issues, heart diseases and stroke or even diabetes, cancer and early death, as it is about poor quality diet.

HIV/AIDS is yet another example of social problem as it brings about challenges socially and economically whereby, victims may be unable to do their daily work,which includes growing nutritional food in order to acquire their nutritional needs or earning income to support families. In this examples we realise that our key values are threaten, issues are harmful and affects us greater,social facts and forces are the cause. Such named or outlined social problems should be solved but it wont be easy, in this instance people should be taught about such problems, their causes, signs and prevention. Issues such as rape should not be regarded as a curse by people as such leads to it never be addressed and victims not coming out due to judgement.