MGB Hlatshwayo 29637619

Learning activity 7

According to kohler South Africa does not have enough water it is one of the driest countries in the world. South Africa may have long lasting droughts. Much of the rain that reaches the ground in South Africa eventually evaporates most of South Africa has ground rocks we have very few underground water. According to sarkodie the energy problem in South Africa is that Mpumalanga which hosts most of the power plants has lowest air quality. It is responsible for most of the world’s dangerous gas emissions. South Africa are the biggest contributors to pollution and it supplies 45% electricity to Africa. South Africa struggles to produce mostly using renewable resources. Social justice is the belief that everyone deserves equal social, economic and political rights and opportunities. Environmental social justice is the fair distribution of opportunities amongst communities. It explores environmental benefits and everything related to people’s social problems. Wetlands play a role in supplying water for the poor and more people were employed for this project which means more families were able to put food on the table. The wetland were able to manage flood control and water purification which meant poor people can easily have access to clean drinking water and for its use for other means. In South Africa in terms of social justice the poor are disadvantaged rich people are able to move to less polluted areas while the poor cannot afford proper housing or less polluting environment. The rich can afford proper health care services while the poor cannot. They can built borehole or water bottle while the poor cannot afford it. The rich people can have insurance in case of droughts while poor people are in need. Poor people cannot sustain and meet their needs easily due to lack of finances and sustainable resources.

Learning activity unit 7

We have four environmental narratives in SA this include the economic, conservation, non-state actors and local views.

The conservation is rooted in apartheid. Communities are not included in important decision making. Decisions are made on their behalf. The people have no say. It is the authorial type of narrative. The people are removed to their rights to land. They cannot even use those natural resources on that land. This results in evictions for those who occupy land without authority’s permission.  The authorial approach is used because public owned natural resources are over used. This approach regulates the number of people who use these resources. The economic view the environment is viewed as something that can be bought or sold. Land is the country’s asset which brings about development. This entails capitalist approach which includes exploitation of the resources. Profit is the main motive. we have non state actors  this includes external parties such as ngos and scientists and other parties. This excludes local community. This approach protects and guards the environment. It rejects exploitation of nature. Lastly we have local community views it is highly complex and highly differentiated. The relationship with the environment is shaped by the socio political context.

Yes these narrative contribute to understanding the environment. Firstly conservation locals had no say in environmental issues due to apartheid. Secondly exploiting poorly developed areas may increase invests and increase employment and decrease elevation of poverty. Economic growth improves integrity of environment in the non state actors view. When people benefit from the environment relationships change in local views. The two main environmental discourses according stewart and zaaiman social justice this includes poverty poor education and unemployment and sustainable development where by sa works with other countries to develop its economy. South Africa aspires to be a sustainable, economically prosperous and self-reliant nation that safe guards its democracy by meeting needs of its people by managing limited ecological resources