Introduction

?South Africa views a green economy as a sustainable development path that is based on addressing the interdependence between economic growth, social protection and natural ecosystems. The SAGEM was therefore developed to explore the transition to a green economy for South Africa, with special attention for its ability to meet low carbon growth, resource efficiency and pro-job development targets."

Transiting to the green economy in South Africa is in line with multiple policies, strategies and plans, such as the National Development Plan, the New Growth Path, the National Climate Change Response Policy and the Industrial Policy Action Plan.

South Africa, the African champion in greening the economy

Environmental and social health is a responsibility not only for a government but a government and its people. South Africa is one country in Africa that is tremendously conscious of this fact as evidenced by the strides made across the whole country to make the environment, society and economy sustainable To appreciate how tremendous the efforts and endeavours by South Africa to create green communities stretch, one would have to look from different perspectives and domains that make up the green economy that South Africa is quickly moving towards. Not necessarily in any order, here are a few:

Society Domain: Social Responsibility-Vertical and Horizontal integration

It is in South Africa where you find many organizations that should otherwise be competing in collaborations of many dimensions to drive the greater good of natural resources and ecosystems protection, preservation and restoration for the greater good of society. An example testifying to that is illuminated in the work of the Eco-Logic Awards or Eco-Community awards in the country which in itself is a competition of sorts aimed at awarding an entity with the most notable track in leaving a green footprint in the country?s communities. Though under the banner of competitive nature, this shows a country?s ability to unite its greening heroes towards a greater social good as outlined that DUCT Eco-Club Education Programme, Go Green and Clean, Greyton Transition Town, Mpophomeni Conservation Group, The Recycle Swop Shop Initiative, finalists in the last competition for the award in a way work together for the social good of society and the environment.

The Education, Awareness and Protection Domain

Complementing government efforts to foster education in communities at the local level are organizations such as DUCT Eco-Club Education Programme which was found in 2009 with fifteen learners but has grown to more than half a thousand leaners dedicated to education communities to appreciate and understand the value of river ecosystems and in the process protecting and preserving them while improving catchment management. The expanse of the program regarding targeted demography is inclusive hence remarkable as it involves school learners and educators, community members and policy/decision-makers. Activities aim to conserve water through education and awareness.

Agricultural Domain

Agriculture as we know it, is an industry which is on one hand a victim of unsustainable and poor management of earth systems while on another, it is also responsible for the fragility and compromise of the very same systems.  Among many organizations, Go Green and Clean (2012) implements five environmental processes, Sustainable Agriculture, Litter and Waste Management,    Water and Energy Efficiency and Greening. Specific to agriculture, the organisation facilitates on site-skills development training on vegetable tunnels, self-made irrigation systems, recycling, agriculture (farming), composting and landscaping.

Greyton Transition Town, another organization in the Western Cape supports local subsistence farmers to uptake organic farming. Speaking of creeping into economy, the six schools in the area are said to have each, their own vegetable garden which has created two thriving local markets.

Make Africa Green (Pyt) Ltd is another and highly reputable South African company specializing in the provision of consultancy, training and nurturing communities and most importantly learners across South Africa and Southern Africa in the fields of natural farming, sustainable natural resource management, permaculture, environmental greening and food security projects by means of community development. Such shows how despite agriculture being a compromiser of sustainability can also be used for the purpose of achieving that sustainability.   

Environmental Rehabilitation and Conservation Domain

The environmental domain especially in mega cities is threatened by illegal dumping of waste, the dumping sites of which are host to crime and diseases. South Africa is not exempted from such hence the emergence of organizations turning such places into ?environmentally friendly recreational parks with botanical gardens for tourism and community use?. While others are on a path to rehabilitate, some like Mpophomeni Conservation Group (MCG) (a group of food growers, seeds savers, environmental activists and environmental students) are on a rather conservative part of the green that the South African community needs. Their duty in conservation is to inspire communities to regard sustainability, resilience, climate change, biodiversity conservation, healthy living and animal rights as parts of their lifestyles

While wildlife and wildlife systems are important to human settlements because of the services they offer, efforts by South Africa are worth towards wildlife resource systems governance should be applauded. In 2003, a game reserve was set up by the KwaZulu Natal community. A phenomenon that is rare considering that the closest endeavour to such is community based natural resources and wildlife management as opposed to this further step of community based natural resources and wildlife establishment.  Funded by the Green Fund, and managed by the Development Bank of Southern Africa, the Somkhanda Community Game Reserve comes as a conservative green economy solution that suits rural areas across the rainbow nation.

At the same time, the conservancy generates revenue for community development from hunting, live game sales, game products and ecotourism among other benefits

The Energy Domain

In the year 2010, a company called GreenCape was established in support of green economic growth in the Western Cape with a vision to make  Western Cape the base for renewable energy in South Africa, the endeavour of which is becoming true and true with every new day.

Such is highly welcome in a bid to significantly lower the carbon footprint, which South Africa is doing very well.  Regarding the global carbon threat the abundance of organizations and companies in South Africa whose mission is to fight that carbon threat through provision of green and clean energy are many. CHOICES (Community and Household Options in Choosing Energy Services) in Eastern Cape which is locally led by OneWorld and other experts for example has the mission to enable communities to make sustainable energy choices that reduce energy poverty and stimulate local development. It is one of many projects ensuring capacity building and participation of indigenous people in the identification and exploration of locally appropriate energy options that present greater community benefits. ESKOM, South Africa?s energy giant also continues to make tremendous strides towards clean energy for all.

Architectural and Construction Domain

Green architecture is not new to South Africa. By definition, green architecture is a science and a philosophy of construction in which the use of sustainable energy sources, the conservation of energy, the reuse and safety of building materials, and the siting of a building with consideration of its impact on the environment are the main elements of advocacy.

Africa is now footing its architectural development in what can be equally termed green architecture and Africa is leading in that regard. The sandbag houses in South Africa are one example built from cheap local material and EcoBeams, and sandbags replaced brick and mortar. This is one of many that continue to be adopted. Another is the Ecomo Homes which are built off-site in a factory to minimize constructions waste hence minimizing building costs and then installed on later site.

Speaking of taking recycling to the next level, there is a school in Durbanville, South Africa that is constructed out of recycled shipping containers. I am quite convinced that the Green Building Council South Africa is a cornerstone of any conversation in construction and architecture as it is a leading body in the transformation of the South African property industry to ensure that buildings are designed, built and operated in an environmentally sustainable way. Tremendous appreciation is attached to hoe building green presents an opportunity to use resources efficiently and address climate change while creating healthier and more productive environments for people and communities, all of which South Africa is doing effectively.

South Africa is also one of the few countries in Africa with a green village, and the first also to be home to the first green village in all of Africa, Blue Rock Village.

The  Blue Rock Village stretches over 40 hectares of land, with luxury apartments built in European style, with eco-friendly, cost-saving features and technology innovations. Windows are rubber-sealed and thermal-break aluminium double-glazed glass, LED lighting is used, ceilings are raised high to control temperature and a water underfloor heating system is installed to maintain a 22 degrees Celcius room temperature.

Holistic Sustainability Domain

The WWF in South Africa works across all the three main sustainability pillars the economy, society and environment. Sub elements within the pillars that they focus on include water, food, energy, fibre, land & biodiversity, and waste. Their underlying objective is to guide sustainability approaches and create stakeholder engagement opportunities for businesses in building future resilience, while making a positive contribution to the natural world. Thus they ensure, Better Management Practices, Shaping a Collective Response, Sustainable Finance, Low Carbon Transitions, Public Policy, etc.

In a bid to ensure sustainable investment portfolios, the ?WWF and Investment Solutions are aligned towards influencing and driving change within and throughout the financial sector.? The underlying objective in all investment is to ensure and guide the investment management industry to foster positive environmental impact.

It partners with different organizations on different portfolios and below are a few:

Mondi –partners in responsible forest, manufacturing and product stewardship

Nedbank -partners in conservation for over 20 years

Pick ?n Pay –partners in securing the benefits of healthy oceans

Responsible Fisheries Alliance partnering to secure the health of the ecosystems underpinning the business purpose of both sectors ensuring that healthier marine ecosystems will continue to provide more ecological, social and economic services to society.

Sanlam, partnering to conserve South Africa?s marine and freshwater resources

Woolworths -partnering to influence sustainable supply chains

Conclusion

The holistic Sustainable Domain, perhaps the largest of all, and encompassing all, although examples given therein were focal on mainly the WWF, gives a reflection as to the great value attached the green economy, going green or living green all of which are necessary to cope with climate change and the threats that come with it be it food insecurity, health compromises, natural hazards to name a few. South Africa is but one true and big green community, perhaps one of the largest in all of Africa. The reason therefore as to why South Africa qualifies as the best country in its implementing transformational strategies for a greener community especially in Africa is owed to its:

1. Having clear strategies and policies on how to go about making the entire nation green, all these strategies being inaugural parts within different policies and developmental frameworks.

2. Having and investing sufficient human and economic capital to achieve the objectives of their transformational strategies.

3.Effective mechanisms for institutional collaboration with altruistic missions to develop society in what can only called selfless and transparent manners.