{"id":{"repo_id":"pretoria","oai_identifier":"oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/107819"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/pretoria/oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/107819","repository":{"repo_id":"pretoria","name":"University of Pretoria","base_url":"https://repository.up.ac.za/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Climate governance in South Africa: challenges, risks and opportunities","abstract":"This mini-dissertation examines the state of climate governance in three diverse South African municipalities, namely the City of Cape Town, eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban), and Amathole District Municipality. Using a qualitative literature review research approach, this study examines the barriers, potential benefits, and risks associated with inadequate climate adaptation and mitigation at the local government level. The research investigates local governments' responses to climate change through their planning, policies, and implementation. The study reveals significant gaps in governance, including institutional fragmentation, deficits in financial and technical capacity, weak public engagement, and a lack of policy direction. Yet, it also identifies opportunities, including increased intergovernmental collaboration, community-based adaptation, and the mainstreaming of climate strategies (including indigenous knowledge) into municipal development planning. The study also addresses the risks of climate-induced disasters, socio-economic inequalities, and infrastructural vulnerabilities. The results show that climate governance in the city municipalities of Cape Town and eThekwini has been improving but is not adequate yet, especially in rural and low-resourced districts like Amathole. The study concludes by providing practical recommendations for the development of adaptive capacity, policy coherence, and participatory governance, with the intention of enhancing overall resilience. At a more fundamental level, however, the study aims to untangle the complexity of South African climate governance with a view to clarifying the development of more efficient and just climate policies.","abstract_html":"This mini-dissertation examines the state of climate governance in three diverse South African municipalities, namely the City of Cape Town, eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban), and Amathole District Municipality. Using a qualitative literature review research approach, this study examines the barriers, potential benefits, and risks associated with inadequate climate adaptation and mitigation at the local government level. The research investigates local governments' responses to climate change through their planning, policies, and implementation. The study reveals significant gaps in governance, including institutional fragmentation, deficits in financial and technical capacity, weak public engagement, and a lack of policy direction. Yet, it also identifies opportunities, including increased intergovernmental collaboration, community-based adaptation, and the mainstreaming of climate strategies (including indigenous knowledge) into municipal development planning. The study also addresses the risks of climate-induced disasters, socio-economic inequalities, and infrastructural vulnerabilities. The results show that climate governance in the city municipalities of Cape Town and eThekwini has been improving but is not adequate yet, especially in rural and low-resourced districts like Amathole. The study concludes by providing practical recommendations for the development of adaptive capacity, policy coherence, and participatory governance, with the intention of enhancing overall resilience. At a more fundamental level, however, the study aims to untangle the complexity of South African climate governance with a view to clarifying the development of more efficient and just climate policies.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":[],"institution":"University of Pretoria","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Africa, Sandy"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2025,"date_issued":"2025","date_published":"2025","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:52:18Z","subjects":["UCTD","Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)","Climate","Governance","Policy","Government","Local"],"languages":["en"],"rights":["© 2024 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.doi","label":"DOI","values":["Disclaimer Letter"],"render_values":[{"text":"Disclaimer Letter","href":null,"code":true}]},{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["April 2026 (A2026)"],"render_values":[{"text":"April 2026 (A2026)","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/2263/107819","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Africa, Sandy"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2026-02-04T09:24:25Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2026-02-04T09:24:25Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2025"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["University of Pretoria"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Mini Dissertation"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["UCTD","Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)","Climate","Governance","Policy","Government","Local"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["© 2024 University of Pretoria. 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Using a qualitative literature review research approach, this study examines the barriers, potential benefits, and risks associated with inadequate climate adaptation and mitigation at the local government level. The research investigates local governments' responses to climate change through their planning, policies, and implementation. The study reveals significant gaps in governance, including institutional fragmentation, deficits in financial and technical capacity, weak public engagement, and a lack of policy direction. Yet, it also identifies opportunities, including increased intergovernmental collaboration, community-based adaptation, and the mainstreaming of climate strategies (including indigenous knowledge) into municipal development planning. The study also addresses the risks of climate-induced disasters, socio-economic inequalities, and infrastructural vulnerabilities. The results show that climate governance in the city municipalities of Cape Town and eThekwini has been improving but is not adequate yet, especially in rural and low-resourced districts like Amathole. The study concludes by providing practical recommendations for the development of adaptive capacity, policy coherence, and participatory governance, with the intention of enhancing overall resilience. 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The results show that climate governance in the city municipalities of Cape Town and eThekwini has been improving but is not adequate yet, especially in rural and low-resourced districts like Amathole. The study concludes by providing practical recommendations for the development of adaptive capacity, policy coherence, and participatory governance, with the intention of enhancing overall resilience. At a more fundamental level, however, the study aims to untangle the complexity of South African climate governance with a view to clarifying the development of more efficient and just climate policies."],"dc:description.degree":["MA (Political Science)"],"dc:identifier.doi":["Disclaimer Letter"],"dc:identifier.other":["April 2026 (A2026)"],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/2263/107819"],"dc:language.iso":["en"],"dc:publisher":["University of Pretoria"],"dc:rights":["© 2024 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria."],"dc:subject":["UCTD","Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)","Climate","Governance","Policy","Government","Local"],"dc:title":["Climate governance in South Africa: challenges, risks and opportunities"],"dc:type":["Mini Dissertation"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:52:18Z"}