Wetlands are fragile ecosystems that deliver a wide range of environmental and ecosystem services that contribute to human well-being. This fragility has seen a number of wetlands succumb to degradations and loss arising from different causes. The positive contribution of wetlands to various ecosystems and the increasing rate of their degradation and loss has been a cause for concern to different stakeholders for a long time. One of the landmark indications of this concern is the constitution of the Ramsar Convention that was held in Iran in 1971 with the objective of addressing concerns regarding to wetland degradation and loss. Among the competing land uses resulting in wetlands loss and degradation could be listed urban agriculture, industrial development and housing. The research sought to assess the extent of wetland degradation with respect to housing developments in Harare, Zimbabwe. The dilemma as to why and how wetlands were being degraded was an issue of concern. The research sought to determine whether abatement or mitigation measures were in place to address the challenges Associated with wetlands loss and degradation. The subsequent growth of developments, their associated activities and possible intervention measures had to be thoroughly assessed. The administration of questionnaires and conducting of interviews was done to solicit data from the respondents. Collected data was analyzed through the Statistical Package for Social Scientists. Further to this, Google satellite imagery was used in the mapping of the Belvedere North and Epworth suburbs. Disturbed and undisturbed portions of the wetlands were analyzed by Geographical Information System software. Direct observation of the wetland area was used to examine existing natural features. To determine extent of pollution, water samples were collected in the wetlands and submitted to the laboratory for analysis. Analysis of selected chemical and physical parameters was carried out in the laboratory using selected methods. The research made two important and broad findings. First, both the Belvedere North and Epworth wetlands have been severely degraded by anthropogenic activities with housing developments and urban agriculture as the major contributors of this degradation. The development of residential properties in the wetlands is a result of a high demand for residential space in Harare. Whereas housing developments in Belvedere are formal and planned, developments in Epworth were informal and haphazard. With no formal planning, the Epworth wetlands have been severely impacted by water and sand extraction as well as contamination of underground water by pit-latrines that are common in these informal settlements. Second, the research also found that wetland degradation was closely associated with the lack of clear wetland policies both at national and local levels. The laboratory results showed that the water in Epworth was more polluted than the water in Belvedere. The measure of pollutants in Epworth was higher due to the activities being carried out as compared to Belvedere. Measures of Dissolved Oxygen, Total Dissolved Substances and conductivity increased from October to March in Epworth. Of note is the measure of Dissolved Oxygen that increased between October and March with a mean of 7.9 and 2.5 respectively. Total nitrogen and total phosphate also increased significantly in midstream and downstream sections. In essence, averages of 0.01 in October and 0.04 in March were recorded respectively for total nitrogen. The study concludes that an integrated land use approach has the potential of minimizing wetland loss and degradation. This is possible through the formulation and implementation of a comprehensive policy involving all relevant stakeholders. This will ensure a coherent decision making process. In as much as integrated land use planning and policy formulation are potential approaches to wetland sustainability, the drive to implement policy by policy makers concerning wetlands has to be explored. As ignorance concerning the ecological importance of wetlands exists in some cases, it is critical to consider wetland benefits above other competing developments such as housing and urban agriculture. This can be achieved through merging interrelated disciplines with the idea of integrating wetland information. For instance, deriving engineering solutions could promote development yet preserving wetlands. It is also suggested that environmental impact assessments, as planning tools should be carried out simultaneously with the town planning aspect. If given to proper planning, wetlands have a huge chance of survival. / Environmental Sciences / M.Sc. (Environmental Management)

At present, the use of other sources of energy other than energy source from crude oil has accelerated. This is due to limited resources of fossil fuel, increasing prices of crude oil and environmental concerns. Alternative fuels such as biofuel are becoming more important because it can serve as a replacement for petroleum diesel due to its comparable fuel properties and cleaner emission. For use in a standard diesel engine, biodiesel can be blended (mixed) with petroleum diesel at any concentration. In this study, transesterification of waste cooking oil with methanol was catalyzed by heterogeneous catalyst TiO2-supported-MgO and the biodiesel produced was characterised. Waste cooking oil (WCO) was used because it is regarded as one of the cheapest feedstock for biodiesel production in that most oils from oil crops are used as food. Waste cooking oil is available in vast amounts each day in every restaurants and fast food outlets worldwide. The waste cooking oil used in this study was laboratory prepared by the addition of 5 wt. % of oleic acid into 95 wt. % of soybeans oil.10 wt. % of titanium-supported-magnesium oxide catalyst (MgO/TiO2) used was prepared by incipient wetness impregnation and characterized using XRF, BET and XRD. These materials were tested with the catalyst for the conversion of waste vegetable oil to biodiesel in presence of methanol and hexane co-solvent. Methanol to oil mole ratio of 18:1 was employed in the transesterification process. When hexane was used as cosolvent, methanol to oil mole ratio of 18:1 and methanol to hexane mole ratio of 1:1 was used. The effects of reaction time, reaction temperature and hexane co-solvent on the waste vegetable oil conversion has been established. The 1HNMR analysis was used to estimate the structure of FAME produced. It was observed that the oil conversion increases with the increased reaction time, reaction temperature and use of hexane as co-solvent. / Chemical Engineering / M. Tech. (Chemical Engineering)

Information on deforestation and forest management is limited due to lack of understanding as to how socioeconomic factors affect deforestation. Without adequate data, it is difficult to manage deforestation; particularly in Chipuriro where deforestation is occurring at a rapid rate. This research was carried out to address the problem. Surveys and landsat images were used to collect data. To quantify deforestation, images were processed using Geographical Information System. Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient was used to deduce the relationship between socioeconomic factors and deforestation. Socioeconomic factors were obtained through household surveys and focus group discussions. Results indicated high rates of deforestation in Ward 18 (4.7% per annum) while in Ward 16 woodland cover increased throughout the study period (7.7% per annum). Population growth with its demand on fuel wood, settlement and agricultural land caused a significant decrease in woodland cover in Ward 18. Plantations increased the area under woodlands in Ward 16. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Management)

Countries and governments around the world have accepted the scientific argument on the prevalence and the possible effect of global warming and climate change on the environment, world economy and ultimately human life (Nhamo, 2011). Amongst all industrial corporations, the mining industry is the biggest environmental polluter due to its extractive nature and energy intensive operations. However because of its economic importance, it cannot be abandoned, instead it needs to find a win-win situation, where it continues to succeed but minimizes environmental damage. This thesis aims to examine the possible impact of clean technology on the sustainability of South African gold mining sector. Specifically, the study aims to determine the drivers behind the move towards clean technologies and methods, identify challenges and opportunities associated with this transition at Harmony Gold’s Kusasalethu mine. This was achieved through using Kusasalethu as a case study to which investigations of the effectiveness of clean technology and methods were carried out. The case study was multidimensional; exploring the effect of clean technology on energy consumption, greenhouse gas emission (GHG), water consumption, cyanide management and Kusasalethu’s financial performance. While the case study was largely qualitative it involved quantitative data analysis that had to be triangulated with other data sources and data gathering instruments to achieve legitimacy. This meant that the study had to adopt the mixed research methods. The instruments used included; key informant interviews, and document analysis, structured questionnaire and a set of open ended questions that served as interview guide. The qualitative data were analyzed by means of coding, descriptions, typologies, taxonomies and visual representations, whilst quantitative data were processed through Microsoft Excel to generate various forms of descriptive statistics. The findings indicate that resource consumption (energy, water, cyanide) depends on the mine design and gold output rate. Clean technology implementation at Kusasalethu helped the mine reduce energy consumption and GHG emissions. However scope 2 (indirect GHG emissions associated with energy consumption) is also determined by coal production technologies and methods used by coal mines. Although data on Kusasalethu water and cyanide management and related technologies was not available, the aggregate data for all Harmony Gold mines indicated higher annual water and cyanide consumption during 2010 and 2012. In terms of Kusasalethu’s financial performance and clean technology adaptation, acquisition of clean technologies increased capital expenditure temporarily. However, the positive effects of the clean technology transition and implementation minimized operational cost and increased operational profit greatly. Although adopting clean technologies calls for increased capital expenditure, this study reveals that this expenditure pays off in lower operation costs for the mine and the environment benefits through lower GHG emission. However, clean technologies are yet to impact significantly in lowering water and cyanide consumption levels as they do with energy consumption. The study concluded that clean technology and methods played a positive role on Kusasalethu’s environmental impact and financial performance by reducing energy consumption and GHG emissions. Though, more need to be done in terms of water and cyanide management. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Management)

Wetlands are fragile ecosystems that deliver a wide range of environmental and ecosystem services that contribute to human well-being. This fragility has seen a number of wetlands succumb to degradations and loss arising from different causes. The positive contribution of wetlands to various ecosystems and the increasing rate of their degradation and loss has been a cause for concern to different stakeholders for a long time. One of the landmark indications of this concern is the constitution of the Ramsar Convention that was held in Iran in 1971 with the objective of addressing concerns regarding to wetland degradation and loss. Among the competing land uses resulting in wetlands loss and degradation could be listed urban agriculture, industrial development and housing. The research sought to assess the extent of wetland degradation with respect to housing developments in Harare, Zimbabwe. The dilemma as to why and how wetlands were being degraded was an issue of concern. The research sought to determine whether abatement or mitigation measures were in place to address the challenges Associated with wetlands loss and degradation. The subsequent growth of developments, their associated activities and possible intervention measures had to be thoroughly assessed. The administration of questionnaires and conducting of interviews was done to solicit data from the respondents. Collected data was analyzed through the Statistical Package for Social Scientists. Further to this, Google satellite imagery was used in the mapping of the Belvedere North and Epworth suburbs. Disturbed and undisturbed portions of the wetlands were analyzed by Geographical Information System software. Direct observation of the wetland area was used to examine existing natural features. To determine extent of pollution, water samples were collected in the wetlands and submitted to the laboratory for analysis. Analysis of selected chemical and physical parameters was carried out in the laboratory using selected methods. The research made two important and broad findings. First, both the Belvedere North and Epworth wetlands have been severely degraded by anthropogenic activities with housing developments and urban agriculture as the major contributors of this degradation. The development of residential properties in the wetlands is a result of a high demand for residential space in Harare. Whereas housing developments in Belvedere are formal and planned, developments in Epworth were informal and haphazard. With no formal planning, the Epworth wetlands have been severely impacted by water and sand extraction as well as contamination of underground water by pit-latrines that are common in these informal settlements. Second, the research also found that wetland degradation was closely associated with the lack of clear wetland policies both at national and local levels. The laboratory results showed that the water in Epworth was more polluted than the water in Belvedere. The measure of pollutants in Epworth was higher due to the activities being carried out as compared to Belvedere. Measures of Dissolved Oxygen, Total Dissolved Substances and conductivity increased from October to March in Epworth. Of note is the measure of Dissolved Oxygen that increased between October and March with a mean of 7.9 and 2.5 respectively. Total nitrogen and total phosphate also increased significantly in midstream and downstream sections. In essence, averages of 0.01 in October and 0.04 in March were recorded respectively for total nitrogen. The study concludes that an integrated land use approach has the potential of minimizing wetland loss and degradation. This is possible through the formulation and implementation of a comprehensive policy involving all relevant stakeholders. This will ensure a coherent decision making process. In as much as integrated land use planning and policy formulation are potential approaches to wetland sustainability, the drive to implement policy by policy makers concerning wetlands has to be explored. As ignorance concerning the ecological importance of wetlands exists in some cases, it is critical to consider wetland benefits above other competing developments such as housing and urban agriculture. This can be achieved through merging interrelated disciplines with the idea of integrating wetland information. For instance, deriving engineering solutions could promote development yet preserving wetlands. It is also suggested that environmental impact assessments, as planning tools should be carried out simultaneously with the town planning aspect. If given to proper planning, wetlands have a huge chance of survival. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Management)

University of Macau / Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities / Department of Government and Public Administration

This thesis contributes to our knowledge on the emergence of environmental entrepreneurs. The study is guided by the research question, “how do UK environmental entrepreneurs start to form their distinctive environmental entrepreneurial thinking” and analyses the development of the environmental entrepreneurial mindset in the UK, through a theory of practice perspective. Based on a three-stage data collection process (preliminary focus group, semi-structured interviews and life stories), the study (1) conceptualises the construction of the environmental entrepreneurial mindset, (2) investigates the experiences of constraints for practice and (3) analyses differences in habitus and constraints on the basis of the sampling dimensions, type (social environmental and commercial) and gender (male and female). The study was undertaken under a social constructivist perspective and follows the naturalistic paradigm (Guba, 1978). The rigour (or trustworthiness) of the qualitative approach has been established according to perspectives by Mason (2001) and Guba and Lincoln (1985). The empirical basis of the study is comprised of a three stage design of discursive interviews, involving overlapping collective (focus group) and individual (life stories, in-depth interviews) data collection techniques, with a partly gathering structure (through semi-structured questions). A preliminary focus group identified key themes relevant to the study’s objectives and the concepts of the theory of practice (field, capital, and habitus). Three life stories refined the themes and analysed them within the context of entrepreneurs’ lives. The two stages enabled the development of questions targeting themes for the in-depth interviews and the cross case content analysis. For sampling purposes, the Maximum Variation Sampling (MVS) strategy was employed, which enabled identification and analysis of common and divergent themes (Miller & Crabtree, 1999) and by over-coming the limitations of the sample size, it provided a conditional representativeness. The findings show that environmental entrepreneurs accumulate divergent forms of cultural, social and economic capital, which shapes their entrepreneurial and environmental mindsets, triggering the creation of a disposition (habitus) towards setting up an environmental enterprise. Studying the formation of the environmental entrepreneurial mindset addresses a relevant knowledge gap and offers theoretical and methodological contributions. It also confers implications for practice, with a particular reference to entrepreneurial education and policymaking.

Many people in Africa, due to high levels of poverty, rely directly on natural resources and the environment for their livelihoods. Different mechanisms have been employed over the years to address poverty and local livelihoods in the context of conservation. Community Conservation Areas and the sustainable livelihood approach are examples of these mechanisms. Increasingly, these and other mechanisms have reinforced the view that unless the risks and opportunities presented by poverty to local livelihoods are addressed, many conservation efforts are bound to fail. The research reported here was based on the premise that appropriate mechanisms that explicitly address poverty and local livelihoods are a necessary prerequisite to successfully engaging local people in conservation. Such mechanisms assure the sustainability of local livelihoods and present opportunities for conservation initiatives to succeed within the context of human societies that are dependent on associated ecosystems and resources. The Maloti-Drakensberg mountains region in South Africa was the study site and the proposed Ngelengele Nature Reserve, a Community Conservation Area, was used as a case study. The amaHlubi community people constituted the study's respondents. The study was largely qualitative, drawing on both primary and secondary sources of data in the form of interviewer-administered questionnaire and documentary analysis respectively. Field observations and discussions with respondents complemented the interviews. By adopting the sustainable livelihoods framework to understand and analyse the livelihoods of the amaHlubi community, the study highlighted concerns about livelihood assets with the conclusion that there is a high dependence on natural resources mainly for domestic purposes, and in general most of the assets are non existent. The study also highlighted the level of awareness and community support towards Ngelengele Nature Reserve, as well as the reserve's implications on local livelihoods. Although some stated that the objectives of Ngelengele Nature Reserve remain unclear, the majority of respondents showed high expectations and support for the project. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.

This research was conducted in one of the districts in the Oromia region located in the Central Rift Valley to assess the problem of soil erosion and deforestation and to determine how these drivers of land degradation affect the livelihoods of farmers. The research was a case study undertaken in an identified micro-watershed making use of the questionnaire interview method. A household sample was obtained using a simple random sampling technique; Information interviews were conducted with community representatives, district level experts and development agents who worked in the community. The objective of the research was to assess the levels of soil erosion and deforestation and the impact on the livelihoods of the community. Research methods were questionnaire and direct observation. The results of the study indicated that the effects of soil erosion and deforestation on land productively, agriculture and livestock production at large, had a negative effect on livelihoods of the community members. Recommendations based on the research affirm the necessity to undertake large-scale natural resource management starting with community-based watershed management thereby reducing the impact of land degradation on livelihoods of farmers and ensuring food security and sustainable land management. / Agriculture, Animal Health and Human Ecology / M.A. (Human Ecology)

Environmental degradation is a global challenge that affects all. One of the most prominent impacts of environmental degradation is the climate change phenomenon. The adverse impacts of climate change have given rise to responses aimed at retarding, halting and learning to live with the already present effects of climate change. These responses to climate change fall into two broad categories: mitigation and adaptation. Mitigation addresses the climate change challenge through seeking a reduction or elimination of anthropogenic generated greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. Adaptation on the other hand addresses climate change through reducing the adverse impacts of climate change as well as exploiting economic and social opportunities presented by climate change. Green procurement has been identified as one of the climate change intervention measures. This is because research shows that procurement policies and practices of both the public and private sectors have the potential to influence environmentally friendly modes of production and the provision of ‘greener’ goods and services that include infrastructure. In many developing countries the big spending power of the public sector, particularly municipalities, makes them influential players in the nature of goods and services production and provision. Against this background, this study investigates the role of South African metropolitan municipalities in addressing environmental decay through green procurement. Specifically, the study aims to assess the levels of green procurement practices of goods and services within South Africa metropolitan municipalities. This is achieved through; (i) determining the level of understanding of sustainable development, and (ii) determining the extent to which green procurement is practiced in South African metropolitan municipalities, and identifying policy and legislative requirements (if any) that support green procurement practices. Given the complexity of means, policy and practices around the green procurement drive; the study employed a mixed method approach. The mixed method approach employed three methods namely: document analysis, interviews and the use of a questionnaire. Analysis of data included content analysis, inductive thematic analysis and basic numerical analysis of the questionnaire, using MS Excel. The study made two broad findings; (i) there is generally a good understanding of the sustainable development discourse among South Africa’s metropolitan officials; and (ii) policy response to green procurement shows that the older metropolitans that include the City of Cape Town, City of Johannesburg, City of Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, eThekwini and Nelson Mandela Bay have made greater progress making explicit reference to green procurement in different policies compared to the younger metropolitans such as Buffalo City and Mangaung. Despite the general understanding of the sustainable development discourse and evidence of explicit reference to green procurement in some metropolitan policy documents there is a general lack of comprehensive implementation of green procurement practices across all the metropolitan municipalities. The current implementation is sporadic and largely through a number of projects that are not always linked to give rise to effective synergies. The study concludes that there is limited implementation of green procurement policies and strategies in all metropolitans. This may be attributed to limited policy understanding and lack of education and training around green economy transition and green procurement issues. The study recommends the mainstreaming of the green procurement concept into already existing policies and to establish new policies where there are none. There is a need to translate the policies into legislation and regulations that carry incentive to reward and encourage the desired green procurement practices. There is further need to put in place sanctions to discourage and halt undesired procurement practices. / Environmental Sciences / D. Litt. et Phil. (Environmental Management)