By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
South Africa is hosting the 7th Global Forum of Cities for Circular Economy (GFCCE) workshop in an effort to promote a clean and sustainable environment.
The two day workshop is hosted by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment in partnership with Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).
The workshop is attended by nominated government representatives from Botswana, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Addressing the opening of the workshop, South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Bernice Swarts, highlighted the measures government has adopted to bolster the circular economy, focusing on reusing and recycling materials to ensure a sustainable and secure supply of resources.
“South Africa has instituted various policy instruments and initiatives to advance sustainable development pathways, with circular economy principles firmly embedded in these strategies, “Swarts said.
These policy instruments include the National Waste Management Strategy, Extended Producer Responsibility Regulations (EPR) for priority waste streams and other economic instruments that include fees, levies and taxes to incentivise or disincentivise behaviour change.
“Extended Producer Responsibility became necessary to be included in South Africa’s policy mix, given the increased generation of waste. EPR shifts seek to shift the responsibility for products from municipalities and consumers, to producers.
“South Africa is under immense pressure and the host city [of the workshop] – the City of Joburg – together with others – does not have sufficient landfill airspace. It is, therefore, necessary to utilise a policy mix to address resource efficiency. It is also necessary that cities are enabled to monitor resource use,” Swarts said.
The Deputy Minister noted that for meaningful progress to be made across the board, strong partnerships are needed.
“Collaboration between government and the private sector is paramount in realising the goals of the waste management hierarchy and facilitating our transition to a circular economy.
“South Africa remains steadfast in its commitment to strengthening these partnerships and advancing the shared objectives of the GFCCE. This collaboration benefits our governments through reduced spending and creates green opportunities,” she said.
Since its establishment in 2021, the GFCCE has expanded to a community of 22 Member States, with 18 countries from Africa. This platform is dedicated to advancing circular economy principles in alignment with national policies and priorities.
The forum reaffirmed the need for coordinated actions across African cities to achieve sustainability and reduce environmental impacts. With Johannesburg as the host, the workshop serves as a platform for knowledge exchange, capacity building, and aligning regional strategies with global objectives for a circular economy.