Theme A: International agreements.
This theme means that activities, discussions and subsequent decisions that happen on an international platform will ultimately lead to national collaboration. This is because South Africa is a signatory to numerous pacts and agreements that focus on climate change. From a local government perspective this is one extremely relevant theme because all of the agreements that are supported by national government will eventually fall to local government to implement. This is in most cases. While important, this theme was only mentioned by one respondent.
Theme B: National White Papers that focus on climate change and energy.
Theme A would have a high degree of influence into such issues mentioned in theme B.
This would then set the boundaries of what needs to be accomplished and how, for the rest of the state departments. Only one participant mentioned this theme.
Theme C: Legislation.
While documents mentioned in theme B will direct efforts, the law of the land also plays an important role. If the contents of documents mentioned in theme B does not align with legislation then any action can be open to prosecution and in some instances persecution.
This theme was also mentioned by only one respondent.
Theme D: Provincial Gap.
As will be read in question 5, theme J; there should be a sequential flow for the creation of documents from national all the way to the local level. This is for many practical reasons.
However, in this instance the respondent has stated that there is a gap in relevant documents at a provincial level. This can also be gleaned from the discussion in chapter two.
Theme E: Local policies and strategies.
At the moment all Climate Change Mitigation initiatives being implemented by and in the eThekwini Municipality can find its roots in the above mentioned documents. However, the DCCS which is still being developed is envisaged to have a substantial impact. This Theme was mentioned by two respondents.
Theme F: Transport sector has a lot of Mitigation potential.
This theme suggests that there is a lot of potential in the transport sector to reduce emissions. The eThekwini Municipality’s GHGEI mentioned in chapter two supports this statement. However, it was only mentioned by one respondent.
58
Theme G: Green economy linked to Climate Change Mitigation.
This theme, surprisingly, was only mentioned by one respondent. In addition it was not considered as a central issue. The green economy and Climate Change Mitigation should go hand in hand. This is as a result of the ability of the green economy to drive the larger economy and job creation in a sustainable manner. In essence, it has the ability to achieve multiple objectives at the same time. The literature discussion in chapter three supports the notion of climate change having the potential to achieve multiple objectives.
Theme H: Not Sure.
Four respondents indicated that they were not sure, but went on to talk about the status quo of policy in general. Those findings are incorporated into some the themes for this question.
Theme I: Quantified reduction.
While only one respondent mentioned this theme, it is a key component of Climate Change Mitigation policy and of any policy for that matter. If no quantifiable target exists there will be no way in which to determine the effectiveness of the policy and if targets are being achieved.
Theme J: Unquantified reduction.
While quantified reductions are important, un-quantified reductions are also important.
This was mentioned by one respondent.
Theme K: Good policy should be comprehensive.
Policy paints a picture of where we want to be. The one respondent that mentioned this theme also stated that effective policy should state how those objectives should be achieved. However, it is important to note that if policy is too prescriptive, it will not be able to adapt to changing circumstances and no results will be realised.
Theme L: Bridging technologies needed.
One respondent mentioned that bridging technologies are important to convince people and assist in facilitating the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy. This is as opposed to trying to convince people to convert from one extreme to another. People are inherently opposed to change.
Theme M: Secondary policy.
Two respondents stated that Climate Change Mitigation policy is seen as secondary or less important policy. While they did not mention what policy it would be secondary to, it can
59
be presumed that the policies that have been in existence for a longer period of time and policies that directly relate to government’s priority areas are being considered as primary.
Theme N: eThekwini Municipality started a long time ago in climate change activities
One respondent mentioned that the eThekwini Municipality began its climate change activities a long time go. Admittedly, the Municipality first began with Adaptation and then started with Mitigation. From a CAS perspective, the history of any system will undoubtedly have an impact on the system.
Theme O: Locally it is a mess.
Only one respondent thought and mentioned that the Climate Change Mitigation policy at the eThekwini Municipality is in a mess.
Theme P: Got onto the climate change issue late.
The respondent that mentioned theme O, above, also mentioned Theme P. These themes however, seem to be in direct contradiction to theme N.
Theme Q: Little policy on Climate Change Mitigation at a Cluster level (HS&I).
Only one respondent stated that there was little policy in the Human Settlements &
Infrastructure Cluster on Climate Change Mitigation.
Theme R: Guide lower level documents and plans.
This theme was derived from the respondent answering the question from a general policy stand-point. Theme R states that policy should precede and direct strategy, including the resulting activities to be implemented.
Theme S: Knee jerk reaction to crisis.
One respondent stated that policy formulation is undertaken in response to a crisis. This would imply that policy is not formulated to capitalise on opportunities. It would further have the implication that if policy is responding to a crisis then the resulting policy would be rushed and sub-standard due to the urgency for a finalised document.
Theme T: Does exist.
Three respondents merely acknowledged that Climate Change Mitigation policy does exist.
Theme U: Currently being worked on.
One respondent mentioned that there is some policy in the Climate Change Mitigation area in the eThekwini Municipality that is currently under development.
60
Theme V: Difference between policy at a council level and at a unit or cluster level.
One respondent pointed out a very pertinent fact and that is that there is a difference between policy at a council level and policy at a unit level. Policy at a council level would imply that the policy is relevant across all clusters and units, while policy at a unit level would render it relevant and applicable only to the stated or a few units.
General discussion of the Theme:
Of the eleven respondents a total of twenty nine responses were collected during the interviews for this question. In addition, a staggering twenty two responses were unique. As the number of participants in the interviews increased no common platform or understanding was arrived at; we have an increasing number of themes emerging. However, a rather comprehensive understanding of the status quo of Climate Change Mitigation has been compiled. It is evident that no one respondent on his or her own could have compiled such an understanding. A comprehensive understanding of what the variables are will only become close to possible when the relevant stakeholders join efforts. This is one of the key tenets of CAS, which is that no agent on their own can fully comprehend the environment on their own.
However, what has not presented itself in this question, even in the smallest degree, is the relationship between the variables that have been identified. During the interviews, all of the variables or themes mentioned above where merely stated to be an aspect to the answer and it seemed as though most, if not all, of the themes are viewed in a mechanistic, stand alone perspective.