Llewellyn Leonard
Environmental Sociologist / Human Geographer
Acadamia
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April 6, 2019
When Race and Social Equity Matters in Nature Conservation in Post-apartheid South Africa
Category: academia
Current academic literature examining race and nature conservation in South Africa has relied mainly on secondary data analysis while neglecting the voices of local communities. This article draws on empirical experience to assess the extent of the impact of race and social equity in conservation, with the aim of promoting sustainable and more inclusive conservation […]
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November 6, 2018
Examining civil society social capital relations against mining development for local sustainability
Category: academia
South Africa presents a unique case for mining development and impacts on sustainability because the lines between the mining industry and the state are unclear and due to the increasing inequality between citizens. This questions the potential for citizens to hold mining industries (and government) accountable for environmental abuse. This paper examines the ability of […]
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November 6, 2018
Converging political ecology and environmental justice disciplines for more effective civil society actions against macro-economic risks
Category: academia
This paper explores the potential to converge the theory of political ecology with the environmental justice discipline as means to promote more effective civil society actions against macro-economic risks, whilst analysing the case of South Africa. Such a convergence could result in mutual benefit for both arenas that already share a commitment towards justice. Whilst […]
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October 6, 2018
Towards a Broader Conceptualisation of Environmental Justice
Category: academia
In contemporary South Africa, environmental justice is a critical question for geographers. It is argued in this chapter that whilst new civil society leadership has emerged to address environmental justice concerns in the post-apartheid period, these have not been effective in formulating an emerging ‘environmental justice framework’ by way of a coherent ideology to collectively […]
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August 6, 2017
Exploring the Impacts of Mining on Tourism Growth and Local Sustainability: The Case of Mapungubwe Heritage Site, Limpopo, South Africa
Category: academia
Mining licenses in post‐apartheid South Africa are being granted by the ruling government in sensitive areas that are important tourism hubs and employment generators. Limited research has been conducted to understand mining impacts on protected environments and tourism sites. This paper will focus on the Mapungubwe World Heritage Site as a tourist attraction in Limpopo […]
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March 17, 2017
Environmental Impact Assessments and public participation: The case of environmental justice and mining development
Category: academia
South African democracy witnessed considerable effort to redefine Environmental Impact Assessment regulations to improve participation of citizen’s towards sustainable development of activities. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of participatory processes has generally been mixed and in many cases fallen below expectations, with a lack of empirical evidence especially in South Africa to understand the underlying elements that […]
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December 22, 2016
State Governance, Participation and Mining Development
Category: academia
Despite the advent of democracy witnessing government making considerable progress in developing the legal frameworks to manage mining development and include citizens in decision-making processes, this has largely been unsuccessful. Although it is known that the post-apartheid state may be ineffective in holding mining companies accountable for social and environmental abuse and engaging citizens in […]
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August 30, 2016
Mining and/or tourism development for job creation and sustainability
Category: academia
Although the tourism sector has greater potential for job creation than the mining sector, the debate on which sector may be more sustainable for employment and local social development, has not been extensively researched, especially in the global South. The popular tourist destination of Dullstroom, Mpumalanga has come under threat from an increase in the number of mining applications […]
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August 25, 2015
Examining the quality of carbon trading as pathway to environmental justice or recipe for disaster
Category: academia
The Kyoto Protocol is an international arrangement setting goals for thirty-seven industrialised countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Clean Development Mechanism as a flexibility mechanism defined in the Kyoto Protocol offers emission reduction projects which generate Certified Emission Reduction units which may be traded in emissions trading schemes. The purpose is to support industrialised […]
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March 22, 2015
Book Review: The Handbook of Civil Society in Africa
Category: academia
The ‘Handbook of Civil Society in Africa’ is a timely contribution to the discussion on civil society on the continent. It presents a unique conceptualization of civil society within contemporary Africa. The aim of the book as noted by Obadare is to reflect on the diversity of African discourses on civil society and map the […]
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October 25, 2014
Reconsidering the ‘risk society theory’ in the South
Category: academia
This paper draws on the theoretical framework of German sociologist Ulrich Beck’s ‘risk society theory’ of reflexiveness to assist in understanding civil society response to industrial risk in Durban, South Africa. The paper draws on qualitative research and presents viewpoints from key stakeholders at the city level and through a local case study. Following the […]
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March 25, 2014
The network society, power and the print media in post-apartheid South Africa
Category: academia
Although post-apartheid South Africa has witnessed constraints on press freedom by the ruling party, there is limited understanding of how media discourse is contested and constructed by diverse social actors. This article is interested in the extent to which various social actors in the Durban network society, such as civil society, corporations and the state, […]
Articles
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January 6, 2019
Communities, mining corporations and corruption in South Africa
Category: articles
During the apartheid era in South Africa, the mining industry operated without restraint and had undue influence over government decision-making. This created an environment where companies maximised profits at the expense of people and the environment. To establish whether this is still the case I did research in Dullstroom, Mpumalanga and St. Lucia, KwaZulu-Natal. Dullstroom has a strong […]
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December 6, 2018
Why there’s resistance to coal mining at a world heritage site in South Africa
Category: articles
There are fears that new mining operations in the north east of South Africa could threaten communities, tourism and the environment. Plans to resume coal mining operations at the Mapungubwe Unesco World Heritage Site in Limpopo have been halted and it’s uncertain when mining operations will resume. What’s known is that the government is currently […]
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March 14, 2017
Dullstroom mining development hindering environmental sustainability
Category: articles
Poor participatory processes during Environmental Impact Assessments and weak governance over mining development in Mpumalanga is causing loss of environmentally sensitive tourism and conservation areas. This is according to a series of recent published journal articles conducted by the University of Johannesburg’s Department of Tourism. The research which investigated governance processes and participation during Environmental […]
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September 25, 2012
Another political ecology of civil society reflexiveness against urban industrial risks for environmental justice
Category: articles
The concerns of political ecology since its beginnings as a field have been predominantly set in rural areas with limited focus on urban industrial risks. Further, debates on the global South (often from Anglo-American perspectives) have not fully appreciated the divergent and differentiated perceptions of urban risks and, therefore, everyday forms of resistance within civil […]
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September 23, 2011
Another World is Possible, but not without grassroots mobilisation
Category: articles
It was in February that the delegation from the Centre for Social Change, University of Johannesburg (UJ) flew to Dakar, Senegal to attend the World Social Forum (WSF) 2011. The WSF attracted more than 60,000 people pursuing the vision of ‘Another World is Possible’, with the event becoming a symbol of hope for environmental, social […]
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November 25, 2005
Your solution is not my solution: The Bisarsar landfill, incineration, transfer stations and the left in the slums:
Category: articles
“We are recycling not only to protect the environment but for economic reasons as well. Disposal is simply too costly and too dangerous. The challenge is to redirect the flow of raw materials going to landfill into strengthening our declining local economies. The solution to pollution is self-reliant cities and counties.” Neil Seldman, Institute for […]
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November 25, 2005
Dawdling actions and government: Mercury, human health and the environment
Category: articles
“I think the environment should be put in the category of our national security. Defense of our resources is just as important as defence abroad. Otherwise what is there to defend?” Robert Redford No superintendent of a hospital or manager of an industrial operation wants to be subjected to massive pressure from communities and the […]
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November 8, 2005
Your solution is not my solution: The Bisarsar landfill, incineration, transfer stations and the left in the slums
Category: articles
“We are recycling not only to protect the environment, but for economic reasons as well. Disposal is simply too costly and too dangerous. The challenge is to redirect the flow of raw materials going to landfill into strengthening our declining local economies. The solution to pollution is self-reliant cities and counties.” Neil Seldman, Institute for […]
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August 25, 2005
Government and industry – Killing us softly: Dioxins and human health
Category: articles
“No incinerator, no matter how sophisticated, can prevent the release of dioxins into the environment…” Dr Paul Connett Civil society has long been calling on the government to stop polluting incinerators and to replace them with non-burn technologies. One of the reasons for this outcry over incineration by civil society is due to the formation […]
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August 8, 2005
Government and industry – Killing us softly: Dioxins and human health
Category: articles
Government and industry – Killing us softly: Dioxins and human health “No incinerator, no matter how sophisticated, can prevent the release of dioxins into the environment…” Dr Paul Connett Civil society has long been calling on government to stop polluting incinerators and to replace them with non-burn technologies. One of the reasons for this […]
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June 25, 2005
Health Care Waste in Southern Africa: A shift from waste disposal to waste management
Category: articles
Health Care Waste is a mounting problem in South Africa, Mozambique, Swaziland and Uganda as in many other countries. Over recent years there have been numerous press statements of medical waste being disposed of in an incorrect manner. The people that have been most affected by medical waste have been the poor disadvantaged members of […]
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June 25, 2005
Deputy Minister Says No Too Burning Hazardous Waste in South African Cement Kilns
Category: articles
groundWork has been working for more than three years now, trying to convince the government that incinerating hazardous waste in cement kilns is not an option in waste management. In April, groundWork held a cement kiln meeting with the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA – Port Elizabeth) and Earthlife Africa (Johannesburg branch) […]
Policy Work
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August 22, 2009
Regulatory impact assessment of trees in the United Kingdom: benefits of non-defensive action by Local Authorities against potential litigation against tree failure (2009)
Category: policy-work
SUMMARY STATEMENT Trees are a vital component of both urban and rural landscapes and their benefits are immensely valued by citizens of the United Kingdom. Tree risk management aims to look after these assets in such a way that their benefits are maintained and enhanced. In doing this, tree management aims to manage the level […]
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May 25, 2009
Swine flu: Cause and epidemiology What governments / community and other stakeholders can do to stop the spread
Category: policy-work
This paper provides a brief outline of the recent swine flu epidemic that has led to the loss of lives especially in Mexico. It traces the early origins of swine flu, its progression and impacts of the outbreak in 2009. The implications of swine flu potentially infiltrating the African continent are examined. The transmission, symptoms […]
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March 13, 2009
The environmental and human health impacts of Waste: Responses towards environmental justice for Africa Research Series – Part 2
Category: policy-work
This paper is the second part of a three-part research series exploring toxic waste and transboundary movement of toxic waste from developed to developing countries. Research Series Part 1 traced some of the reasons for the movement of toxic waste from northern to southern countries, focusing especially on waste imports into the African continent. This […]
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March 13, 2009
The environmental and human health impacts of Waste: Responses towards environmental justice for Africa
Category: policy-work
This paper is the second part of a three-part research series exploring toxic waste and transboundary movement of toxic waste from developed to developing countries. Research Series Part 1 traced some of the reasons for the movement of toxic waste from northern to southern countries, focusing especially on waste imports into the African continent. This […]
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March 6, 2009
The politics of waste and transboundary movement of waste into Africa Research Series: Part 1
Category: policy-work
This paper is one of a three-part research series exploring the transboundary movement of toxic waste from developed to developing countries. This first part research series traces some of the reasons for the movement of toxic waste from northern to southern countries, focusing especially on waste imports into the African continent. International and regional African […]
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March 3, 2009
Solutions towards eliminating waste and the transboundary movement of toxic waste Research Series: Part 3
Category: policy-work
This paper is the final part of a three-part research series exploring the transboundary movement of toxic waste from developed to developing countries and waste disposal. Part one highlighted some of the reasons for the movement of toxic waste from northern to southern countries, focusing especially on waste imports into the African continent. Part two […]
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February 26, 2009
The 2008 financial crisis: Implications for developing economies
Category: policy-work
This paper examines the 2008 financial crisis and implications for developing countries, especially for Africa. It examines some of the causes of the financial crisis especially in the United States where the dilemma originated. Implications for a global recession and impacts for Africa are highlighted. However, the implications of the financial crisis for the African […]
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February 16, 2009
Emerging trends in regard to Global Warming: Any effective interventions in place or just rhetoric debates / workshops / seminars?
Category: policy-work
This paper briefly reviews some of the emerging trends regarding global warming, especially implications for the African continent. It then explores some of the meetings and discourses taking place internationally and within Africa on global warming and climate change that aim to tackle the crisis. It critically examines if the two largest international interventions on […]
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December 3, 2008
High Commodity Prices: Implications and way out for developing countries like Uganda
Category: policy-work
This paper evaluates the impact of high commodity prices due to trade liberalisation for developing countries in Africa. Implications of high commodity prices (i.e. macroeconomic instability and loss of state power, unemployment, and poverty and food crisis) are explored focusing mostly on the agricultural sector. Recommendations on how governments may reduce impacts of trade liberalisation […]
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November 27, 2008
Sharing of Wealth from Natural Resources: Experience of Developing Countries
Category: policy-work
This paper provides an overview of the sharing of wealth from natural resources in Africa. It explores the implications of this sharing of wealth especially for local communities who live next to or own these resources. It examines wealth sharing for both renewable and non-renewable natural resources. Due to the diversity of natural resources, it […]
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October 30, 2008
Climate change in Africa and implications for Uganda
Category: policy-work
This paper provides a brief overview of climate change in Africa and its effects specifically on Uganda. It examines some of the climatic change implications for the country (i.e. drought, resources pressures and local violence, rising temperatures and increased diseases, food insecurity and species extinction). Some suggestions on how the Uganda government may help tackle […]
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October 20, 2008
Oil Exploration in Africa and its effect on Uganda
Category: policy-work
This paper provides a brief overview of oil exploration in Africa and its effects on the continent, concentrating specifically on Uganda. It examines the implications for political economic and environmental developments within the country due to the recent discovery of new oil reserves. Suggestions on how Uganda may alleviate potential political, economic, social and environmental […]