1. Full citation and abstract. GroundWork, comp. Slow Poison: Air Pollution, Public Health and failing Governance. Rep. no. 978-0-620-61236-4. Ed. David Hallowes. N.p.: GroundWork, 2014. Web. 27 Sept. 2015. (see report for abstract/preface)
2. Where do the authors work, expertise?
This report was put out by an organization called groundWork. GroundWork is a "non-profit environmental justice service." They work primarily in Southern Africa on various environmental issues, including climate and energy justice, coal, environmental health, global green and healthy hospitals, and waste.
One of their more recent projects (July 2015) was a half hour documentary called The Bliss of Ignorance; the documentary detailed the relationship between South Africa's environment, and its coal.
It would be in the interest of TAF to look closer at this organization since its an environmental organization that covers a variety of subjects, from environmental justice, to energy and waste management, to methods of presenting findings.
3. Main findings/arguments?
Air Quality is heavily affected by the fact that South Africa's economy is heavily dependent on its energy resources, such as coal. So, their economy is both entirely dominated by a small percentage of their population, causing massive inequity problems, and is also "one of the most energy, carbon and pollution intensive." Coal makes up 66% of South Africa's primary energy sources (Table 1).
South Africa's history of Apartheid has effected how pollution affects the country today. During Apartheid environmental racism began to intensify. Impoverished, generally black, neighborhoods were built in areas that also sported sewage plants, factories, etc. So, not only were their living spaces often intoxicated, but the industry-controlled economy forced this demographic to find work in dirty industry. Even though these conditions are detrimental to heath, an "expendable black workforce" suited the needs of the richer, white businessmen.
This report criticizes the governance taken to manage air quality, and also the government's failure to enforce policy. The Air Quality Act of 2004 (AQA) and the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) supposedly regulate South African municipalities so that they comply to a national standard for collection and management of data, and provide framework for doing so. Despite this obligation, the DEA has provided said standards. Also, groundWork states that there is very little publicly available documentation on air quality.
4. Three ways the argument is supported.
Much of South Africa's population lives in poverty, and an estimated 36% are unemployed (although it should be noted that this is the "expanded" figure, since according to the census street-corner begging counts as employment), but this number doesn't consider people ages 15-65 who take care of children or are in studying as part of the workforce. (pg. 7) Many people live in constant debt due to unequal taxation. In August 2012, there was a mine-workers strike, where the police force would kill 34 people protesting working conditions and union support. The South African economy and energy production is intensely dependent on the mining of and burning of coal. The coal industry is centered around the abundance of coal, and the abundance of cheap labor. South Africa holds the leading overall emission rate in Africa, and 12th globally (pg. 9). Not only does mining and processing the coal put a toll on the environment, but so does actually burning it. Since coal is by far the cheapest energy source available, poor communities have little choice but to burn it at home, which can cause massive health impacts, especially if they've been working in toxic places all day anyways.
Established and enforced by British Colonialism and Apartheid, environmental racism became ever present in South Africa: the report exemplifies a black neighborhood which was constructed as the dump site for the richer, whiter neighborhood. This community would serve as the personal waste and sewage dump, and the means of labor to handle it.
The report includes an excerpt from the South African Constitution (Section 24), to emphasize the fact that both the AQA and the DEA have not produced up to obligation regulations and guidelines. The report remarks that the AQA cannot actually enforce regulations as is at the moment, due to the fact that it does not criminalize those who would break said regulations. Due to this lack in governance competency, air quality monitoring and enforcement of standards must be left to alternate means.
Also, in conclusion, groundWork states that South Africa has inadequate capacity to monitor air quality, much less gather reliable data on it.
5. Quotes that capture the message.
"The blueprint for a black neighborhood was a waste dump site, where waste from rich white neighborhoods and dirty industry was dumped, a sewage plant, and dirty industry that provided toxic jobs for an expendable black workforce." (pg. 16)
"Section 24 of South Africa's Constitution says that 'everyone has the right to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being, and to have the environment protected...'" (pg. 33)
"The damaging health impacts of air pollution have a disproportionate impact on poor people and so breach the principles of environmental justice." (pg. 35)
"The minerals-energy complex defined the trajectory of air pollution in South Africa for a century." (pg. 18)
6. What were their methods?
No methods were directly stated, but the organization did work with the Vaal Environmental Justice Alliance, members of the Greater Middelburg Residents Association, and the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance.
7. How are health disparities/inequities addressed?
The issues stemming from British colonialism and Apartheid are given the utmost importance, since the fact that poorer communities see the worse side of the environmental affects is what makes this an environmental justice case. Pages 7-8 contain a section on "Unequal South Africa."
8. Where has the report been referenced?
This report has been referenced in an article titled, "SA [South Africa] Air Pollution Exceeds WHO [World Health Org.] Limits." The article was published September 2014 on eNews Channel Africa here: https://www.enca.com/sa-air-pollution-exceeds-who-limits
9. What can you learn from the bibliography?
There is no formal bibliography attached, although specific tables were footnoted with data sources (including the Department of Energy and another South African economics scientist(?)).
GroundWork, comp. Slow Poison: Air Pollution, Public Health and failing Governance. Rep. no. 978-0-620-61236-4. Ed. David Hallowes. N.p.: GroundWork, 2014. Web. 27 Sept. 2015.
(see report for abstract/preface)
2. Where do the authors work, expertise?
This report was put out by an organization called groundWork. GroundWork is a "non-profit environmental justice service." They work primarily in Southern Africa on various environmental issues, including climate and energy justice, coal, environmental health, global green and healthy hospitals, and waste.
One of their more recent projects (July 2015) was a half hour documentary called The Bliss of Ignorance; the documentary detailed the relationship between South Africa's environment, and its coal.
It would be in the interest of TAF to look closer at this organization since its an environmental organization that covers a variety of subjects, from environmental justice, to energy and waste management, to methods of presenting findings.
3. Main findings/arguments?
4. Three ways the argument is supported.
5. Quotes that capture the message.
"The blueprint for a black neighborhood was a waste dump site, where waste from rich white neighborhoods and dirty industry was dumped, a sewage plant, and dirty industry that provided toxic jobs for an expendable black workforce." (pg. 16)
"Section 24 of South Africa's Constitution says that 'everyone has the right to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being, and to have the environment protected...'" (pg. 33)
"The damaging health impacts of air pollution have a disproportionate impact on poor people and so breach the principles of environmental justice." (pg. 35)
"The minerals-energy complex defined the trajectory of air pollution in South Africa for a century." (pg. 18)
6. What were their methods?
No methods were directly stated, but the organization did work with the Vaal Environmental Justice Alliance, members of the Greater Middelburg Residents Association, and the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance.
7. How are health disparities/inequities addressed?
The issues stemming from British colonialism and Apartheid are given the utmost importance, since the fact that poorer communities see the worse side of the environmental affects is what makes this an environmental justice case. Pages 7-8 contain a section on "Unequal South Africa."
8. Where has the report been referenced?
This report has been referenced in an article titled, "SA [South Africa] Air Pollution Exceeds WHO [World Health Org.] Limits." The article was published September 2014 on eNews Channel Africa here:
https://www.enca.com/sa-air-pollution-exceeds-who-limits
9. What can you learn from the bibliography?
There is no formal bibliography attached, although specific tables were footnoted with data sources (including the Department of Energy and another South African economics scientist(?)).
10. What things did you follow up on to better your knowledge?
The Bliss of Ignorance documentary:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4529628/
The Meaning of Numbers, Labour Force Survey, Q4 by Paul Berkowitz (the South African economics scientist(?) from question 9):
http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2013-02-06-the-meaning-of-numbers-labour-force-survey-q4/#.VgiqoXs3tRk