Potential Models for Future Higher Education Cooperation between South

Africa and Norway

Environment and climate

University of the Western Cape, 27 November 2009

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Poul Wisborg, Department of International Environment and Development Studies (Noragric)

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Mother Earth Crying, Svalbard

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Michael S. Nolan, Bulls Press

’Climate change’ –material change and search for meaning.

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Norway in the Nordic region

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4Source: Wikipedia, entry: Nordic Council

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Key points Global climate change is real – but the discourse

needs critical attention

Norway and South Africa: high emissions, resistance to change

Are there prospects for solidarity and cooperation among South African and Norwegian peoples?

How may cooperation in higher education contribute?– UMB examples– Approach– Thematic focus– Modes of cooperation

Conclusion

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Climate change is real - but discourse needs critical attention

Human induced global climate change well supported by evidence

Need for critical eyes:

– Discourse versus policy versus practice

– Weather, cycles and trends may be natural

– Regional and local impact often uncertain

Exacerbates environment and development problems: land, energy, transport, poverty, inequality, health – but does not replace them

Avoid ”climate change monster discourse” that swallows other ethical concerns

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Vegetable farm on the Limpopo River

Google Earth,10 April 2008

Family-owned, close to 500 workers

Owner: Farming in SA is “high risk” …

“In what way?”:

1. Diseases2. Climate change

• Irrigation water

• Frost• Drought/heat

3. Energy4. Markets5. Politics

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Livestock herding, Pella, Namaqualand

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Norway and South Africa: high emissions, resistance to change

Norway Oil and gas as main base

of economy

Decades of increase in CO2 emissions against public commitments

About 54 million tons CO2 per year (total), about 12 tons per capita (excluding shipping and air transport)

”Excuse”: ???

South Africa Coal main source of energy,

base of major industries

About 440 million tons CO2 per year (total) (of which 220 million by ESKOM), about 9 tons per capita

”Excuses”: Development, ’poor country’, African averages, other struggles, such as democracy, inequality and HIV/AIDS

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Grønås, Sigbjørn: 'Norway's double standards', Aftenposten 14 July 2008, p. 6-7Groenewald, Yolandi: SA on low-carbon diet, Mail & Guardian 6-12 November 2009, p 41

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CO2 emissions – a similar challenge (?)

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CO2 emission – tons per capita per year

*) International Panel on Climate Change estimated level in 2050 to ensure temperature increase below 2.0 degrees C by 2100

Grønås, Sigbjørn: 'Norway's double standards', Aftenposten 14 July 2008, p. 6-7Groenewald, Yolandi: SA on low-carbon diet, Mail & Guardian 6-12 November 2009, p 41

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“Norway’s double standards”

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“..Norway’s policy is not consistent with the goal of only

two degrees increase (by 2100). Our emissions are

several times higher than what the world can sustain to

reach this goal. We are even claiming a right to continue

doing the same in future. The media give the impression

that we are champions in climate reductions. The double

standards have never been more manifest”.

- Professor Sigbjørn Grønås, University of Bergen'Norway's double standards', Aftenposten 14 July 2008, p. 6-7

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Newspaper headline:“One plant = the whole of Norway”

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Mathismoen, Ole: ‘One plant = the whole of Norway’, Aftenposten, 18 April 2008, p. 6

Secunda coal based plant owned by SASOL

CO2 emissions 57 million tons (Norway 2006: 54 million tons)

Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg visit April 2008

Current collaboration

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Con Pro

World order North-South divide and corresponing positions

Both with relatively high profile in current negotiations

Government History of neglect Recent signals of high priority

Economy/resources

Strong carbon dependency

Similar challenges of climate transformation

Peoples Distance; elite interest in status quo

Solidarity in anti-apartheid struggle

Business Those benefiting from status quo; commercialise problem

New enterprises in renewable energy, e.g. wind

Civil society Tendency to focus on adaptation, not causes

Some strong NGOs; media

Prospects for solidarity and cooperation among South African and Norwegian peoples?

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How may cooperation in higher education contribute?

1. UMB involvement

2. Approach

3. Thematic focus

4. Modes of operation

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1. UMB involvement: examples Ten years of collaboration with PLAAS, UWC: land,

agriculture, natural resources, poverty (2000-2009)

Conservation farming in Zambia

Involved in Agricultural Research and Development (ARDEP), Malawi

Climate and forest cooperation with Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania

Thor Heyerdahl professorship in Climate and Development

Cooperation and proposals on water management with IWMI, South Africa

BA, MA (2) and PhD programmes in International Environment and Development Studies

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2. Approach

Critical and independent

Politics of knowledge – political ecology

Interdisciplinary

Comparative, sensitive to context

Collaborative

Participatory

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PLAAS researchers visit to Norwegian rural areas (2000)

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3. Thematic focus (selected issues)

Environmental justice*

Land/resource tenure and displacement**

Renewable energy

Food production and food security

Settlement and transport

Climate modelling

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Examples: *) Cooperation between Univ. of Bergen, UCT and ACCESS (Africa Centre for Climate and Earth System Science)**) PLAAS, UWC and Noragric

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4. Modes of cooperation (some points)

1. A new, well-resourced multilateral research programme –Nordic and southern African dimension

2. Joint degree programmes

3. Master and PhD scholarships and funds for joint (south-north) field research

4. Collaboration with civil society, business and governments

5. Reduce ecological foot print of universities: waste, energy,work transport, e-learning, travel – educating citizens of a fragile world

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Conclusion: Cooperation in higher education, Environment and climate

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While many collaborative efforts exist ...

... strategic planning by universities and fresh public resources are needed to make them ..

... more creative (awareness, knowledge and innovation) and more effective steps towards environmental responsibility.

A useful first step could be a collaborative, strategic planning session in the first half of 2010.

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Landscapes - constraints and opportunities

Farmland, Eastern Cape

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Carrying together?

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From the Gustav Vigeland statue park, Oslo

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Adapting to new circumstances?

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Lions playing in the snow: Kristiansand Zoo, Norway, 2009 (Aftenposten

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UMB Campus, 2009

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23Thank you ....