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Contributor to identify and activate those levers most likely to enhance environmental , social , and economic sustainability .
A prime example of Industrial Ecology ’ s broader approach to sustainability is the SANRAL N2 Legacy Programme , led by Zutari ’ s Social Development Team . Zutari was appointed by SANRAL to design and oversee parts of the N2 Wild Coast Road development , a multi-billion-rand project . While construction will create significant employment opportunities , these jobs will not fully address the high unemployment in surrounding communities , which remains a major driver of opposition to infrastructure projects in the Wild Coast , posing a risk to the project ’ s smooth execution .
In response , SANRAL partnered with Zutari to develop a Legacy Programme aimed at maximising long-term impact and addressing unemployment . This programme empowers 14 rural villages to create and sustain businesses , promoting social , economic , and environmental sustainability . It moves beyond temporary job creation to build growing , circular economies that capitalize on the new road ' s opportunities . By linking livelihoods to natural resource conservation , it incentivizes environmental protection . The Programme also achieved broad community support for the road project , mitigating the risk of project delays due to community opposition .
In addressing the complex challenges of our time , we must guard against a narrow view of sustainability . When sustainability becomes a check-box exercise , we miss out on tremendous opportunities to create win-win systems . We also create real risks . There have been cases where industries inadvertently increased their output of harmful chemicals – more harmful than carbon – in their efforts to reduce carbon emissions and gain market share .
Social , economic , and environmental sustainability are more than a triple bottom line ; they are parts of a complex , and inseparably integrated system . Let us connect differently , across traditional boundaries , to explore our shared challenges more deeply . Let us draw inspiration from nature ’ s intricate designs and elegant solutions to create deeper sustainability , together . RACA
“ Implementing sustainable processes in old plants is complex ; for example , creating a digital twin for optimisation is often impractical due to a lack of existing plans or data .”
www . refrigerationandaircon . co . za RACA Journal I October 2024 43