, PUB2606 Assignment 2 (COMPLETE GUIDELINE)
Semester 1 2025 (806189) - DUE April 2025; 100%
TRUSTED Complete, trusted solutions and
explanations.
Challenges Affecting Environmental Management in
South Africa: A Critical Analysis of Policy, Practice, and
Implementation Gaps
Introduction
Environmental management in South Africa is at a crossroads,
challenged by socio-economic pressures, political complexities, and
ecological degradation. The environment, as Das (n.d.) asserts, includes
all biotic and abiotic elements vital for human survival, hence the
necessity of sustainable environmental governance. South Africa has
developed progressive environmental policies, including the National
Environmental Management Act (NEMA), yet struggles persist due to
gaps between policy formulation and implementation. Drawing from
The Governance of Environmental Affairs, this analysis examines the
multidimensional challenges affecting environmental management in
South Africa, critically evaluating policy frameworks, institutional
practices, and implementation limitations.
1. Policy Complexity and Fragmentation
One of the foremost challenges is the fragmentation of environmental
governance frameworks. While South Africa has enacted robust
legislation—such as the NEMA, Biodiversity Act, and Air Quality
Act—these policies often overlap, leading to jurisdictional ambiguity
Semester 1 2025 (806189) - DUE April 2025; 100%
TRUSTED Complete, trusted solutions and
explanations.
Challenges Affecting Environmental Management in
South Africa: A Critical Analysis of Policy, Practice, and
Implementation Gaps
Introduction
Environmental management in South Africa is at a crossroads,
challenged by socio-economic pressures, political complexities, and
ecological degradation. The environment, as Das (n.d.) asserts, includes
all biotic and abiotic elements vital for human survival, hence the
necessity of sustainable environmental governance. South Africa has
developed progressive environmental policies, including the National
Environmental Management Act (NEMA), yet struggles persist due to
gaps between policy formulation and implementation. Drawing from
The Governance of Environmental Affairs, this analysis examines the
multidimensional challenges affecting environmental management in
South Africa, critically evaluating policy frameworks, institutional
practices, and implementation limitations.
1. Policy Complexity and Fragmentation
One of the foremost challenges is the fragmentation of environmental
governance frameworks. While South Africa has enacted robust
legislation—such as the NEMA, Biodiversity Act, and Air Quality
Act—these policies often overlap, leading to jurisdictional ambiguity
