| ID | 173863 |
| Title Proper | Green transition in South Africa? sociotechnical experimentation in the Atlantis Special Economic Zone |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Grant, Richard ; Carmody, Padraig ; Murphy, James T |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | South Africa faces interconnected challenges of developing and diversifying its economy and adapting to and mitigating the impacts of climate change. A green policy tilt is ascendant in the country, manifest in a cascading array of policies and special initiatives. Utilising concepts from the multi-level perspective on socio-technical transitions, we assess Africa's first designated Green Special Economic Zone (SEZ), Atlantis SEZ (ASEZ) in the Western Cape, a niche innovation aimed at transforming the Province's industrial base. This initiative is very ambitious in four respects: (1) it links green SEZ development in a deprived metropolitan area to the broader regional economy; (2) it utilises an innovative governance structure; (3) it promises localization economies and export potential; and (4) it connects SEZ niche experimentation with emergent renewable energy regimes. While elements are in place which might seed a sociotechnical transition, societal and political forces (i.e. landscape features) continue to limit its realisation, highlighting the immanent, structural realities shaping South Africa's economic futures. |
| `In' analytical Note | Journal of Modern African Studies Vol. 58, No.2; Jun 2020: p.189-211 |
| Journal Source | Journal of Modern African Studies 2020-06 58, 2 |
| Key Words | Socio - Technical Transition ; Atlantis ; Green Special Economic Zone |