Science, Technology and Innovation for a Circular Economy (STI4CE)
With its multi-sectoral expertise, the CSIR is well positioned to explore the opportunities a circular economy provides South Africa, through the lens of science, technology and innovation.
The following eight, short CSIR think-pieces suggest that transitioning to a more circular economy has the potential to create value across all sectors of the South African economy – opportunities to decouple development from resource consumption and in so doing, improve local and global competitiveness of our manufacturing sector; improve food security through regenerative agriculture; create more sustainable, liveable cities; improve economic development through efficient mobility systems; and decouple economic development from the demands placed on our energy and water systems, already under considerable strain in South Africa.
CSIR Technical Reports:
| ➜ | Climate and the Circular Economy: Padayachi, Y. et al. (2023). Climate mitigation as a driver for transitioning to a circular economy in South Africa. CSIR: Pretoria |
| ➜ | Water and the Circular Economy: Seetal, A. et al. (2023). Enabling South Africa’s Water Security through a Circular Economy. CSIR: Pretoria |
| ➜ | Energy and the Circular Economy: Pandarum, A., et al. (2023). Improving energy security in South Africa through a more circular energy sector. CSIR: Pretoria |
| ➜ | Mining and the Circular Economy: Khan, S. et al. (2022). South Africa’s resource availability as a driver for transitioning to a Circular Economy. CSIR: Pretoria |
| ➜ | Agriculture and the Circular Economy: Okole, B. et al. (2022). Improved food security in South Africa through a more circular agricultural sector. CSIR: Pretoria |
| ➜ | Manufacturing and the Circular Economy: Fazluddin, S., et al. (2022). A more competitive South African manufacturing sector through a circular economy. CSIR: Pretoria |
CSIR Book:
| ➜ | Book: Godfrey, L. (2021). The circular economy as development opportunity. CSIR: Pretoria |
CSIR Briefing Notes:
| ➜ | Introduction: Nahman, A. et al. (2021). Driving economic growth in South Africa through a low carbon, sustainable and inclusive circular economy. CSIR: Pretoria |
| ➜ | Mining: Khan, S. et al. (2021). Placing the South African mining sector in the context of a circular economy transition. CSIR: Pretoria |
| ➜ | Agriculture: Okole, B. et al. (2021). Supporting food security and economic development through circular agriculture. CSIR: Pretoria |
| ➜ | Manufacturing: Fazluddin, S. (2021). Supporting the development of a globally competitive manufacturing sector through a more circular economy. CSIR: Pretoria |
| ➜ | Human settlements: Cooper, A. et al. (2021). Creating resilient, inclusive, thriving human settlements through a more circular economy. CSIR: Pretoria |
| ➜ | Mobility: Mokoena, R. et al. (2021). Facilitating sustainable economic development through circular mobility. CSIR: Pretoria |
| ➜ | Energy: Msimanga, X. et al. (2021). Decoupling South Africa’s development from energy demand through a more circular economy. CSIR: Pretoria |
| ➜ | Water: Seetal, A. et al. (2021). Decoupling South Africa’s development from water demand through a circular economy. CSIR: Pretoria |
South Africa has a very linear, resource extractive-based economy, with large throughputs of resources; predominantly inland extraction and manufacturing of goods; export of resources for further international beneficiation; little resource ‘investment’ in local stocks; and even smaller resource returns into the economy, placing the country at risk in terms of resource depletion or over exploitation, with the potential to directly disrupt the South African economy. At the same time, there is growing demand by industrialized countries for access to finite resources.
For further information contact Prof Linda Godfrey, CSIR Hosted National Programmes