Linking sustainable local economic development to a market-based carbon control regime: Carbon restoration projects in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa using Portulacaria afra

Abstract

Orientation: There is growing interest in how international climate change mitigation and adaptation programmes play out at the local level.Research purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the link between land restoration and carbon sequestration projects in the Eastern Cape, using Portulacaria afra (Spekboom), and market-based approaches to address global climate change.Motivation for the study: The Eastern Cape is one of the poorest areas of the country, and there is great emphasis on the establishment of economically and environmentally sustainable, as well as socially just, local economic development (LED) initiatives. However, LED projects are often not sustainable in the long run.Research design, approach and method: A mixed methods design, using data on international carbon markets, and key stakeholder interviews with those involved in LED land restoration programmes, was used. Qualitative results were analysed using Connelly’s (2007) framework for sustainable development, which included indicators for environmental protection, economic growth and social justice.Main findings: Stakeholders perceive the long-term financial sustainability of such projects as resting on their ability to earn carbon credits, despite the current very low international carbon prices.Practical/managerial implications: The long-term success of carbon-based restoration projects may depend on the establishment of a local carbon market or continued public funding. Upfront costs of land restoration projects are high and return only starts years later.Contribution/value-add: The establishment of a South African carbon market that helps carbon sequestration LED projects to meet the technical and administrative requirements needed to sell carbon credits will be an important determinant of their sustainability.

Smallholder farms have and can store more carbon than previously estimated

“…Scaling this across Malawian land suitable for agriculture, we estimate the value of the 33 Tg carbon gap to be USD 10.4 billion. Revising these carbon gaps is consequential for organizations investing in green development strategies because the value of these strategies is essential to the socioeconomic viability of carbon‐based development strategies (Polak & Snowball, 2019).…”

“…Revising these carbon gaps is consequential for organizations investing in green development strategies because the value of these strategies is essential to the socioeconomic viability of carbon-based development strategies (Polak & Snowball, 2019).…”

A Small-Scale Farming Intervention Plan for Inclusive Economic Development in Rural South Africa

“…Performance management mechanisms is a system for measuring how farmers are consistently performing [41]. These mechanisms allow policymakers and implementers to achieve a common goal which is adding on to local development through SSCF.…”

“…It is critical to provide practical methods that require information sharing and reporting among key stakeholders. First, social media and radio stations can increase information distribution [41]. The usage of farmers' databases allows extension officers to engage with farmers via SMS and MMS.…”

Herbivory and misidentification of target habitat constrain region-wide restoration success of spekboom (Portulacaria afra) in South African subtropical succulent thicket

“…This region-wide restoration project aims to restore degraded habitat via the planting of Portulacaria afra (hereafter spekboom) truncheons to create jobs, sequester carbon, restore biodiversity, reduce erosion, improve soil water holding capacity and catalyse private sector investment to upscale restoration ( Fig. 1 ) ( Mills & Cowling, 2006 ; Mills & Cowling, 2010 ; Van Luijk et al., 2013 ; Polak & Snowball, 2019 ). Spekboom is a succulent shrub or low tree (2–5 m) that is very drought resistant, establishes readily from cuttings, and is capable of sequestering impressive amounts of carbon for a semi-desert plant ( Mills & Cowling, 2006 ; Van der Vyver et al., 2013 ; Mills & Cowling, 2014 ; Guralnick & Gladsky, 2017 ), much of which is contributed to the soil pool via leaf litter ( Lechmere-Oertel et al, 2008 ; Mills & Cowling, 2010 ).…”