Papers by Rebecca Maserumule
Circular Economy: Recent Trends in Global Perspective
The circular economy is not new to South Africa. As a country facing high levels of unemployment,... more The circular economy is not new to South Africa. As a country facing high levels of unemployment, poverty, and inequality, end-of-life products are often repaired and reused, driven largely by an active informal sector. As a water scarce country, grey water has been recycled and reused for decades, with returns making up 13% of South Africa's available water. And facing an energy crisis since 2007, renewable energy has grown to 11% of South Africa's energy supply. While there is certainly much progress still to be made in scaling-up activities in the waste, energy, and water sectors, this chapter provides insights into some of the initiatives already in place to catalyse South Africa's transition to a more circular economy. In addition to the sector opportunities, the chapter also explores the role of government, business, and science, technology, and innovation in unlocking a circular economy in South Africa. It is acknowledged that further circular economy opportunities in resource-intensive sectors such as agriculture, human settlements, transport, and manufacturing need to be identified, and that more needs to be done in addressing "early stage" product design and resource demand.
When farmers pump groundwater from a borehole for irrigation, they may ask : What is the quality ... more When farmers pump groundwater from a borehole for irrigation, they may ask : What is the quality of water pumped from the underground reservoir, or how much more water is available in the near future? The farmer will rarely ask what the age of the water is.
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Papers by Rebecca Maserumule