Chapter 3
eThekwini’s Green and Ecological
Infrastructure Policy Landscape
Abstract In this chapter, I will present the results of an investigation that I conducted
in August and September 2018 with experts inside and outside the eThekwini municipality who were involved in it’s green and ecological infrastructure policy landscape.
Although a green infrastructure plays an important role in the municipality’s urban
and peri-urban environment, an ecological infrastructure has a more prominent place
beyond its political boundaries. The uMngeni River, which supplies the bulk of
Durban’s water, originates in the rural areas of eThekwini’s municipal neighbours,
particularly the uMgungundlovu District Municipality and, to a certain extent, the
uThukela District Municipality. This river, as well as others, supply not only valuable goods and services, but they can also cause hardship. It is within this context,
as well as that of long-term anthropogenic climate change, that eThekwini frames
its green and ecological infrastructure policies. It is my conclusion that positivism
dominates the thinking and practice of municipal officials and members of the epistemic community that collaborate with the municipality. A theory that stands out is
liberal institutionalism. What is also noticeable is that the municipality’s Environmental Planning and Climate Protection Department consists of numerous experts
who focus on climate change adaptation as the foundation that underpins the theory. It
would appear, therefore, that an epistocracy is operating within the municipality and
driving its climate adaptation strategy, by using green and ecological infrastructure
initiatives.
Keywords eThekwini metropolitan municipality · Climate change adaptation ·
Green infrastructure · Ecological infrastructure · Positivism · Liberal
institutionalism
3.1 Introduction
In this penultimate chapter, I will report on the results of the PULSE
3 analysis. The
respondents that I interviewed during 2018 were from a host of institutions; for
example, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the eThekwini
Metropolitan Municipality, the Institute of Natural Resources (INR), the Palmiet
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license
to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
R. Meissner, eThekwini’s Green and Ecological Infrastructure Policy Landscape,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-53051-8_3
81
eThekwini’s Green and Ecological
Infrastructure Policy Landscape
Abstract In this chapter, I will present the results of an investigation that I conducted
in August and September 2018 with experts inside and outside the eThekwini municipality who were involved in it’s green and ecological infrastructure policy landscape.
Although a green infrastructure plays an important role in the municipality’s urban
and peri-urban environment, an ecological infrastructure has a more prominent place
beyond its political boundaries. The uMngeni River, which supplies the bulk of
Durban’s water, originates in the rural areas of eThekwini’s municipal neighbours,
particularly the uMgungundlovu District Municipality and, to a certain extent, the
uThukela District Municipality. This river, as well as others, supply not only valuable goods and services, but they can also cause hardship. It is within this context,
as well as that of long-term anthropogenic climate change, that eThekwini frames
its green and ecological infrastructure policies. It is my conclusion that positivism
dominates the thinking and practice of municipal officials and members of the epistemic community that collaborate with the municipality. A theory that stands out is
liberal institutionalism. What is also noticeable is that the municipality’s Environmental Planning and Climate Protection Department consists of numerous experts
who focus on climate change adaptation as the foundation that underpins the theory. It
would appear, therefore, that an epistocracy is operating within the municipality and
driving its climate adaptation strategy, by using green and ecological infrastructure
initiatives.
Keywords eThekwini metropolitan municipality · Climate change adaptation ·
Green infrastructure · Ecological infrastructure · Positivism · Liberal
institutionalism
3.1 Introduction
In this penultimate chapter, I will report on the results of the PULSE
3 analysis. The
respondents that I interviewed during 2018 were from a host of institutions; for
example, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the eThekwini
Metropolitan Municipality, the Institute of Natural Resources (INR), the Palmiet
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license
to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
R. Meissner, eThekwini’s Green and Ecological Infrastructure Policy Landscape,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-53051-8_3
81