This paper discusses how to balance environmental conservation with economic development in South Africa, with special reference to air quality. Mechanisms approved in a recent South African White Paper included: (1) acceptance of sustainable development as an aim of the `user pays' principle; (2) national environmental auditing programmes; (3) planning of road and rail networks to minimise damaging impacts; (4) investigation and introduction of economic and fiscal incentives; and (5) environmental education and information dissemination. The immediacies of various impacts should be evaluated. For example, in the transport sector, should more attention be paid to minimising the side effects of construction and development projects than to deteriorating air quality due to vehicle emissions ? There is a brief discussion of whether a developing country can afford sustainability measures. A comparison is made between the situations in the First and Third Worlds. Some areas of concern are identified, and six general recommendations are made.
Samenvatting