Dillip Kumar Das

Some happy, others sad: exploring environmental justice in solid waste management in Kinshasa, The Democratic Republic of Congo

ABSTRACT This paper explores the concept of environmental justice (EJ) in solid waste management (SWM) in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It evaluates the extent to which EJ occurs in SWM and discusses the factors accounting for this state of affairs. The paper examines the relevant theoretical framework(s) and mechanisms that would facilitate the attainment of EJ in Kinshasa. It is argued that solid waste (SW) often ends up in the poorest and least powerful communities in the cities of the DRC. A qualitative research methodology, which includes exhaustive critical review of the literature, system analysis, reflections from best practices through case studies and discussion with stakeholders, was used for this study. Findings revealed that SWM in Kinshasa is a duty entrusted to publicly-funded municipal authorities. There are evidences of a clear divide between the rich and poor neighbourhoods in the manner SW is managed. This is an inequality that has only recently begun to be recognised as injustice practices in SWM. It is argued that a politico-cultural mechanism on remedying SWM inequities could enable changes that will address EJ in Kinshasa. Such a solution will go directly against the prevailing notion “some happy, others sad”.

Cities as Forces for Good in the Environment: A Systems Approach

Background: The various elements of infrastructure in cities and their systems of governance—for transport, buildings, solid waste management, sewerage and wastewater treatment, and so on—may be re-worked such that cities may become forces for good (CFG, for short) in the environment. The chapter is a study in the lessons learned from implementing and pursuing research into how a systems approach can be employed to meet the challenges of achieving CFGs. Methodology: Four case studies in CFG are presented within the framework of the methods and computational models of Systems Dynamics (SD): transport infrastructure for the Kanyakumari city-region in India, resource recovery from wastewater infrastructure in the city of Harare, Zimbabwe, environmental injustice in the handling of solid municipal wastes in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, and improving the use of energy in university campus buildings in Bloemfontein, South Africa. Application/Relevance to systems analysis: The chapter presents the successes and the difficulties of undertaking Applied Systems Analysis (ASA) in demanding urban contexts. Policy and practice implications: Policy for CFG derived from ASA often appears to be a matter of determining better technological innovations and engineering interventions in the infrastructure of cities, while practice often demands that infrastructure improvements follow from social and institutional improvements. Conclusion: The first of three conclusions is that combining the rigorous, logical, non-quantitative, more discursive and more incisive style of thinking derived from the humanities, particularly, social anthropology, with better computational modelling will yield better outcomes for ASA. Secondly, in a global context, cities—as opposed to nation-states—are increasingly becoming the locations and scale at which today’s environmental, economic, and social “problems” might best be “solved”. Third, and last, we conclude that South Africa, while it may not have a long tradition of problem-solving according to ASA, has for us emphasised (through our experience of the South African YSSPs) the limitations of an historical over-reliance on hard, quantitative methods of systems analysis.

Modeling a transformational route to infrastructure sustainability in South Africa

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose a model for operationalizing the integrated use of lean and sustainability concepts for infrastructure delivery. This model is premised on the need for the attainment of a sustainable built environment through efficient infrastructure delivery. Design/methodology/approach A case study research design was used in assessing five purposively selected cases within Gauteng province in South Africa. These facilities attained Green Building Council of South Africa ratings of 5- to 6-star, for the rating of green buildings and available evidence of integration of lean principles at the developmental stage. Questionnaires were administered to project’s role-players and semi-structured interviews were conducted with the users and facility managers, in order to elicit data for the model development. Questionnaire survey was adopted for the model validation. Findings The lean-sustainability platform for infrastructure delivery demonstrates features such as resources, drivers, barriers, activities, outputs, the results, and the ultimate impact. The findings give insight into various components of the model. It validates its robustness and highlights leadership among other critical factors necessary for successful operationalization of the lean-sustainability ethos required to transform the delivery of infrastructure. Practical implications The developed model provides a transformational route for achieving infrastructure sustainability. The lean-sustainable indicators identified will serve as evaluation tools for assessing lean-sustainability ethos during the delivery phases of infrastructure projects. Originality/value The model provides a new way of thinking about infrastructure project delivery regarding the need to promote sustainability in the built environment.