Sustainability in Sub-Saharan Africa

Problems, Perspectives, and Prospects

Edited by Jennifer L. De Maio; Suzanne Scheld and Mintesnot Woldeamanuel - Contributions by Chipo Dendere; Brian Dill; Heba Khalil; Florence Kyomugisha; Kristy Michaud; Mutombo Nkulu-N'Sengha and Blaine D. Pope

This book considers the issue of sustainability in sub-Saharan Africa. It assesses the progress that has been made in sustainable development and the challenges that must still be addressed. Most importantly, it focuses on African experiences with sustainable development. Using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the framework for the analysis, the manuscript traces how the discourse on sustainability has evolved from a cultural, political, economic, and social perspective. It focuses on the goals for climate action, sustainable cities and communities, institutions, and partnerships to examine the vulnerability of Africans to climate change, attitudes towards sustainability, ethical challenges to implementing sustainable development programs, the relationship between governance, poverty, and sustainability, environmental terrorism, sustainable health care, sustainable transportation, and the use of open green space to promote a sustainable urban community. The book integrates the theory, practice, ethics, and policy of sustainability to better understand the implications for problems and responses to sustainable development in Africa. No book has applied the SDGs to an evaluation of sustainable development in Africa. This book fills that gap. Chapters from leading scholars utilize various research methods combined with case study analysis to provide context and a deeper understanding of the critical issues in sustainability in the sub-Saharan African world.

The first section of the book examines the theory of sustainability and provides an overview of some of the most important institutional questions in the discourse on environmental policies in the African world. The next section of the book focuses on the issues and challenges that inform our understanding of sustainability and the implementation of best practices. Sustainability is examined in a global context as the difficulties in enforcing international standards and protections in the state-centered international order are considered. The final part of the book engages in a more in-depth examination of several specific examples of sustainability in urban Africa.

Lexington Books

Pages: 196 • Trim: 6⅜ x 9

978-1-4985-7395-5 • Hardback • November 2018 • $111.00 • (£85.00)

978-1-4985-7396-2 • eBook • November 2018 • $105.50 • (£82.00)

Subjects: Political Science / Public Policy / Environmental Policy, Political Science / World / Middle Eastern

Sustainability in Sub-Saharan Africa

Problems, Perspectives, and Prospects

Hardback

eBook

Summary

This book considers the issue of sustainability in sub-Saharan Africa. It assesses the progress that has been made in sustainable development and the challenges that must still be addressed. Most importantly, it focuses on African experiences with sustainable development. Using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the framework for the analysis, the manuscript traces how the discourse on sustainability has evolved from a cultural, political, economic, and social perspective. It focuses on the goals for climate action, sustainable cities and communities, institutions, and partnerships to examine the vulnerability of Africans to climate change, attitudes towards sustainability, ethical challenges to implementing sustainable development programs, the relationship between governance, poverty, and sustainability, environmental terrorism, sustainable health care, sustainable transportation, and the use of open green space to promote a sustainable urban community. The book integrates the theory, practice, ethics, and policy of sustainability to better understand the implications for problems and responses to sustainable development in Africa. No book has applied the SDGs to an evaluation of sustainable development in Africa. This book fills that gap. Chapters from leading scholars utilize various research methods combined with case study analysis to provide context and a deeper understanding of the critical issues in sustainability in the sub-Saharan African world.

The first section of the book examines the theory of sustainability and provides an overview of some of the most important institutional questions in the discourse on environmental policies in the African world. The next section of the book focuses on the issues and challenges that inform our understanding of sustainability and the implementation of best practices. Sustainability is examined in a global context as the difficulties in enforcing international standards and protections in the state-centered international order are considered. The final part of the book engages in a more in-depth examination of several specific examples of sustainability in urban Africa.

Details

Lexington Books

Pages: 196 • Trim: 6⅜ x 9

978-1-4985-7395-5 • Hardback • November 2018 • $111.00 • (£85.00)

978-1-4985-7396-2 • eBook • November 2018 • $105.50 • (£82.00)

Subjects: Political Science / Public Policy / Environmental Policy, Political Science / World / Middle Eastern

Author

Jennifer L. De Maio is professor of political science at California State University, Northridge.

Suzanne Scheld is professor of anthropology at California State University, Northridge.

Mintesnot Woldeamanuel is professor of urban studies and planning at California State University Northridge.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Sustainable Development and Sub-Saharan Africa, Jennifer De Maio, Suzanne Scheld and Mintesnot Woldeamanuel

Part I: History and Regional Context for Sustainability Discourse in Sub-Saharan Africa

Chapter 1: The History of Sustainable Development and the Emerging African Voice, Suzanne Scheld and Mintesnot Woldeamanuel

Chapter 2: Ethical Dilemmas in International Relief & Development Work, Blaine D. Pope

Chapter 3: War, Environmental Crisis, and “Mining Terrorism” in the Congo: Prolegomenon for an African Philosophy of Sustainability, Mutombo Nkulu-N'Sengha

Chapter 4: Good governance and Sustainable Development Challenges and Opportunities in Zimbabwe, Chipo Dendere

Part II: Climate Action and Institutional Partnership

Chapter 5: In the Hot Seat: The Impact of Vulnerability to Climate Change on Environmental Attitudes among Africans, Jennifer De Maio and Kristy Michaud

Chapter 6: Financing Sustainable Development? How International Tax Reform is Failing Africa, Brian Dill and Heba Khalil

Part III: Sustainable Cities and Communities

Chapter 7: Bridging the Health Divide: The Case of Holy Innocents Children Hospital Mbarara, Uganda, Florence Kyomugisha

Chapter 8: Sustainable Path to African Urban Development: The Case of the

Transportation Sector, Mintesnot Woldeamanuel

Chapter 9: Expectations of Public Space: Attachments, Environmental Responsibility, and Urban Sustainability in Dakar, Senegal, Suzanne Scheld

Conclusion: Theoretical Paradigms and Continuing Challenges, Jennifer L. De Maio, Suzanne Scheld and Mintesnot Woldeamanuel

About the Contributors

Reviews

While global policy discourse is dominated by sustainable development, in sub-Saharan African countries, sustainable development has remained elusive for many. What is Africa’s position on sustainability in the face of war and environmental crises, financial upheavals, resource management, climate change, under-resourced healthcare, and the explosion of population in urban areas? This timely and well-written collection examines the strategies that African nations have implemented to build economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection. The contributed chapters align with the goals of the global initiative on sustainability and cover all regions of the sub-continent. Through social, environmental and economic foci, the authors examine the links between health, water, climate change, transportation, natural resources, urban design, land use, and economic growth.
— Deborah Pellow, Syracuse University