About the consortium
The consortium comprises established and emerging scholars in the fields of development studies; human geography; (inter)national, customary, constitutional and energy law; and sustainability governance. The consortium reflects equal partnership, with two South African universities, two Dutch universities and WWF South Africa (WWF-SA) as collaboration partner. The two central modules of the project are each led by one South African and one Dutch university, so that maximum potential for long-term SA-Dutch exchange and collaboration will be realised.
Research aims
The main societal concern that this project addresses is how and under what conditions WEF nexus governance enhances social justice. We aim to address this by generating transdisciplinary insights into how WEF communities can be empowered as agents of change in WEF nexus governance, through legal certainty and enhanced roles in decision-making at multiple levels.
In particular, the project aims to understand how WEF resources are distributed, used and produced at the household and community level, what their interlinkages are, and what is the role of the poorest and women in decision-making around this. For this, we use two case studies, Matatiele (Eastern Cape) and Vaalharts communities in North-West and Northern Cape provinces. Also, the project delves into the challenges and opportunities for incorporating community WEF initiatives in South Africa’s legal frameworks and what can be learned from EU legislation for increasing legal certainty and social justice.
North-West University, Faculty of Law
University of Fort Hare, Risk and Vulnerability Science Center, Faculty of Science & Agriculture
WWF South Africa
University of Groningen (RUG), Faculty of Law
Utrecht University (UU), Faculty of Geosciences
Key research areas
The objectives of the project ask for inter- and transdisciplinary approaches. For this reason, our consortium is composed of experts in the fields of environmental governance, legal and regulatory frameworks, energy communities, water, energy and food security. Furthermore, stakeholder engagement and knowledge co-creation are considered central aspects of the project to obtain relevant findings to support poor communities in improving their access to water, energy and food. Through active participation in the research, stakeholders from the community to the national level will build capacity and connections, including through a training of trainers' program targeting the poor, women and youth.
Research outputs
Research outputs include scientific articles, policy briefs, and guidelines on WEF nexus implementation in SA, including on the use/integration of WEF nexus data and open access methodology to monitor WEF nexus, PhD & MSc theses, sharing of insights
through GlobalGoals project, articles onThe Conversation and other popular scientific medi, WEF nexus festivals.
