The integrated metropolitan environmental policy of the City of Cape Town : an implementation evaluation

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The thesis examines the implementation process of the Integrated Metropolitan Environmental Policy (IMEP) and its Environmental Agenda of the City of Cape Town (COCT), which is coordinated and implemented by the Environmental Resource Management Department (ERMD) within the COCT. A literature review is presented on the discourse of public policy and more specifically policy implementation. The literature review revealed complexities of policy implementation and how certain variables can directly affect the process of implementation. Therefore as a result of this, the different approaches and models of implementation that is discussed in the literature gives rise to a kind of consensus regarding important variables that policy makers and implementers need to consider in order to ensure that successful policy implementation is realised. The literature review indicates that the process of policy formulation and implementation does not operate in isolation and for this reason the thesis also looks at the South African legislative framework that informs and guides environmental policy. A background on the ERMD is provided, which highlights the departments role and key priorities with regards to environmental management. The research findings on IMEP show that the policy has become outdated due to the fact that it has never been updated since its inception in 2003. Data collected also show that a lack of monitoring and evaluation tools and a weak institutional positioning of the policy has not provided it with the necessary strategic direction and leadership for its implementation. What was also clear was the fact that there was no clear communication strategy or transversal working groups in place to support the implementation of the policy over time. The thesis finally provides clear recommendations for the ERMD with regards to developing a new environmental policy for the COCT. These recommendations include the following: developing new tools to implement environmental policy principles; aligning environmental policy with national, provincial and city strategic directives for environmental management and objectives; provide closer engagement with partners inside and outside the organisation; developing an appropriate M&E oversight system; developing a communication strategy for the policy; and developing policy at the strategic level. These recommendations will only add value to environmental policy if the variables that affect policy implementation are identified and adhered to in the future.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University