By Sheetal Schneider Cross
DURBAN – The third annual Green Growth Conference will be held on the 19th November 2014, at the International Convention Centre by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs.
This year, the conference will feature a KZN Industrial Symbiosis Workshop, themed ‘Innovative and Efficient Resource use’. The workshop is a ‘resource efficiency approach where unused resources (material, energy, water, assets, logistics and knowledge) of one company is used as an input by another, resulting in in mutual economic, social and environmental benefits’. “This year we have decided to split the conference into two separate days. The first day we have a line-up of 10 speakers, made up of government and sustainability though leaders and individual companies. These different groups will be speaking on topics such as “Circular Economy”, as well as case studies as to what different companies have done in the area of innovative and efficient resource use.
This year we won’t have panel discussions, but we have allocated more time for general questions and discussions from the floor,” said Liesel Beires, Green Economy Specialist, KZN Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs. She add that on the second day of the 20th, the department is going to be launching their “Industrial Symbiosis Programme for companies in KZN”. The interactive workshop will allow delegates to meet and discuss their resources with delegates from other companies, industries, research and development agencies, as well as recycling.
Alex Lemille, founder Wizeimpact (Pty) Ltd, a consultancy that measures corporate social impact, among other services has been looking at how businesses and government could create value to societies and the environment. At the conference, he will be presenting information on the ‘Circular Economy- its concept, its potential and ways to implement it’. He says he aims to advise on the best way to unleash job creation, ease policies that would help companies offer serviced products and grant access to less fortunate SA customers. This directly impacts consumers who will now be able to access products that they cannot afford in a linear economy of today. “I personally look at the social angle of a Circular Economy and its beneficial impacts to our societies, especially for South Africa. I called it a ‘Valued Circular Economy’, where social value is created to empower people and increase well-being,” he said.
According to the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, ‘Industrial Symbiosis’ has been identified as one of the best ways in which to green the business and industrial sector in the economy. It is a concept that hinges on the implementation of a circular economy, whereby waste is no longer viewed as a by-product or cost of production, but rather as an input into another economic activity. “One of the key resources that is exchanged or used as a by-product is energy and hence it is a programme that can assist in the province achieving its renewable energy targets as well as waste and Greenhouse gas emission targets,” said Beires.
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