Focus area 4: The Environment, Climate Change and Sustainability
The Environment, Climate Change and Sustainability Research Focus Area fosters research and activities that may promote sustainable utilization of resources, mitigation and adaptation of climate change effects and environmental issues. Climate change and its impacts exert additional pressure on natural resources available for developing countries’ economic development. Exploration and exploitation of these resources negatively affect man and ecological systems. This necessitates a societal sustainable balance between resource use, socio-economic development and the environment. Sustainable agricultural production systems, water management, wastewater remediation and reuse, biodiversity utilization and conservation, marine economy, sustainable designs, cyclical economy, waste management, green chemistry are some of the research themes in the Research Focus Area.
Research Niche Areas and the respective research thrusts are:
Research Niche Area 1: Climate Change and Sustainable Development
- Agriculture, environment and sustainability
- Climate change and biodiversity
- Climate change and marine economy
- Green economy
Research Niche Area 2: Climate Change and Sustainable Environment
- Conservation, sanitation and technologies
- Corporatizing climate change and environment
- Environmental (air, soil and water) assessment and monitoring
- Human health and environmental risk assessment and climate change
- Wastewater remediation and re-use
- Water resources management
Research Niche Area 3: Cyclical Economy and Design for Sustainability
- Cyclical economy
- Design for sustainability and climate change
- Solid waste management
Research Focus Area Leader
Prof Beatrice Olutoyin Opeolu - opeolub@cput.ac.za
