Sustainable Industries Conference, Pretoria, South Africa: Charting the way for global eco-industrial solutions
Global leaders unite at 2024 Sustainable Industries Conference to drive eco-industrial innovation
The 2024 Sustainable Industries Conference held in Pretoria, South Africa, brought together industry leaders, policymakers, and experts from around the world to discuss cutting-edge strategies for creating sustainable and efficient industrial spaces. Hosted by the National Cleaner Production Center – South Africa (NCPC-SA), along with its partners, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and the South African Department for Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic), the three-day event showcased the future of industrial efficiency through various Eco-Industrial Park (EIP) related topics.
A platform for cross-sectoral collaboration, innovation and transformative ideas
The event was part of a larger conference on “Industrial Efficiency and International Eco-Industrial Parks & Areas” by the NCPC-SA. It took place from 11 to 13 September 2024 in Pretoria at the International Convention Centre of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), in conjunction with the NCPC-SA’s biennial conference on industrial efficiency. This was more than a conference – it was a platform for cross-sectoral collaboration, innovation, and transformative ideas. The conference was split across three action-packed days. The first day focused on industrial efficiency at a national level, the second day covered EIP-related topics, culminating in a site visit on the third day to the Rosslyn Industrial Area, in the northern outskirts of Pretoria, which is the production site for major multinational companies such as BMW, Nissan, Tata, South African Breweries and Nampak. Speakers addressed a wide array of topics such as resource efficiency, circularity, digitisation, performance management, localisation and environmental sustainability.
NatuReS driving the international dialogue on eco-industrial development and Just Transition
As key partners of the conference, the GIZ’s Natural Resources Stewardship Programme (NatuReS), played a pivotal role in broadening the international dialogue on eco-industrial development. NatuReS facilitated the attendance of 18 international delegates, including speakers from its partner countries Ethiopia, Tanzania and Zambia to share insights, knowledge and experiences on how stewardship multi-stakeholder partnerships are advancing a Just Transition to greener, more sustainable industrial practices, while expanding the network of experts and stakeholders involved in sustainable industrial space activities.
Here are some of the key presentations:
Eng. Miriam Esanju from the Wami Ruvu Basin Water Board in Tanzania, presented on “Improving Environmental Sustainability and Compliance for Special Economic Zones (SEZ) through a Stewardship Multi-Stakeholder Partnership (SMSP).” Her talk highlighted how Tanzania is using collaborative approaches to enhance environmental standards in industrial spaces.
Mr. Mergia Kuma, Head of the Environment, Health, and Social Safeguard Department at Ethiopia’s Industrial Park Development Corporation (IPDC), delved into the “Engagement of an Industrial Park with Multiple Stakeholders through the Stewardship Approach.” His case study of Ethiopia’s industrial parks demonstrated the power of cross-sectoral partnerships to drive sustainable development.
Bernd Oellermann of NCPC presented an innovative approach to industrial sustainability with his talk, “Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for Industrial Parks – Increasing Sustainability and Resilience of Industrial Spaces.” He shared best practices in operational guidelines that enhance the long-term viability of eco-industrial areas.
In a dual presentation, Dr. Faith Lawrence from the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) in Scotland and Sarah Beerhalter, Head of the GIZ’s NatuReS Programme in Germany, explored the synergies between different sustainability frameworks in their talk, “Eco-Industrial Parks Framework (EIP), Alliance for Water Stewardship Standard (AWS Standard), and the Natural Resources Risk and Action Framework (NRAF).”
Reem Mahmoud Abdel Aziz from GIZ Egypt and Mark Jaeger from GIZ’s Sustainable Industrial Areas Working Group in Germany wrapped up the sessions with “Sustainable Industrial Area Transformation: GIZ Tools and Approaches,” providing a deep dive into practical tools that industries can use to transition toward more sustainable operations.
Building a greener, more sustainable future
To provide the chance for more in-depth exchange between the delegates, the NatuReS programme organised a networking event on the evening of 12September. This event allowed participants to build on initial discussions held earlier this year at the the 12th Zambian Water Forum and Exhibition (ZAWAFE) which took place on 11to 13 June 2024 in Lusaka, Zambia, and laid the foundation for cooperation and knowledge sharing between the partners. The event also enabled the partners to deepen their understanding of the stewardship approach and opened up new avenues for the replication of the NatuReS stewardship partnership approach and tools across the different sectors and countries. Building on these discussions, plans are underway for further exchange meetings to take place in Ethiopia and Tanzania in the future, where stakeholders will continue to develop partnerships and share knowledge that can help scale sustainable practices in industrial areas across the continent.
The 2024 Sustainable Industries Conference was more than just a meeting of minds – it was a catalyst for change, offering a blueprint for how countries and industries worldwide can collaborate to build a greener, more sustainable future.