What are the priorities?

By Maggie Rees

The country of South Africa is a rapidly developing country with high hopes of reaching a resilient economy, healthier quality of life, and strong political power.  Such an agenda requires setting priorities for development.  Obviously, certain priorities advance in this hierarchy.  In many cases, legislation sticks to the urgencies reflected by a country’s economy, or other factors; when this occurs, the state often loses sight of the individual.  Local governments have propensities to keep the individual in mind.  It is often argued that such actions take away from the greater goal of development.

When it comes to climate change, concern for individuals, adaptation, and mitigation should be viewed as top priorities.  But the question is: does local government have the power to take precedent over national climate change legislation?  Debra Roberts in “Thinking globally, acting locally −institutionalizing climate change at the local government level in Durban, South Africa,” suggests a hybrid of local and national policy is an inclusive option.  Roberts states, “in South Africa, this local level action is critical, as past experience has shown that municipal innovation is often a key factor in catalyzing meaningful activity by both provincial and national governments.”  Local efforts prove to be beneficial in policymaking and national legislation.  When local communities come together, national progress transpires.