Drivers, barriers, and enablers for greening industry in Sub-Saharan African countries

• Published in: Development southern Africa (Sandton, South Africa) South Africa), 2019-09, Vol.36 (5), p.570-584
• Main Authors: Luken, Ralph A., Clarence-Smith, Edward, Langlois, Lucille, Jung, Inae
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Attitudes; Barriers; Clean technology; cleaner production; Cost control; Greening industry; Literature reviews; national cleaner production centres; Polls & surveys; Savings; Strategic planning; Sub-Saharan Africa; Sustainable development; UN sustainable development goals
• ISSN: 0376-835X; 1470-3637
• DOI: 10.1080/0376835X.2018.1503944

A survey was undertaken in 2016 of key informants in seven Sub-Saharan African countries about why there had been limited greening of industry in their countries. The results of this survey, combined with analysis of earlier studies drawn from a focused SSA literature review, find a multitude of relevant factors that act as drivers for, barriers to, and enablers for changing managerial attitudes and strategies on greening. The dominant cluster of drivers involves material costs, both the high costs of inputs and the related need for cost savings. The dominant cluster of barriers relates to the lack of information. Enablers, who play an important and essential role in lowering the barriers in firms to greening, figure weakly in the 11 reports considered. This possibly reflects the lack of effective government programmes that are essential for accelerating the greening of industry as called for in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.