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UCT RESEARCH REPORT 2012
Energy Research Centre
The Energy Research Centre (ERC) conducts high-
quality, targeted and relevant research, as well as offering
postgraduate opportunities at master’s and doctoral
levels. The four main research areas are energy efficiency,
energy, environment and climate change, energy
poverty and development, and energy systems analysis
and planning. ERC staff members have qualifications in
engineering, natural and environmental sciences, urban
and regional planning, economics, law, politics, sociology,
and anthropology.
Director: Professor H Winkler
E-mail: harald.winkler@uct.ac.za
Web: http://www.erc.uct.ac.za
Environmental Evaluation
Unit
The Environmental Evaluation Unit (EEU) is an
independent, self-funded research, consulting and
training unit based at UCT. Founded in 1985, the EEU has
established itself as a leader in the fields of integrated
environmental and coastal management and sustainable
development, responding to local, regional and global
environmental challenges using an inter-disciplinary and
participatory approach. During this time, the EEU has
undertaken work throughout South Africa and Southern
Africa, has participated in global research and policy
initiatives, and has provided expertise to leading private
and public corporations, research institutions, planning
and development organisations, state departments, local
authorities, and communities. The EEU has implemented
a wide diversity of projects that have contributed to
academic debates and informed policy while having
practical impacts on the ground. The EEU works in five
main thematic areas: integrated environmental planning,
management and assessment; integrated coastal and
small-scale fisheries management; biodiversity use,
trade, livelihoods and social justice; sustainable business
and cross-sector collaboration; and public participation.
Director: Associate Professor M Sowman
E-mail: merle.sowman@uct.ac.za
Web: http://www.eeu.uct.ac.za
Nansen-Tutu Centre for
Marine Environmental Research
The Nansen-Tutu Centre for Marine Environmental
Research, under the patronage of Nobel Laureate
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, was set up in 2010
to assist in the worldwide need to develop the capacity
to understand, model and predict the state of the ocean
and its ecosystems, just as the meteorological services
do for weather and climate. The founding partners of
the Nansen-Tutu Centre in Norway and South Africa
have the necessary complementary expertise and
knowledge to address these challenges in the three
oceans around Southern Africa. A central theme for
the centre is to undertake research into the science
underpinning operational oceanography, particularly
in numerical ocean modelling, as well as continuing to
develop skilled African postgraduate marine scientists.
The centre actively contributes to the OceanSAfrica
initiative, with partners from the Department of
Environmental Affairs’ Ocean and Coasts Branch, the
South African Weather Service, the Council for Scientific
and Industrial Research, and the South African Earth
Observing Network.
Director: Professor FA Shillington
E-mail: frank.shillington@uct.ac.za
Web: http://ma-re.uct.ac.za/nansen-tutu-centre/
Plant Conservation Unit
The Plant Conservation Unit (PCU), established in
1993 and located in the Science Faculty, undertakes
research and teaching directed at improving the
conservation status of the vegetation of Southern
Africa, with a particular focus on the winter
rainfall region. Staff and students within the PCU
investigate palaeoecological, historical, and current
impacts on the vegetation of the region and work
closely with land users to conserve and prevent
further transformation of the region's biodiversity.
Director: Professor MT Hoffman
E-mail: timm.hoffman@uct.ac.za
Web: http://www.pcu.uct.ac.za
Animal Demography Unit
The mission of the Animal Demography Unit
(ADU) is to contribute to the understanding of bird
populations, especially bird-population dynamics,
and thus contribute to the conservation of avian
biodiversity. The ADU achieves these goals through
a variety of projects in which para-ornithologists
throughout Southern Africa can participate. These
projects range from identifying bird species, through
undertaking census surveys, to making detailed
observations on breeding productivity.
Director: Professor LG Underhill
E-mail: les.underhill@uct.ac.za
Web: http://web.uct.ac.za/depts/stats/adu/index.html
Research Groupings
associated with this theme