Overview

The mission of the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning is to promote a resilient, sustainable, quality and inclusive living environment in support of human well-being.

The Department’s strategic goals are: sustaining the ecological and agricultural resource bases; sustainable and integrated urban and rural settlements; good governance, integrated management and increased economic opportunity through low-carbon development, resource efficiency and the biodiversity economy.

The Constitution provides that everyone has the right to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being; and to have the environment protected, for the benefit of present and future generations, through reasonable legislative and other measures that prevent pollution and ecological degradation; promote conservation; and secure ecologically sustainable development and use of natural resources while promoting justifiable economic and social development.