Abstract:
Landscape architecture is not formally affiliated with environmental justice in South Africa. This is concerning given that the country is the
most socio-economically unequal worldwide and that local cities contain
dire urban realities and climate-related risks with degraded and unsafe
green open spaces. We explored the potential within local professional
praxis for addressing inequities related to green open spaces in the
urban environment. Narratives were collected via 25 in-depth interviews
from a diverse sample. We found that though landscape architects have
yet to be exposed to ‘environmental justice’ as a term and as a movement, practitioners have an implicit awareness of environmental inequity
as a lived reality. We argue that these professionals have the potential
to actively promote environmental justice, evidenced by how practitioners
currently address justice concerns and challenges. We call for more active
and authentic engagement around environmental justice within the
profession here and internationally.
