Field of research

• Sustainability transitions
• Public policy change
• Green economy

Profile

Mapula Tshangela is currently the Director of Climate Change Mitigation Sector Plan Implementation with the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA). Her responsibilities includes management of private sector greenhouse gas mitigation plan regulations and support to Provinces and Local Government on their climate change mitigation strategies and plans implementation. She supports education initiatives on climate change mitigation capacity building and training.

Tshangela was previously Senior Policy Advisor: National Sustainable Development. She managed several initiatives including National Strategy for Sustainable Development, National Green Economy Summit, conceptualization of the National Green Fund, the South Africa Green Economy Modelling report, and the Environment Sector Research, Development and Evidence (R, D&E) Framework.

Tshangela was Director: Cabinet & Cluster Policy Coordination and Deputy Director: Pollution and Waste Information at the DEA from 2007 to 2011 and was seconded during 2017/18 as Acting Chief Director: Environmental Management at KZN EDTEA.

Prior to joining the DEA in 2007, Ms Tshangela worked at  Eskom in generation, distribution and Head Office positions between 1997 and 2007, including in impact assessments, environmental sustainability performance reporting, environmental, waste, air quality and pollution management, water cycle chemistry, laboratory chemical analysis and quality control systems.

Recent publications:

Conference paper: Tshangela, M., Swilling, M., 2019 (Forth coming). Topic: Fostering sustainability technological innovation transitions: Five lenses to explain transversal policy mixes’ dynamics in South Africa, 2002-2018. 4th International Conference on Public Policy (ICPP2019), 26-28 June 2019, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada.

Conference paper: Tshangela, M., Swilling, M., 2019 (Forth coming). Topic: Policy niche spaces in the termination of unsustainable socio-technical policy regime: Five lenses to explain the role of local governments in South Africa, 2002-2018. 4th International Conference on Public Policy (ICPP2019), 26-28 June 2019, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada.

Conference paper: Mqadi, L., Tshangela, M., 2019 (Forth coming). Topic: A review of South Africa’s electricity policies for a just low carbon transition: A policy mix approach. 10th International Sustainability Transitions (IST2019), 23-26 June 2019, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada

Book chapters introduction: Tshangela, M, 2018. Risk and governance in natural resources: the role of system dynamics, systems thinking and systems perspective, In Mensah, P., Katerere, D., Hachigonta, S., Roodt, A., 2018 (Eds), 2018. Systems Analysis Approach for Complex Global Challenges.

Conference paper: Tshangela, M., Swilling, M., 2017. Topic: Five complementary lenses in sustainability transitions and policy dynamics: A literature review. 8th International Sustainability Transitions (IST2017), 18-21 June 2017, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden

Conference paper: Tshangela, M., Swilling, M., 2017. Topic: Complementary lenses in policy change framework: South Africa case of sustainability transitions. 3rd International Conference on Public Policy (ICPP3), 28-30 June 2017, National University of Singapore, Singapore

Conference paper: Tshangela, M., 2017. Policy relevant evidence for South Africa green economy and environmental sustainability transitions (PRE-SAGEEST), 2008-2016: Evidence Review. 6th World Sustainability Forum, 27 -28 January 2017 Cape Town,

Working paper: Shaxson, L., Datta, A., Tshangela, M. and Matomela, B. (2016) Understanding the organisational context for evidence-informed policy-making. Pretoria: Department of Environmental Affairs; and London: Overseas Development Institute

Government guideline: Wills, A., Tshangela, M., Shaxson, L., Datta, A., and Matomela, B. (2016) Guidelines and good practices for evidence-informed policymaking in a government department. Pretoria: Department of Environmental Affairs; and London: Overseas Development Institute

Government Report: Wills, A., M. Tshangela, N. Bohler-Muller, A. Datta, N. Funke, L. Godfrey, B. Matomela, G. Pienaar, N. Pophiwa, L. Shaxson, W. Strydom and Ke, Y. (2016) Evidence and policy in South Africa’s Department of Environmental Affairs. Pretoria: Department of Environmental Affairs and London: Overseas Development Institute

Book chapter: Musango, J., Tshangela, M., 2016. Green growth engines and green jobs. Chapter 5 in Mark Swilling, Josephine Musango, Jeremy Wakeford (editors), 2016. Greening the South African economy: scoping the issues, challenges and opportunities, UCT Press

Conference poster: Tshangela, M., Swilling, M., 2015. Topic: Overlaps in sustainability transitions and policy change: A South African case of green economy policies. International Sustainability Transitions (IST2015), August 2015, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom

Government report: Department of Environmental Affairs, 2015. A report from the first international conference on “Innovation for Sustainability under Climate Change and Green Economy”, 26-28 May 2015. Pretoria

Journal article: Tshangela, M., 2014. Environmental technology assessment for enhanced green economy transition in South Africa, International Journal of African Renaissance Studies – Multi-, Inter- and Transdisciplinarity, 9:2, 213-226

Book chapter: Nhamo, G., Pophiwa, N., Tshangela, M., 2014. Mapping the green economy landscape in South Africa.Chapter 2in Nhamo G (editor), 2014. Breakthrough: Corporate South Africa in a green economy, Africa Institute of South Africa

Journal article: Musango, J.K., Brent, A.C., Tshangela, M., 2014. Green economy transitioning of the South African power sector: A system dynamics analysis approach, Development Southern Africa