Sustainable development is defined in the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) as "the integration of social, economic and environmental factors into planning, implementation and decision making so as to ensure that development serves present and future generations".

This definition of sustainable development informs the decisions of the Designated National Authority of the Clean Development Mechanism

Sustainable development criteria

In accordance with the NEMA definition of sustainable development, three core criteria are used to assess the contribution of proposed projects to sustainable development in South Africa. These are supported by additional indicators to allow the DNA to effectively regulate CDM project activity in South Africa.

The DNA evaluates CDM projects submitted to it through consideration of the following three criteria:

• Economic: Does the project contribute to national economic development?
• Social: Does the project contribute to social development in South Africa?
• Environmental: Does the project conform to the National Environmental Management Act principles of sustainable development?

These principles are that "sustainable development requires the consideration of all relevant factors", including the following:

• That the disturbance of ecosystems and loss of biological diversity are avoided, or where they cannot be avoided, are minimised and remedied;
• That pollution and degradation of the environment are avoided, or where they cannot be altogether avoided, are minimised and remedied;
• That the disturbance of landscapes and sites that constitute the nation's cultural heritage is avoided, or where it cannot be altogether avoided, is minimised and remedied;
• That waste is avoided, or where it cannot be altogether avoided, minimised and reused or recycled where possible and otherwise disposed of in a responsible manner;
• That the use and exploitation of non-renewable resources is responsible and equitable, and takes into account the consequences of the depletion of the resource;
• That the development, use and exploitation of renewable resources and the ecosystems of which they are part do not exceed the level beyond which their integrity is jeopardised;
• That a risk averse and cautious approach is applied, which takes into account the limits of current knowledge about the consequences of decisions and actions; and
• That negative impacts on the environment and on people's environmental rights be anticipated and prevented, and where they cannot be altogether prevented, are minimised and remedied.