(Stellenbosch University, Centre for Chinese Studies, 2014-01) Cisse, Daoude; Grimm, Sven; Nolke, Andreas
Africa clearly needs foreign investments for its development. But such investments in extractive
industries and hydropower projects should not cause ecological degradation and threaten the
livelihoods of many Africans. Sustainability comprises economic, social and environmental
dimensions and is thus a broad concept, rather describing a balancing act and a process of
continuous improvement than an achievable target. The emphasis of this paper is on the
environmental dimension of sustainability and how it sits with the other dimensions, particularly in
Chinese investments in African states. The discussion is embedded into the general context of the
rise of non-triad multinational enterprises and its implications for transnational regulation.