Sustainable development and the South African Constitution: implications for built environment legislation

South Africa faces a range of social, economic and environmental challenges. HIV/Aids has resulted in life expectancy dropping from 67 years in 1998, to approximately 47 years and unemployment is estimated to be 27 per cent (2009 figures). South Africa also has one of the highest CO₂ emissions per GDP in the world and in 2002 carbon emissions per capita in South Africa were 8.4 tonnes/capita – higher than Western European averages of 7.9 tonnes/capita (Sustainable Energy Africa, 2006).