The health of the environment is seldom mentioned in the same breath as job creation and economic growth. Now this interconnection has been highlighted in research by North-West University (NWU) alumnus Dalton Appolis.
Dalton, a financial analyst in the Financial Surveillance department of the <a href="https://absafricatv.com/mobilizing-private-capital-for-energy-health-security-and-jobs-in-south-africa/” title=”Mobilizing Private Capital for Energy, Health Security and Jobs in South Africa“>South African Reserve Bank (SARB), recently completed a master’s study on the relationship between economic growth, unemployment and the environment, as well as gender differences affecting these dynamics.
His study found that higher unemployment may reduce pressure on South Africa’s environment, while economic growth can increase it.
He also found differences between the impact of male and female unemployment on the environment. Male unemployment had a stronger but less stable link with environmental pressure while female unemployment showed a more consistent link across different economic conditions. In simple terms, the effect associated with male unemployment changed more sharply as economic conditions shifted, whereas the relationship involving female unemployment remained more predictable across both stronger and weaker economic periods.
The findings highlight a major challenge for South Africa: the country needs to create jobs and grow the economy without increasing pressure on the environment.
In his study, “The Environllips Curve from a gender perspective: Empirical evidence from South Africa”, Dalton analysed South African data from 1991 to 2022, including data on the country’s ecological footprint.
“My research looks at the relationship between unemployment and environmental degradation, with a focus on the difference in male and female unemployment and its effects on the environment,” he says.
The study suggests that lower unemployment can increase environmental pressure. As more people work, production may increase, which can lead to greater use of energy and natural re
Higher unemployment among both men and women was linked to a smaller ecological footprint. However, the effect differed by gender.
Male unemployment had a stronger effect on the environment, but the relationship changed across economic conditions. For example, its effect could become stronger during periods of economic decline or high unemployment and weaker during periods of economic growth or lower unemployment. This means that the environmental effect of male unemployment was not constant over time. Female unemployment had a more consistent effect during both weaker and stronger economic periods.
The study also found that economic growth increased environmental pressure. Trade moved in the same direction, although its direct effect was not statistically significant.
“The results underscore the structural nature of South Africa’s unemployment challenge, as economic growth does not automatically translate into creating employment,” says Dalton.
Economics and football co-exist
His interest in economics started alongside his passion for football. Dalton joined the Mahikeng Campus as a BCom student and football player at the Soccer Institute, with hopes of becoming a professional footballer.
He completed his BCom in 2010 and BComHons in 2011, graduating cum laude for both qualifications. He joined the SARB’s cadet graduate programme and later became a financial analyst.
Dalton credits his time at the Soccer Institute with preparing him for opportunities beyond football.
“It was never my intention or dream to work, as my passion has always been to play soccer,” he said in an earlier NWU interview. “I am, however, very happy that I took my studies seriously during my time at the Soccer Institute.”
