ID: 2008
Presenting Author: Magretha Pierce
Session: 639 - Contested Narratives: Misinformation, Mobilisation and Impact Assessment
Status: pending
This presentation explores how Cape Town’s marine sewage outfalls have become a focal point for debates about environmental risk, mental health and public trust, highlighting the gap between scientif
Cape Town’s marine sewage outfalls offer a unique lens into the contested relationships between environmental health science, community perceptions and urban governance. This presentation examines the psychosocial and public health dimensions of marine sewage discharges along Cape Town’s coast. Emphasis will be placed on the distinction between actual health risks—defined through epidemiological and monitoring evidence—and perceived risks shaped by local experience, historical legacies and political discourse.
Special attention is given to the mental health implications of protracted environmental uncertainty, including anxiety, stress and erosion of community trust. These tensions are heightened in a city marked by persistent inequalities and historical distrust in public authorities. The study will interrogate how digital, print and social media platforms influence public perception, with misinformation and fear often amplifying concerns and shaping both The importance of the participatory processes, transparent evidence-based communication and the explicit inclusion of health and psychosocial metrics in environmental impact frameworks are highlighted. Further, it explores the critical role of healthy marine coastal systems for both ecological integrity and community well-being. By focusing on the contemporary Cape Town case, the presentation seeks to inform broader global conversations about legitimacy, trust and public engagement in managing complex urban environmental health risks.
Dr Pierce is the CEO and founder of Bioswitch Africa specialising in health analysis covering impacts, risks and needs of policies and projects on the African continent.