The country has developed a range of progressive environmental legislation and policies that establish a sound basis for biodiversity mainstreaming (OECD, 2013, Huntley, 2014). The global financial crisis prompted a reappraisal of South Africa’s carbon and resource intensive growth model, with a renewed focus on expanding the Green Economy (OECD, 2013). Although other national departments may have a small number of environmental staff in advisory roles, environmental issues generally fall outside of their primary mandate.