In South Africa, the term co-operative government is increasingly used in the context of environmental management whilst public participation is enshrined in the South African legal framework. Within the context of co-operative environmental management, concepts such as intergovernmental relations, partnerships, collaboration and co-management are brought into consideration; thus emphasising the importance of working together and soliciting public input to manage the environment in a sustainable manner. The article argues that the notion of managing the environment on the basis of co-operative government principles and active stakeholder participation is currently a topical issue among the South African policy and development fraternity. In addition, various role-players argue that to promote sustainability, a multi-dimensional approach may be applicable as far as environmental management is concerned. In South Africa and Sub-Saharan