Decentralization as a policy option in Lebanon : the case of the waste management crisis and local level solutions -

Abstract

Post-civil war policy in Lebanon focused on infrastructural development that exacerbated rather than curtailed traditional clientalism whereby local patrons, representing the political or new financial elite, are in constant negotiations to expand their interests and networks. The 1989 Ta’if Agreement that ended the war enshrined the concept of decentralization as core to regional sustainable development and local participation. Although decentralization has long been part of the discourse among this elite, no practical policy measures have been developed as there has been no convergence of elite interests. In this context, the 2015 garbage crisis in Beirut and Mount Lebanon was considered by civil society as a possible tipping point to shift Lebanon’s environmental practices and policies, and potentially move away from the clientalist framework. In fact, the crisis catalyzed the creation of a social movement that called for among other things, decentralization in waste management as a sustainable solution. However, the political elite, working through public institutions, blocked possibilities for genuine reform even as garbage continued piling on the streets and the corresponding health and environmental risks accumulating. It was now up to local governments to take ad hoc policy decisions. This thesis examines the case of three such local governments, namely the municipalities of Choueir, Bikfaya and Beit Mery. Choueir’s solution consisted of an incinerator donated by Minister and local political figure Bou Saab. The solution initiated an uproar among residents and activists for its lack of compliance with environmental standards. Bikfaya opted for a sorting plant under the patronage and close involvement of prominent Gemayel family. Beit Mery’s solution followed the first two and adjusted the process to avoid their mishaps. The political interests in this case were less evident and resulted in a positive perception of the solution and the process. The thesis finds that in the absen