The interplay between politics, policy and economics : the case of environmental policy in Lebanon -

Abstract

In Lebanon, people have been highly dependent on natural resources in an unsustainable way. This, in addition to the lack of governmental regulations, led to environmental degradation mainly in the hydrosphere and forestry. This environmental degradation is partly due to the lack of environmental awareness. In addition, the Lebanese environmental movement has not been doing much to change the situation; thus, it is portrayed as a dormant movement. In this paper, I am studying the path to having an applicable environmental policy in Lebanon. I argue, using the Institutional Analysis and Development framework (IAD), and the Common Pool Resources theory (CPR), that the science-based approach adopted by Ricardus Haber in his case studies will lead to a better environmental situation in Lebanon. Quantitative and qualitative methodologies were used to identify the causes of the retreat of the environmental movement in Lebanon. Many Lebanese environmental issues are examined by comparing the different processes used to handle them. Comparison is done to study the actors and action arenas in environmental policy planning in Lebanon, what hinders it, and how to improve the current environmental situation. Presenting some contributions from fifteen interviewed activists and academics, this work attempts to promote a stronger practical orientation in environmental movement in Lebanon, which seeks to make influence in solving existing problems, and develop significant changes in environmental policy. The research concludes that Haber’s strategy is mostly successful and recommends ways to adopt it and improve the current environmental situation.