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Joseph Edward B. Alegado's doctoral thesis examines the intersections of degrowth, alternatives to development in the Global South, and zero waste. Using Erik Olin Wright’s social-ecological modes of transformation, I aimed to study the critical pathways of degrowth in the Global South with a focus on four crucial themes in the degrowth field: commoning, North-South justice, localization, and participatory decision-making. These were explored through fieldwork in two communities in central Philippines in particular Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental province and Siquijor province. These were communities who were implementing zero waste systems in their villages. My research used a political ecology lens and qualitative methodologies, specifically interviews, participant observation, focus-group discussions, and a participatory approach called photo voice.

The study finds that the proponents of zero waste adopted a combination of strategies in pushing for zero waste in their respective communities. While Dumaguete City’s zero waste initiatives first utilized a combination of symbiotic transformation and interstitial transformation, that work with existing systems and institutions, participants shifted gear to adopt strategies that worked outside or aimed to reshape existing structures (ruptural transformation) because local government pushed back on the zero waste initiative. Siquijor, on the other hand, primarily worked through symbiotic and interstitial modes of transformation because of strong support from the provincial government. These different strategies show the diverse ways in which the socio-ecological transformations associated with degrowth and zero waste take shape.

My research concludes that social-ecological transformation relies on recognition of North-South inequalities, in particular labor precarity among workers in the South dealing with single-use plastics waste from corporations headquartered in the North. Second, structural inequalities of power within communities could undermine the scope for alternatives to development like zero waste and degrowth to flourish. Lastly, degrowth thinking in these zero waste communities was articulated in terms of aspirations that included zero waste. More broadly, these contribute to already existing alternatives to developments in the Philippines and potentially the global South.

Biography: Joseph Edward B. Alegado is a PhD candidate in the Resources, Environment and Development Group (RE&D) at the Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University, supported by the Australian Government Research Training Program (AGRTP). He also teaches at Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University in the Philippines. As practitioner-academic, he also used to work in Oxfam Philippines, Break Free From Plastic as a communications campaigner for environmental movements in the Asia Pacific region in the areas of plastic pollution and climate change. He also handled an Australian Government DFAT-funded project on disaster risk reduction.

Rethinking alternatives to development in the Global South: Philippines’ zero waste communities as a case of degrowth

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