Pathways to Sustainability: A Neo-Gramscian Exploration of Just Transition Initiatives in Thailand and the Philippines

Main Article Content

April Grace Lazarito
Lucky Loreen Legaspi
Paramed Loiweha

Abstract

With the growing role of Southeast Asia as a strategic player in the global scene and the inherently transnational nature of issues and crises, this paper examines how the involved actors within the region navigate the complex and pressing issues that threaten the advancements of the region, specifically on the issue of climate change. In the face of just transition, developing countries like Thailand and the Philippines grapple with the dilemma between fully adopting just transition policies forwarded by multilateral agreements between different states and transnational organizations and focusing on existing issues like poverty, economic instability, and quality education. The objective of this paper is threefold. First is the identification of the national and multilateral initiatives of Thailand and the Philippines on just transition. Second, the examination of the impact of these initiatives on the economic and climate discourse of these countries. Lastly, this paper will provide a comparative analysis of just transition initiatives between Thailand and the Philippines framed after Winkler’s Neo-Gramscian model of just transition to analyze the current progress of the just transition process of Thailand and the Philippines and identify how the status quo influences the said process. This theory highlights the creation of a new hegemony that focuses on the roles of change agents who are working together to facilitate social change. With the limited resources available for developing countries like Thailand and the Philippines, this paper discusses their progress and initiatives in the face of these constraints. The ongoing efforts in these countries underscore a commitment to fostering inclusive and sustainable pathways in the face of economic and environmental transformations catalyzed by the climate crisis.

Article Details

How to Cite
Lazarito, A. G., Legaspi, L. L., & Loiweha, P. . (2024). Pathways to Sustainability: A Neo-Gramscian Exploration of Just Transition Initiatives in Thailand and the Philippines. Graduate Review of Political Science and Public Administration Journal, 3(1), 1–20. Retrieved from https://so07.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/GRPSPAJ/article/view/4253
Section
Research article

References

Asian Development Bank. (2009). The Economics of Climate Change in Southeast Asia: A Regional Review. Asian Development Bank. https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/publication/29657/economics-climate-change-se-asia.pdf

Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development. (2018). Just Transition in the Philippines. CEED Philippines. https://ceedphilippines.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/JT-Study-Executive-Summary.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1-VA1G_eZhHvnhlDeB3xTvWBOXwSiFiHpeSz1OBDrhooCV6 c_8YbtStvQ

Climate Action Tracker. (2022). Thailand. Climate Action Tracker. https://climateactiontracker.org/countries/thailand/

Climate Action Tracker. (2023). Philippines. Climate Action Tracker. https://climateactiontracker.org/countries/philippines/?fbclid=IwAR2BpOZkqbn4qC55HfdSmW0F8Ql7dSHxGJYSFGgemXK7nmxDrhorbZ_tzPY

Climate Change Commission. (2012). National Climate Change Action Plan 2011-2028. Climate Change Commission. https://climate.emb.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/NCCAP-1.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3Edc1DWaiLI-BdOcC8lZMT7vdECPzftg19g_TIX0kS9poqeKVmxsqpKuM

Climate Change Commission. (2022, November 22). Multistakeholders Commit to Accelerate Just Transition Toward Climate-smart, Climate-resilient PH by 2050. Climate Change Commission. https://climate.gov.ph/news/725

Climate Change Commission. (n.d.). Nationally Determined Contribution. Climate Change Commission. https://climate.gov.ph/our-programs/nationally-determined-contributions?fbclid=IwAR1vRn8R9dKArca37lcibZ3HrFK2-TWjjuF3dpZmyswlDFpiTvNDiVPM-pk

Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency. (2018). The Asian and Pacific Energy Forum. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific. https://policy.asiapacificenergy.org/sites/default/files/Alternative%20Energy%20Development%20Plan%202018-2037%20%28AEDP%202018%29%28TH%29.pdf

Department of Environment and Natural Resources. (2009). An Institutional Collaboration for the Formulation of the Philippine Strategy on Climate Change Adaptation. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. UNFCC. https://seors.unfccc.int/applications/seors/attachments/get_attachment?code=6A8DFSD8UX2W3L1KUH9OU1RNESBQ8SET&fbclid=IwAR2db8OfeCRA5NzTjHFU5-JUQScV4xniNSLDuQw4B0u0tXGV2bdCA_TyMZM

Department of the Interior and Local Government. (2014). Guidelines on the Formulation of Local Climate Change Action Plan (LCCAP). Department of the Interior and Local Government. https://www.dilg.gov.ph/issuances/mc/Guidelines-on-theFormulation-of-Local-Climate-Change-Action-Plan-LCCAP/2059?fbclid=IwAR3cXsT1QJZidwP_j2OlAaJS0PJ_o2iysXuG-dS1pbSAczg9qpMl_180DAY

Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand. (2021). Strategic Management Plan for Stakeholder Engagement 2024-2028. Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT). https://www.egat.co.th/home/stake-holders-policies/

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. (n.d.). What is a Just Transition? European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. https://www.ebrd.com/what-we-do/just-transition

Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Asia. (2022a). Thailand Needs to Work More Closely with the Public if it Hopes to Pull off its Just Energy Transition. Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. https://asia.fes.de/news/just-transition-thailand

Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Asia. (2022b). Young People Energize the Just Transition in the Philippines. Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. https://asia.fes.de/news/young-people-in-the-just-transition-philippines?fbclid=IwAR0Tp6ZAzhInvl53st22NyV4yUzaVvxGKTJgMHjBugNdMBiWB4Qm1E9EWSs

Heywood, A. (2013). Politics. Palgrave Macmillan. International Energy Agency. (2016). Renewable Energy Development Plan (REDP) 2008-2022. International Energy Agency. https://www.iea.org/policies/4803-renewable-energy-development-plan-redp-2008-20 22

International Labour Organization. (2023). Green Jobs and Just Transition Policy Readiness Assessment in Thailand. https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---asia/---ro-bangkok/documents/briefingnote/wcms_873079.pdf

International Monetary Fund. (2020, February 5). Philippines: Selected Issues. International Monetary Fund. https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/CR/Issues/2020/02/05/Philippines-Selected-Issues-49022

Kulkonkarn, K. (2018). A Just Transition: Global Warming Lessons from Germany and Thoughts for Thailand. Prachathai. https://prachatai.com/journal/2018/10/79349

Lekprayura, T. (2019). Particulate Matter-Related Measures and the Inequality of Risks: The Case Study of Bangkok in Early 2019. Chula Digital Collections. https://digital.car.chula.ac.th/chulaetd/2430/

Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. (n.d.). Authority and Function. Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. https://www.mnre.go.th/en/about/content/2542

National Integrated Climate Change Database Information and Exchange System. (n.d.-a). GHG Inventory. NICCDIES. https://niccdies.climate.gov.ph/ghg-inventory?fbclid=IwAR3dlOsS82OeAFxkLrJdOaZof6GIwqcPaPcggxRCAhZZX86O9gcGHo4TVic

National Integrated Climate Change Database Information and Exchange System. (n.d.-b). Local Climate Change Action Plan. NICCDIES. https://niccdies.climate.gov.ph/action-plans/local-climate-change-action-plan?fbclid=IwAR15x8HBagBhrzhe_WuJgLFGBr0kjgA5FATnXlQJUwnbZX4mvb8Vdj6XDao

Reuters. (2017). Philippines’ Duterte Signs Paris Pact on Climate Change. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN1683I0/?fbclid=IwAR3lFhhW23qfJPGlJ2gdQGfl8g4ApjJ6MPPJb3RlV4YqOpUoXmFFSNE96JU#:~:text=MANILA%20(Reuters)%20%2D%20Philippines%20President,a%20senator%20said%20on%20Wednesday

Sirasoontorn, P., & Koomsup, P. (2017). Energy Transition in Thailand: Challenges and Opportunities. Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. https://library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/thailand/13888.pdf

Stevis, D. (2021). The Globalization of Just Transition in the World of Labour: Politics of Scale and Scope. Tempo Social, 33(2), 57-77. https://doi.org/10.11606/0103-2070.ts.2021.182883

Subingsubing, K. (2021, November 7). PH, 40 Other Countries Vow to End Coal Use by 2030. INQUIRER.net. https://globalnation.inquirer.net/200128/ph-40-other-countries-vow-to-end-coal-use-by-2030?fbclid=IwAR0ToJWvBpBH9kizq3MWadroQYDLGQRO7lMN1zsTKTTKB6EfTd2IzoWQXiM

The Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning & Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. (2015). Climate Change Management and Coordination, 2015. Climate Change Management and Coordination (CCMC). https://climate.onep.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/CCMP_english.pdf

United Nations Development Programme. (2011). Thailand’s Second National Communication - Official Document. United Nations Development Programme. https://www.adaptation-undp.org/resources/thailands-econd-national-communication-official-document-march-2011

United Nations Development Programme. (2022). Philippines. UNDP Climate Promise. https://climatepromise.undp.org/what-we-do/where-we-work/philippines?fbclid=IwAR2wRCqaLUf5RC1hknTYvyZIbZI6AMm3qCPRwAK86iT5ezzRh2uu7CqXs2I

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. (2021). Thailand Mid-century, Long-term Low Greenhouse Gas Emission Development Strategy. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. https://unfccc.int/documents/307950

United Nations. (n.d.). The Climate Crisis – A Race We Can Win United Nations. United Nations. https://www.un.org/en/un75/climate-crisis-race-we-can-win

Verzola, R., Logarta, J., & Maniego, P. (2017). Towards a Just Transition in the Philippine Electricity Sector. Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. https://asia.fes.de/news/towards-a-just-transition-in-the-philippine-electricity-sector

Wijaya, A. (2014). Climate Change, Global Warming and Global Inequity in Developed and Developing Countries (Analytical Perspective, Issue, Problem and Solution). IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/19/1/012008

Winkler, H. (2020). Towards a Theory of Just Transition: A Neo-Gramscian Understanding of How to Shift Development Pathways to Zero Poverty and Zero Carbon. Energy Research & Social Science, 70, 101789. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2020.101789

Woolcock, J. A. (1985). Politics, Ideology and Hegemony in Gramsci’s Theory. Social and Economic Studies, 34(3), 199-210. http://www.jstor.org/stable/27862802

World Risk Report. (2023). WorldRiskReport 2023. Weltrisikobericht. https://weltrisikobericht.de/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/WRR_2023_english_online161023.pdf?fbclid=IwAR21Wt0qZhLl8eI-uWJMYQ9p_WcBVHP6zF8Y-nhqk_oDZB8KUTgNySB7Ibc