Thailand’s MNRE joins forces with GIZ to boost concrete policies into actions for combating climate change

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in cooperation with the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP) organized the “Glocal Climate Change: Act Locally, Change Globally” event, to announce the success of implementing the Climate Policy Project (TGCP Policy)

19th August 2022, Mr. Jatuporn Buruspat, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment presided over the closing ceremony and public awareness activities for the Climate Policy Project under the Thai-German Climate Programme (TGCP-Policy). The participants included: Mr. Chaiwat Chuenkosoom, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior; Dr. Phirun Saiyasitpanich, Secretary General, Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP); Mr. Reinhold Elges, Country Director  of GIZ Thailand and Malaysia; Dr. Johannes Kerner, Economic and Commercial Counsellor of the German Embassy in Thailand; Dr. Angkana Chalermpong, Director of the Climate Policy Project, Thai-German Climate Programme; as well as Thai and international environmental experts and media professionals, who also attended the event at Samyan Mitrtown Hall 1, Bangkok.

Before awarding honorary plaques to ten pilot provinces to recognize their efforts to develop climate-sensitive Provincial Development Plans, namely, Yasothon, Maha Sarakham, Tak, Suphan Buri, Kanchanaburi, Chon Buri, Chanthaburi, Chumphon, Ranong, and Bangkok, Mr. Jatuporn expressed that it is crucial to analyse how to take the pilot provinces as model to implement in all provinces of Thailand, taking into account different context. MNRE is ready to work on this task with the Ministry of Interior. MNRE receives support from the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) through the International Climate Initiative (IKI) to implement the Climate Policy Project under the Thai-German Climate Programme (TGCP Policy). TGCP Policy is one of the programme’s five components (energy, waste management, agriculture, water management and climate policy) with five years of implementation (2018-2022) and a budget of 650 million THB. TGCP Policy is jointly implemented by the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). The project supports Thailand in formulating a long-term low greenhouse gas development strategy (Thailand’s 2050 Carbon Neutrality and 2065 Net Zero GHG Emission Pathways), Thailand’s Climate Change Act, guidelines for quality control of greenhouse gas inventory data, as well as climate-sensitive Provincial Development Plans through participatory approaches.

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Mr. Reinhold Elges, Country Director of GIZ Thailand and Malaysia, expressed appreciation towards Thailand’s announcement on climate goals, establishing clear policies, and intention to drive policy forward to implementation.  GIZ is delighted to support many sectors in Thailand to achieve these challenging goals. Mr. Elges also congratulated MNRE on the success of the Thailand Climate Action Conference (TCAC) on 5-6 August 2022, which clearly showed that MNRE is ready to build networks with all sectors, including the private sector, to combat climate change. 

The closing ceremony and public awareness activities for TGCP Policy was part of the “Glocal Climate Change: Act Locally, Change Globally” event organized by GIZ and ONEP at Samyan Mitrtown Hall 1 throughout the day. At the event, honor plaques were awarded to ten pilot provinces. Mr. Chaiwat Chuenkosoom, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, gave a speech which demonstrated the roles of the Ministry of Interior, in cooperation with MNRE, in disaster management and in supporting the Thai population to address climate change. In addition, “Climate Action Talk: From Science to Policy to Action on the Ground” was joined by environmental gurus including Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bundit Limmeechokchai from Thammasat University, Dr. Kannika Thampanichvong from Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI), Dr. Phirun Saiyasitpanich from the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP), Mr. Sira Lipipattanawit, operator of the electric boat charter “Suk Samran”, and Dr. Soranrat Kanchanavanich, former chairperson of the Green World Foundation. 

Furthermore, a Movie & Talk was held by screening the movie “Breaking Boundaries” followed by an exchange session between Yod-Ball from the Nang Pha Pai Program and Dr. Petch Manopawitr from the Green World Foundation. Then a Youth Climate Ready Workshop was organized together with more than 40 youth leaders. The workshop provided opportunities for young leaders to design climate change communication tailored to different target groups in the fight against climate change. Additionally, there were exhibits displaying project achievements as well as activities for event attendees and online participants to share their thoughts in tackling climate challenges as part of the global citizens.

In continuation of TGCP-Policy, MNRE has also received support from the Federal Republic of Germany to implement the Climate, Coastal, and Marine Biodiversity (CCMB) Project jointly between ONEP and GIZ. The project is set for a period of 5 years (2022-2027), with a budget of approximately 360 million THB, to enhance implementation towards achieving Thailand’s net zero greenhouse gas emissions goal in 2065, and to expand the scope of cooperation to address the climate-biodiversity synergy, particularly marine and coastal biodiversity. In addition, Thailand has received support from Germany for approximately 1,290 million THB in other projects on energy, transport, and climate adaptation in urban areas.

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The Federal Republic of Germany is a role model for goal setting and driving for climate action. It has provided financial support, knowledge, and technical support for developing countries as it has pledged to do under the Paris Agreement. Thailand has been in partnership with Germany on climate cooperation for 13 years, in the fields of energy, transport, industry, water resource  management, agriculture, tourism, and waste management, amounting to more than 3,810 million THB of support. MNRE will expand international climate change cooperation, in the form of bilateral and multilateral cooperation, in order to further support Thailand’s contributions to the global climate challenges.