Joint 'Climate Change Policy Project' a success
Play
The Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy Planning (Onep) and the German International Cooperation agency have enjoyed success in their joint implementation of the "Climate Change Policy Project", which commenced in January 2009 and conclud
The German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety-funded project was aimed at promoting the development and implementation of the national policy on climate change.
Raweewan Bhuridej, Onep deputy secretary-general, said the collaboration with the German government to achieve the goal of development and implementation of climate-change adaptation and mitigation policy corresponded to the Thailand Climate Change Master Plan 2013-2050 (CCMP) – the national climate-change framework that Onep is advocating.
In addition to activities to strengthen personnel and the institutional capacities of Onep and relevant agencies, the project developed an international coordination framework and conducted activities to enhance public awareness and participation in climate-change preparedness.
“The project has achieved considerable success, thanks in large part to the cooperation between stakeholders, both from the public and private sectors. In addition, communities have begun to appreciate the importance of climate change,” she said.
Franz Ellermann, director of the Thai-German Climate Protection Programme, said: “Throughout the last four years, in addition to strengthening Onep’s institutional and personnel capacities to develop and implement the climate-change policy and enhancing public awareness and participation, the project has supported international cooperation on climate change.
“It is a well-known fact that Onep has been drafting the CCMP, a long-term national plan. To facilitate the process, we supported the integration of the practical implementation of the CCMP. At the ministerial level, the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry and the Industrial Works Department under the Industry Ministry served as the pilot agencies.
“At the provincial level, Nan and Rayong were pilot project sites. At the local level, Muang Nan and Muang Klaeng municipalities were the pilot agencies. Other project network members included the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and the Public Works and Town and Country Planning Department,” he said.
“The project has been a great success. Rayong and Nan provinces have developed strategic and implementation plans by integrating CCMP with their provincial plans. Similarly, Muang Klaeng and Muang Nan municipalities have developed strategic and implementation plans that correspond to the CCMP and provincial plans,” he added.
