THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
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Thai public, private sectors share climate-action plans at latest leaders’ forum

Thai public, private sectors share climate-action plans at latest leaders’ forum

Thailand’s first-ever Climate Action Leaders Forum aims to enhance climate action literacy to boost people’s awareness of the climate crisis and the importance of operations designed to solve global warming.

Participating in the forum were 49 representatives of several sectors, including policymakers and members of the public sector, transnational organisations, private sector, education sector, capital market, banks and independent agencies.

Kiatchai Maitriwong, executive director of Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organisation (TGO), said the forum was widely beneficial for the country.

He added that in the future, more such meetings will be held to raise awareness and boost collaboration in the battle against climate change. This way, he said, Thailand can move forward in the development of society, economy and environment, in coherence with sustainable development.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa, who chaired the closing ceremony, said the battle against the climate crisis cannot be won by just one country. He said to win cooperation, perseverance and determination of global communities is required.

He also said Thailand had committed itself to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 and net-zero emissions by 2065 at the 26th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, or COP26, in Glasgow last year.

Also joining the Climate Action Leaders Forum were representatives of the United Nations Development Programme, Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat), Charoen Pokphand Group and PTT Global Chemical.

Prasertsak Cherngchawano, Egat’s deputy governor, said the agency had acknowledged the impact on climate change more than 10 years ago.

“We have also cooperated with public agencies, the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning, TGO, as well as private sector and communities in operating and supporting greenhouse gas management of energy sector.

"Since 2013, the emission of greenhouse gases has been reduced by more than 42 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. We aim to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 by increasing the proportion of electricity generation from renewable energy through the ‘hybrid floating solar cells’ project running at Egat dams. There is also the Smart Grid Project for the transmission system, which aims to enhance Thailand’s electricity security. In addition, Egat has initiated a 1-million-rai reforestation project that can cover both green carbon and blue carbon by 2031. This project should absorb about 1.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year,” Prasertsak said.

Noppadol Dej-Udom, Charoen Pokphand Group’s chief sustainability officer, said CP has joined the global community in helping limit the increase of temperatures to below 50 degrees Celsius.

Suphachai Chearavanont, chief executive officer of CP Group, declared the group’s aim to achieve zero-carbon at the Climate Week NYC, which was held in conjunction with COP26.

To achieve this, CP aims to use advanced technology and innovation in manufacturing procedures, including the utilisation of renewable energy, compensation of excessive greenhouse gas emissions and reforestation to re-absorb greenhouse gases in the long run. It expects to plan 20 million trees by 2025.

CP also aims to reduce food waste to zero and replace all its packaging with reusable, bio-degradable type by 2030. It will also help promote the use of electric vehicles by providing more than 200 charging stations near 7-Eleven convenience stores and Lotus’s supermarkets.

Kongkrapan Intarajang, president of PTT Global Chemical (GC), said the organisation aims to reduce greenhouse gases by 20 per cent by 2025 and to net-zero by 2030 can be achieved through two missions.

The first is the circular economy will involve the establishment of a sugarcane bioplastic plant in Thailand as well as a recycling plant to transform PET bottles into food-grade packaging products.

The second is the reduction of greenhouse gases has been clearly targeted and planned around 30 years in advance, with a budget of US$5 billion dedicated for the implementation of three key issues, namely:

  • Overall improvement of projects, efficiency and clean energy utilisation to curb the emission of waste, which can reduce greenhouse gases by 20 per cent.
  • Adjustment of investment in low-carbon businesses which can ensure a 25 per cent reduction.
  • Carbon compensation via reforestation and adoption of new technologies to absorb and store carbon which can promise a 55 per cent reduction.

Thai public, private sectors share climate-action plans at latest leaders’ forum Thai public, private sectors share climate-action plans at latest leaders’ forum Thai public, private sectors share climate-action plans at latest leaders’ forum

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