Environmental control dept gets new name as climate change bites
The caretaker cabinet on Tuesday approved a proposal to rename the Department of Environmental Quality Promotion as the Department of Climate Change and Environment to lead the country’s climate change missions.
Government spokesperson Anucha Burapachaisri said the move was proposed by the Natural Resource and Environment Ministry to reflect the department’s missions and goals, which have been changed to focus on climate change efforts.
The ministry had explained that with current climate change situations significantly impacting the economy, society, and the environment, the roles, responsibilities, missions and goals of the Environmental Quality Promotion department required adjustment.
The ministry aims to make the Department of Climate Change and Environment the central agency driving Thailand’s climate change missions and operations, as well as coordinating with public, private and international agencies on issues related to climate change.
The approval of the name change was accompanied by the drafts of two new ministerial regulations, namely the Ministerial Regulations on the Organisational Structure of the Department of Climate Change and Environment, and the Ministerial Regulations on Organisational Structure of the Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning Office.
The ministry added that the name change will not affect the budget previously planned for the Department of Environmental Quality Promotion, nor create any financial obligations for the new Cabinet.
