Despite Thailand having an ambitious plan and being on track, the financial ability is holding Thailands back due to a tremendous investment and operation cost. Power generation from coal combined with emissions from the manufacturing, refining and mining industries, vehicle emissions and waste burning contribute to poor air quality. Higher temperatures will directly threaten Thai livelihoods, the stability of agricultural production and global food supply chains. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Identify ONE sustainability issue in a Southeast Asia country that Foreign species will be recorded for purposes of protection and academic research. He also warns that the transmission rate may increase among the Thais population because warmer weather provides a suitable environment for the propagation of tropical disease. Environmental News, Data Analysis, Research & Policy Solutions. Want to work with us? Over time, Thailand also needs to address emissions from the agriculture sector via offsetting strategies such as carbon sinks (for example, with reforestation) and carbon capture and storage. a. The Policy Committee of the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), a special economic zone made up of three provinces in eastern Thailand, also approved the framework of investment and development of clean energy for electricity generation for implementation in the EEC area. Let's Take Action Towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Guiding points: a. The productivity of lychee, also a popular crop grown in northern Thailand, will also be threatened by higher temperatures. This is something Thailand has a lot of.. Government Regulation No. Adaptation financing was alsoa key point of contention between countries during the annual UN climate change meetings, with developing nations calling on richer countries to provide more funding to help them implement climate adaptation plans. The feed-in tariffs, tax incentives and access to investment funding help promote renewable energy since the most. Major projects: environmental risks in Indonesia: overview Besides, Thailand has a lack of technological knowledge and talents to support the ongoing plan. Finally, climate change may also accelerate the spread of infectious diseases. Yale EPI ranked Thailand 101st in the world in terms of ecosystem vitality, which measures how well countries preserve, protect, and enhance their ecosystems and the services they provide. We also cooperate closely at regional and international fora. All key technical assistance and policy deliverables were well recognized including the legal framework for Emission Trading System, Energy Performance Certificate System, and the abatement plans for low carbon cities by the recipient agencies and targeted private sector and adopted by government entities for further implementation. Coastal Thailand is also severely under threat from sea level rise. He added that a warmer Earth could mean that parts of Asean dependent on water from glacial melt - such as cities along the upper Mekong - will likely have reduced freshwater resources, due to the loss of ice there. Adaptation refers to measures that countries can take to reduce the impacts of climate-driven events on societies, while loss and damage is a term used in climate change discussions that refers to climate impacts that societies are currently suffering which cannot be, or have not been, reduced by adaptation efforts. Although Thailand wishes to contribute its NDC plan with financial incentives, its economic situation, such as various business sectors and national wealth, seems unrealistic to the Plan. The BCG policy initiative combines Thailands sustainable push with investment promotion policy to attract more interest in the sectors where the country already has advantages. He acknowledged that improvements in air quality and drops in PM2.5 - tiny particulate matter caused by cars and industry - experienced during recent months were unlikely to be long-lived. There are around 192,000 electric vehicles in 2020. We need to push and push and make decisions that dont always make people happy, he said in his address. The TRANSfer project, supported by the German Ministry for the Environment, is assisting the OTP in developing a National Urban Mobility Program (NUMP), which will act as a key mechanism to monitor the action plan daily and achieve Thailands ambitious goal. How is this sustainability issue related to climate change? According to the updated NDC, the energy sector contributes the most GHG emissions, including power generation, transport, industries, offices and households. How is this sustainability issue related to climate change? Some other regressors namely energy consumption and income are also used in the multivariate model. Despite Thailand having an ambitious plan and being on track, the financial ability is holding Thailands back due to a tremendous investment and operation cost. How Johor's Growing Water Woes could Affect Singapore The PMR supported Thailand to develop an Energy Performance Certificate scheme database and Measuring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) System to measure the energy efficiency of commercial buildings and industries, to assess a legal framework for the Emissions Trading Scheme which aims to cap the total level of greenhouse gas emissions and allows those industries with low emissions to sell their extra allowances to larger emitters, and to develop greenhouse gas abatement plans, for 25 municipalities, under the Low Carbon City (LCC) Program. How much do Southeast Asians care about environmental and social issues Its a pity though that this is merely an ad-hoc measure, not a structural reversal, he said. This increases the risks of loss and damages to vulnerable populations, he said. , head of Chulalongkorn Universitys Emerging Infectious Disease Health Science Centre, points out that climate change not only increased transmission rates and the severity of known infectious diseases, but the ecological changes from rising global temperature could also spawn new harmful diseases. There has not been sufficient financial investment nor adequate electric infrastructure in Thailand yet. Find out the latest opportunities available at Economist Intelligence. The Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency plans to implement an Energy Performance Certificate pilot program targeting 2030 manufacturing facilities with high greenhouse gas emissions in 2021. In an address to diplomats, politicians and journalists on Friday (Aug 7), Mr Varawut Silpa-archa compared the challenges of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic to World War III, against an enemy we cannot see with our own eyes. Although Thailand is not a member of the Nagoya Protocol, the Draft BD Act will guarantee effective implementation and the fair sharing of genetic resources and associated benefits. Challenges and opportunities for Singapore's sustainable development Thailands export-oriented manufacturing sectors and heavy industries will also need to improve energy efficiency and undergo electrification in the case of using fossil fuels for direct consumption. Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei - Asia Pacific Region - ReliefWeb Our work on the Sustainable Development Goals. The government will be taking legal and policy actions to implement enhanced carbon pricing. The survey was conducted from August to September 2022 among 106 leading companies in Thailand. Environment and natural resources | Open Development Thailand We have been messing with her home, for decades, for generations. Although 50 tons of total infectious waste are collected from different medical centres, only 43 tons of them are treated by effective incinerators. However, Thailands ability to relocate 12 million people (17% of Thais total population) inland is highly questionable because these citizens, no matter if they currently live in Bangkok and surrounding rural areas, will relinquish their homelands, workspaces and local communities. EIU sees the need for Thailand to prepare a energy transition plan for the energy and transport sectors in particular. As 49% of the Thais total labour force are currently employed in the agricultural industry, mostly as small landholders with limited socio-political powers, they are highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Tremendous progress has been made in standardizing and quantifying measures of organizations performance on ESG criteria. The impacted area of around 1513km2 is expected to suffer GDP losses to the tune of USD$512.28 billion by 2030. MCI (P) 076/10/2022, MCI (P) 077/10/2022. The density of the relocated area will increase dramatically, placing further strains on agricultural and water resources. The Act defines animal cruelty as an action or no action that provides an animal a physical or mental suffering, pain, illness, disability or that may result in its death. The World Banks support targeted enhancing knowledge and capacity of the key government agencies through in-depth technical and analytical work, and by facilitating knowledge sharing with the other early mover countries/region, such as European Union (EU), China, Japan, and India. Hand-picked stories once a fortnight. , 40% of tree cover loss in Thailand from 2001 to 2019 is due to deforestation. Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization was assigned to design a management and planning system, and to develop the carbon credit mechanism and Emission Trading System among entrepreneurs in the EEC area. , Thailand climate change vulnerability profile, daily maximum temperatures in the country are predicted to rise by 2C throughout the year and may even rise to 3 C during the wet season (June to November). According to data from BP Statistical Review of World Energy2022, Thailands carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions growth of 0.8% annually in 201121 is higher than the global average of 0.6%, but still lower than the AsiaPacific average of1.8%. The more vulnerable a country is, the lower its vulnerability score, while the more ready a country is to improve its resilience, the higher its readiness score will be. For instance, the daily maximum temperature is projected around 34C and even reaches 38C during extreme years. "These current impacts are projected to worsen in the future, especially when global surface temperatures exceed the 1.5 deg C threshold," said Dr Chow. Coastal Thailand is also severely under threat from sea level rise. Thailand Economic Focus: Building a more equal and sustainable Thailand after COVID-19: A UN perspective | United Nations in Thailand New opportunities will be concentrated in the renewable energy and low-emission transport sectors. Little India Goes Green - Dr Amy Khor - Ministry of Sustainability and Please see, Infrastructure, Transport & Regional Government, Telecommunications, Media & Entertainment. This article is now fully available for you, Please verify your e-mail to read this subscriber-only article in full. According to the, US Agency for International Development (USAID). Heat-related morbidity has been accelerating from around 1,020 cases in 2010 to 2,742 cases in 2013. The Thai government has increased marine protections and national park recovery periods during the COVID-19 pandemic period. Guided by the UN principles of leave no one behind, human rights, gender equality, sustainability and resilience, the Cooperation Framework is closely aligned with Thailands 20-Year National Strategy and the draft 13th National Economic and Social Development Plan. The city is independently sinking about 25m annually as the weight of the urban landscape puts a strain on the naturally unstable ground soil. Dr. Thiravat Hemachudha, head of Chulalongkorn Universitys Emerging Infectious Disease Health Science Centre, points out that climate change not only increased transmission rates and the severity of known infectious diseases, but the ecological changes from rising global temperature could also spawn new harmful diseases. All rights reserved. Please see www.deloitte.com/about to learn more. Since then, renewable energy development such as solar, wind, hydropower plants, biomass and biofuels have become popular energy resources in Thailand. The future and impact of decades of global analysis, explored, Thailands sustainability policy: getting its act together. In 2009, an average minimum temperature of over 20 degrees affected more than 50% of lychees productivity. As an early mover in the region in implementing carbon pricing, the government started several voluntary carbon pricing instruments, such as the Thailand Voluntary Emission Reduction Program and the Thailand Carbon Offsetting Program in 2013. Cambodia, Lao P.D.R., and Thailand are also affected by storms and excessive rain, as well as by heat extremes that take a toll on agriculture and human health. is protected, as are 4.37% of Thailands marine seas are considered Marine Protected Areas. Mr. Sarat Prakobchat, Director of Energy Regulation and Conservation Division. As for the industrial emissions, the Thai government tends to focus on economic growth rather than tackling GHG emission. More recently at the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, the Thai government set a goal to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 and a netzero GHG emission target in 2065, placing it among laggards. Minister of Environment Regulation No. The focus on adaptation in the latest IPCC report adds to global discussions on the issue. To tackle air pollution, the Thai governments Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP) under the Ministry of Transport developed the NDC Action Plan for the Transport sector to attain its national mitigation commitment. to preserve ecosystem and biodiversity resources. By registering, you agree to our T&C and Privacy Policy. , there is insufficient air quality monitoring or measures for regulating open burning. Thailands Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), last updated in August 2020, targets the following: n unconditional 20% reduction in emissions by 2030, compared to business-as-usual levels. 01 MAR 2021 Address by Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment, at the Little India Goes Green Event on 27 February 2021 Ms. Joyce Kingsly, Founder and Chairperson, Little India Shopkeepers and Heritage Association Women's Wing Mr. S. Mahenthiran, Honorary Secretary, Indian Restaurant Association Singapore Although Thailands GHG emissions represent 0.77% of global emissions, which is lower than the world average, it is ranked 13th country in the extreme risk category of the impacts of climate change over the next three decades. The gift link for this subscriber-only article has expired. As of 2020, energy industries and transport account for almost 70 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions. Prior Informed Consent (PIC): permission is given by the competent national authority of a provider country to a user prior to accessing genetic resources. Energy importers must consider true 'sustainability' of Laos hydropower As of 2017, bioenergy is the most promising energy source in Thailand whereas oil is the most popular fossil fuel in Thailand. Although the number of electric cars is rising, the number of charging stations in Thailand is insufficient, opening up several opportunities for expansion. The decline in tourism has led to a reduction of the total amount of Thais municipal waste, yet the rise of e-commerce business and waste from medical masks are dragging the improvement. Although the overall pledge sounds broad without the support of concrete data and practical measures, it still shows Thais commitment to tackle climate changes with multiple aspects. Thailand ESG and Sustainability Survey Report 2022 - Deloitte US Thailand has been a net energy importer with growing energy demand, especially fossil fuel products, resulting in a steady increase in greenhouse gas emissions. According to the Climate Action Tracker, a research group that monitors government action to mitigate climate change, the country has a history of showing too little commitment despite its good intentions. Welcome to the United Nations country team website of Thailand. Between 2012 and 2017, the share of renewable energy in Thailands renewable energy supply grew by 14.3%. We face big challenges to help the worlds poorest people and ensure that everyone sees benefits from economic growth. Renewable energy consumption made up only 6.3% of totalsimilar to its regional counterpartsalthough it grew rapidly at18% per year on average between 2011 and2021. The focus is on the expansion of public transport and fuel efficiency standards for the increasing number of vehicles. Thailand benefits from a high share of the service sector, which emits fewer emissions than industry. Partner | Risk Advisory As of 2016, this sector accounted for 77% of total GHG emission. What is more, The Thai government has also announced their first National Adaptation Plan (NAP) to shape a climate-resilient society through water management, agriculture, food security etc. "Successful adaptation requires urgent, more ambitious and accelerated action and, at the same time, rapid and deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. It is time we came together to do something. The Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization intends to scale up and enhance the existing carbon offsetting program and crediting program with a view to introduce additional carbon pricing instruments, such as a mandatory Emission Trading System, after the approval of the Climate Change Act and other laws. to safeguard energy supplies by all means. As of 2017, they have achieved a GHG emission reduction of 14.09%. The Act also presents penalties for any person violating anti-cruelty norms, including imprisonment for up to 2 years or fines up to USD$1,300. Given that Thailand is an important automotive manufacturing hub for Southeast Asia, the Thai government has been working with producers and engineers to research electric vehicle battery technology and relevant solutions. The Bank of Thailand, the central bank, together with the Securities Exchange Commission, are in the process of drafting the Thailand Taxonomy; it includes standards intended to lay the common framework on a sustainable finance ecosystem, which will facilitate products and financial services in support of green finance. In 2017, fossil fuels accounted for 80% of Thailands energy production. the PM2.5 concentration of the WHO exposure recommendation. In the long term, its power sectorthe largest source of emissionsneeds to move further away from natural gas (with coals role already reduced over the years) to renewables, especially solar and wind. Dr. Pongvipa Lohsomboon, Deputy Executive Director of Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization. The ND-GAIN Country Index by the University of Notre Dame summarises a countrys vulnerability to climate change and other global challenges in combination with its readiness to improve resilience. We promise, no spam! Nevertheless, power generation contributed36% of Thailands CO2 emissions, followed by industry (30%) and transport(28%). Some endangered and rare species will also be identified and protected by rule of law. Copyright 2023 United Nations in Thailand. Even though Thailand has made a pledge to safeguard biodiversity, it will need to invest at least $942 million between 2019 and 2021 to preserve ecosystem and biodiversity resources. Learn about employment opportunities across the UN in Thailand. Thu, 09th Feb 2023 The Cooperation Framework articulates the UN development systems support for Thailands strong commitment to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 and its ambition to become a high-income, inclusive, sustainable and resilient country. The Court may also decide to deprive animalss ownership if the owner has violated the Act. Thailand intends to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20-25 percent by 2030 under the Paris Agreement. Deloitte Thailand, Somkrit Krishnamra People and culture make Deloitte a great place to work. Explain the challenges the issue poses and the responses by the country has thus far. PHOTO: JEDRZEJ MAJEWSKI, A resident drying clothes in Bais city, days after Super Typhoon Rai hit the southern and central regions of the Philippines, on Dec 21, 2021. Extreme and unpredictable weather patterns ranging from flooding and drought are therefore of great importance, particularly for the rural population. , 51.43% of the Thais population is urbanised. After submitting your job application, you may view or update your candidate profile here. Find out what the UN in Thailand is doing towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. New infrastructure, such as energy storage, efficiency improvement and grid management, needs to accommodate the transition. Sustainability is the new digital and we believe every business will be a sustainable business by 2025. Mr Renaud Meyer, the resident representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Thailand, noted that 2020 had promised to be one where progress on addressing climate change would have been significant. The World Bank Group works in every major area of development. The Act was triggered during the 2015 haze crisis. in 2019. Even though Thailand has made a pledge to safeguard biodiversity, it will need to invest at least. Photo by Evan HB, Flickr, taken on August 3, 2006. After updating its NDC in October 2020, the Thai government retains the same goals and provides some follow-up information to demonstrate its commitment towards the carbon neutrality goal in 2050. If we take action without looking at the big picture, it will lead us to a dead end., Its not only a matter of money, but its also a matter of wisdom. 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