Project for climate policy and biodiversity in Thailand

State of implementation/results

• Thailand has submitted its first NAP (National Adaptation Plan) to UNFCCC in April 2024, which guides adaptation actions in 6 priority sectors: (1) Water Resource and Disaster Management (2) Agriculture and Food Security (3) Natural Resource Management (4) Public Health (5) Tourism (6) Human Settlements and Security. The project supported technical analyses and the development of Thailand’s NAP through participatory processes that led to enhanced climate awareness and successful adoption of the plan by the Thai Cabinet.
• Following Thailand’s COP26 pledge to enhance its climate ambition to 30%-40% GHG mitigation relative to 2030 business-as-usual), the National Climate Policy Committee approved the NDC (Nationally Determined Contribution) Mitigation Action Plan in May 2024. The plan lays out concrete mitigation targets and actions of the energy, transport, industry, waste and agriculture sectors. After approval by the Thai Cabinet, the plan will guide the country’s mitigation actions, and responsible sectoral agencies need to regularly report their progress. The project supported the development of Thailand’s NDC Mitigation Action Plan, emphasizing participatory processes to enhance ownership of targets by relevant sectors.
• Thailand’s 5th NBSAP (National Biodiversity Strategic Action Plan) is in the pipeline for cabinet approval. The plan proposes 12 national targets in line with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which were publicized for awareness and stakeholder engagement in the 2024 International Day for Biological Diversity themed “BE PART OF THE PLAN”. The project contributes to enhancing Thailand’s protected area target, supporting to clarify the definition and criteria of a new protected area concept, OECMs (Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures), particularly for marine and coastal OECMs. This helps to enhance the implementation of the 30x30 HAC (High Ambition Coalition) target, which is a shared ambition to implement the global goal of effectively conserving and managing at least 30% of the world's land and ocean by 2030. In addition, the project supports to mainstream climate aspects into OECM management, highlighting the necessity of addressing climate and biodiversity protection in synergy.
• Virtual Exchanges between Thailand and Germany took place in June and September 2024, facilitated by the project. BMUV, UBA and the Thai Department of Climate Change and Environment (DCCE) exchanged on experience in the development of a climate law, particularly climate adaptation law, climate risk assessment and adaptation planning. This presented an opportunity for Ministry colleagues to share experience and lessons learned on similar mandates and how each country can overcome the challenges faced in domestic climate policy development to address global climate change.
• A Long-Term Biodiversity Strategy towards the 2030 Mission and 2050 Vision, in line with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and the High Ambition Coalition (HAC) targets, was developed by ONEP as the CBD focal point for and the responsible agency for biodiversity policies in Thailand, through support by CCMB. A series of stakeholder consultation meetings were organized to bring relevant stakeholders (the government, private and business sectors, academics and civil society) together to discuss and exchange views on Thailand’s gaps in national implementation and on the necessary steps to achieve the GBF targets; to identify what priority issues of implementation should be the focus of the 5th NBSAP.
• The project supported ONEP to initiate dialogues among experts and relevant stakeholders on the role of OECMs (Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures) in biodiversity protection. The first workshop was held on 29 May 2023, and a series of consultations and analyses will be conducted to support the development of OECM guideline focusing on coastal and marine protected areas for Thailand.
• Thailand’s Climate Change Act is on track to enhance the implementation on Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation. A series of expert consultations are being held to provide input to the establishment of GHG reporting mandates, key financial and economic instruments including carbon tax, domestic emission trading scheme and funding instrument, as well as national climate data mandates, and relevant institutional arrangements to support climate policy-making and implementation in Thailand. The expert inputs will feed into the revision of the draft Act, and a regulatory impact assessment together with a series of nationwide stakeholder consultations will be carried out across 5 sub-regions of Thailand.
• Following the second updated NDC, which raises Thailand’s climate ambition from 20-25% relative to 2030 BAU to 30-40%, ONEP is gearing the process for sectoral ministries to update their respective sectoral action plans, with in-depth support from CCMB for the revised NDC action plan of the transport sector and for the consolidated NDC action plans from energy, transport, industry, agriculture and waste sectors. Finalization of consolidated NDC action plans is expected before COP28.
• The project is supporting the new Department of Climate Change and Environment (CCE) to assess its capacity development needs to take on the new mandate as climate policy office and climate focal point for Thailand. Initial discussions have been initiated following official establishment of CCE in mid-August 2023. The assessment will result in a capacity development roadmap and is expected within 2023.
• A “National Capacity Building Workshop on EBSAs and OECMs” was hosted in cooperation with the Global Ocean Biodiversity Initiative, the CBD secretariat, and ONEP (24-25 November 2022). Representatives provided and discussed updates on the status of Thailand’s marine and coastal resources, the concept and uses of EBSAs (Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas), OECMs (Other effective area-based conservation measures) and other area-based management tools, such as Marine Spatial Planning. The workshop also looked at Thailand’s policies and plans to strengthen biodiversity conservation in the light of the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework and the 30x30 targets. The linkage between climate change and marine and coastal biodiversity, threats from pollution and human activities, effective stakeholder management, avenues for private sector involvement and options to mobilize citizen science were also addressed.
• The project plays a vital role in facilitating the dissemination of knowledge and increased awareness on international climate and biodiversity negotiations of relevant Thai stakeholders by means of regular debriefing events. These sessions are designed to equip its participants with the ability to translate complex international political processes into clear and actionable steps at the national level.
• The project adopted an integrated and inclusive approach to support the Department of Climate Change and Environment in updating Thailand’s NDC mitigation action plan. This plan serves as the framework for achieving Thailand’s 2030 emission mitigation targets. Through a series of workshops held in August 2023, the project facilitated discussions with participants from key carbon-intensive sectors (energy, transport, agriculture, waste and IPPU). The exchanges focused on implementing strategies and support needs to achieve the action plan’s goal. The insights gained from these discussions will also contribute to the development of Thailand’s NDC II (due by the end of 2024).
• The project hosted the annual IKI Thailand Cooperation Workshop in Bangkok in both 2023 and 2024. The workshops promoted open exchange and networking between Thai and German political partners and the project sponsors

Latest Update:
12/2024

Further links

• Article: IKI Thailand Workshop, October 2023
• Article: CCMB Project Event, February 2024
• Article: Thailand Taxonomy Phase 2 Launch, February 2024