MNRE and Japan Sign New Environmental Cooperation Agreement to Tackle Current Global Environmental Issues

Today (July 9, 2024) at 9:30 AM, Pol. Gen. Phatcharavat Wongsuwan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, assigned Capt. Rachata Phisitbanakorn, Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, to participate in bilateral talks with Mr. Kunishada Isato, Assistant Minister of the Environment of Japan. The meeting was held at the Pullman King Power Hotel in Bangkok and included the signing of a new environmental cooperation agreement. This new agreement was jointly revised by both parties to address current global environmental issues, following the expiration of the previous agreement in 2023. This new cooperation aims to effectively support global efforts in addressing urgent environmental challenges, enhance overall technical collaboration, and strengthen the relationship between Thailand and Japan in the future.

In the afternoon, Mr. Thalearngsak Petchsuwan, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the MNRE, chaired the 4th Thailand-Japan Senior Officials Meeting alongside Mr. Matsuzawa Yutaka, Secretary of the Ministry of the Environment of Japan. The meeting included senior executives from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and representatives from Japan's environmental agencies. The participants agreed to share information on measures against invasive alien species and exchanged best practices in climate change adaptation, air pollution management, waste management, and the conservation of surface and groundwater resources, as well as marine and coastal resource conservation. Additionally, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment invited Japan to collaborate on enhancing climate change management capabilities and supporting advanced technologies aimed at achieving carbon neutrality and net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. They also encouraged learning from Japan's expertise in drafting the Electronic Waste Management Act and expressed gratitude to Japan for supporting initiatives to reduce PM2.5 dust pollution in the Pollution Control Department and Bangkok.

The Thailand-Japan Senior Officials Meeting was first held in 2018 as a bilateral mechanism for environmental collaboration. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Thailand and the Ministry of the Environment of Japan alternate as hosts for these meetings. Over the years, Thailand and Japan have exchanged knowledge on each country's progress in environmental efforts, leading to cooperation on environmental issues at both the bilateral and regional levels.