Dr. Raweewan Bhuridej, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, delivered a special lecture on the topic of "Thailand's Climate Change Policy" under the Climate Action Leaders Forum 5 (CAL Forum 5) initiative. The lecture aimed to convey the strategic direction of Thailand’s climate change policies, alongside global operational trends, and to foster knowledge and understanding regarding Thailand's role in addressing the climate crisis. The event was attended by participants from various sectors, including the public sector, private sector, and academia, at the Rajpruek Club, Lak Si District, Bangkok.
During the lecture, Dr. Raweewan highlighted four major factors currently transforming the global landscape: geopolitical confrontations, the driving force of sustainability (ESG), deglobalization, and green trade barriers (such as EU CBAM and EUDR). All of these factors directly impact international trade, investment, and the country’s competitive capacity. She further pointed out that Thailand is facing risks from extreme weather conditions that tend to become more severe and frequent, consequently affecting the economy, society, natural resources, and the citizens’ quality of life.
On this occasion, the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment presented the progress of Thailand's climate change operations, reaffirming the commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with NDC 3.0 and the Net Zero target within the year 2050. She also emphasized driving operations across all sectors through legal, economic, financial, and technological development measures to concretely elevate the transition toward a low-carbon economy and society.
Furthermore, she addressed the drafting of the Climate Change Bill, B.E. …., which will serve as a critical piece of legislation to establish the country’s climate change management mechanisms. This encompasses greenhouse gas mitigation, adaptation to climate change impacts, promotion of carbon pricing mechanisms, mobilization of climate finance, as well as fostering cooperation among the government, private sector, and all stakeholders to enable Thailand to effectively fulfill its international obligations.
Dr. Raweewan stated that the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is prepared to move forward with the integrated implementation of climate change policies. This will be guided by the principle of balancing economic growth, natural resource conservation, and the elevation of the citizens’ quality of life, in order to strengthen environmental security, enhance national competitive capacity, and advance toward long-term sustainable development simultaneously.
