Cities
Bangkok—Bangkok is one of the leading cities in Thailand and it is taking steps for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In this regard, the BKK Action Plan on Global Warming from 2007 to 2012 was implemented for the city of Bangkok. The objective of this Action Plan is voluntary and it aims to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions (GHG) below the 2012 emission level by 15% or around 10 mil tCO2e/year. Bangkok recently received US $300 million from the Clean Technology Fund (CTF) around which US $70 million will be used to support the Urban Transformation for Bangkok. To achieve this, the key emphasis for the city of Bangkok will be on efficient and clean Urban Transport (i.e. Bus Rapid Transit System) along with the improvement of Building Energy Efficiency.
Contact
For more information regarding the urban transformation which is taking place in Bangkok in the context of reducing GHG emissions, Chanin Manopiniwes
Address: World Bank Office, 30th Floor, Siam Tower, 989 Rama 1 Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330
Telephone: 66 (0) 2686 8300 and fax at 66 (0) 2686 8301
Email: cmanopiniwes@worldbank.org
Muangklang—In the Rayong Province in Thailand, Muangklang is a small-sized municipality. The Muangklang municipality is taking effective steps for reducing GHG emissions. To achieve this, Muangklang, which is under the leadership of a local government supportive of sustainability principles, partnered with the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization (TGO) to implement the Low Carbon City approach. The main objectives of the Low Carbon City approach are to enhance the city’s good practices and create a model that other small cities in Thailand can replicate and follow.
Contact
For more information regarding the Low Carbon City approach in Thailand’s Rayong Province, contact CDKN Asia
Address: Pakistan’s LEAD House F 7, Markaz, Islamabad 44000
Telephone: +92-51-2651511
Email: asia@cdkn.org
Nakhon Sawan—Another city in Thailand that is taking active initiatives to decrease GHG emissions is the central Thai city of Nakhon Sawan. This city is situated at the origin of the Chao Phraya River. It will soon become a flagship “green city” and will be a role model for other cities in Thailand. Nakhon Sawan received an award of the second ASEAN Certificate of Recognition in the category of Clean Water for Small Cities in 2014 because of the city’s efficient wastewater system. In terms of addressing climate change induced threats like water scarcity, this city has policies in place regarding efficient supply of water, and the systematic use and management of water resources. These policies include access to good water quality for consumers; protection of water resources; wastewater treatment before discharge; construction and operation of a water supply system to cover the city’s area; and acquisition of raw water resources to feed the water supply that fulfills Thailand and World Health Organization standards. There also are plans for developing a low-carbon strategy in Nakhon Sawan city. To stress upon the facilitation of low-carbon strategy, Tanapat Saengkiettiyuth who is the Head of Water Quality Management Subdivision of Nakhon Sawan says he wants the city to become a “city of trees” at a ratio of at least five square meters of greenery or park per resident. Recycled water from the wastewater plant would be used for the irrigation of these parks. Similarly, this city has a plan in place to address waste generation concerns. The aim of this plan is to reduce solid waste by at least 10% through the switch from plastic bags to paper bags and to facilitate sustainable consumption by using non-toxic vegetable farming.
Contact
For more information regarding initiatives that Nakhon Sawan is taking for GHG emissions reduction contact the Environment Division of the ASEAN Secreteriat
Telephone: +62-21 7243372, +62-21 7262991
Email: public@asean.org
Associations
Asian Cities Climate Resilience Network—A leading network that works in the field of climate change in Thailand is Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network (ACCCRN). ACCCRN has had projects in Thai cities like Hat Yai and Chiang Rai from 2009 to 2016 that have been funded by The Rockefeller Foundation. ACCCRN’s main objective is related to sharing success stories along with encouraging cities in different parts of the world to take effective measures and initiatives in terms of mitigating, coping or adapting with climate change.
Contact
Website: https://www.acccrn.net/country/thailand
Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization—Another influential association that is undertaking national-level project activities in Thailand is the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization (TGO). The key vision of TGO is to develop effective greenhouse gas management strategies for the purpose of benefitting the economy, saving the environment and protecting the society at large. The activities of TGO include facilitating development projects, as well as adopting strategies for marketing and trading greenhouse gas emissions; providing the public with information about the operation of greenhouse gas; giving advice to the respective government departments and the private sector about how to manage greenhouse gas emissions.
Contact
Website: http://www.tgo.or.th
Learn More
1) To know more about climate change initiatives Bangkok is taking:
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTCARBONFINANCE/Resources/Chanin_Manopiniwes_Nat_Pinnoi_Bangkok_Urban_Transformation.pdf
2) To know more about climate change initiatives in Muangklang Municipality:
http://cdkn.org/2013/03/feature-thailands-low-carbon-city-initiative/?loclang=en_gb
3) To know more about climate change initiatives in Nakhon Sawan:
http://investvine.com/thai-city-excels-in-environmental-strategy/
4) To know more about the awards received by cities in Thailand for their climate change best practices:
http://environment.asean.org/asean-working-group-on-environmentally-sustainable-cities/
5) To know more about the city of Songkhla going green and the Green City Action Plans (GCAP):
https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/related/41570/imt-gt-green-cities-initiative-brochure-2016.pdf
6) To know more about the climate change initiatives of Thai cities like Phuket and Phitsanulok:
http://environment.asean.org/recipients-of-asean-esc-award-2011/
7) To know more about the Climate Change Master Plan 2013-2023 for Bangkok and the Green Growth Project for Bangkok:
http://resilientcities2016.iclei.org/fileadmin/sites/resilient-cities/files/Resilient_Cities_2016/PPTs/H2_combined_presentations_Part4.pdf
8) To know more about the Green City Action Plan specifically for Songkhla and Hat Yai municipalities:
https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/related/41572/imt-gt-green-city-action-plan-songkhla-hat-yai-municipalities-march-2015.pdf
9) To know more about strategies related to Climate Change Best Practices in Bangkok and Samui Island:
https://enviroscope.iges.or.jp/contents/APEIS/RISPO/p_report_2nd/14_3_4_1_development_of_environmentally_sustainable.pdf
10) To know more about the city of Chiang Mai in Thailand and its steps for reducing greenhouse gas emissions:
http://www.citiesforcleanair.org/documents/Chiang%20Mai%20Vision%20for%20Clean%20Air.pdf
11) To know more about the measures Bangkok, Chiang Rai and Hat Yai are taking to tackle climate change:
http://cleanairasia.org/wpcontent/uploads/portal/files/documents/Climate_Change_Plans_and_Infrastructure_in_Asian_Cities_-_Low_Res.pdf
12) To know more about the low-carbon strategies developed in Samui Island:
http://aperc.ieej.or.jp/publications/reports/lcmt/Policy_Review_for_Koh_Samui_Thailand.pdf
13) To know more about the development of solar power in Nakhon Sawan province, Thailand:
http://renewables.seenews.com/news/energy-absolute-to-install-570-mw-of-renewables-by-2017-report-435525
14) To know more about the climate change initiatives in Chiang Rai, Thailand:
http://citistates.com/award-urban-innovation-2013/