Thailand Prepares Its First-Ever Climate Change Legislation

A Bangkok Post report from October 21, 2020 discussed the Thailand Government’s recent plan for finalizing the country’s first-ever Climate Change draft bill. In this regard, “the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will submit a draft of the bill to the cabinet for approval by the end of this year.” The Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-Archa noted the necessity of a Climate Change draft in Thailand as it will aid in the country’s efforts to protect the environment as well as drive their economy forward.

This monumental legislation will serve to help Thailand develop a more comprehensive carbon footprint report as well as guide the country to operate in line with global climate action. Should this bill be enacted, factories and related businesses would be obliged to document their greenhouse gas emissions and give the government a better indication of their pollution habits.

Silpa-Archa identified the new bill’s primary purpose as being a tool to “help the government and related sectors meet the goals it supported with the Paris Accord of 2016.” Thai exports will even be mandatorily labeled with carbon footprint data so as to inform recipients of their impact on the planet. The industrial sector is expected to be more transparent about their effects on the environment through the various requirements this bill hopes to legislate.

Activity Ranking: ^*** Right Direction

Thailand is certainly moving in the right direction for addressing Climate Change concerns across the country. Once the bill is enforced, it will help facilitate appropriate measures for decreasing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions Thailand generates. Most notably, it will seek to strengthen Thailand’s Paris Agreement commitments by ensuring that different factories, businesses, and industries lower their respective carbon footprints.

Contact

Dr. Raweewan Bhuridej

Secretary General

Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning

60/1 Soi Pibulwatana 7, Rama VI Road,

Phayathai, Bangkok 10400 Thailand

Telephone: 0-2265-6506, Fax: 0-2265-6506

Email: rawewan@onep.go.th

Dr. Asadaporn Kraipanont

Deputy Secretary General

Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning

60/1 Soi Pibulwatana 7, Rama VI Road,

Phayathai, Bangkok 10400 Thailand

Telephone: 0-2265-6505, Fax: 0-2265-6506

Email: kasdaporn@gmail.com

Learn More

To know more about Thailand’s Climate Change draft bill, please see the October 21, 2020 Bangkok Post Report at https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2005523/govt-aims-to-honour-climate-change-pact

This Post was submitted by Climate Scorecard Thailand Country Manager Neebir Banerjee: Neebir@climatescorecard.org or neebirban@yahoo.com