“It is not just a ceremony”. Dr Raweewan Bhuridej, the Secretary-General of ONEP, opened her speech with these words at the occasion of the MoU signing between her office (under the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources) and the Department of Health – a key agency under the Ministry of Health.

Indeed, the MoU between the two agencies represents much more than a document: it is the outcome of a steady cooperation in the field of climate change adaptation, notably through the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) development process steered by ONEP and supported by GIZ.

DoH has been a key partner for ONEP in setting the national climate change adaptation agenda. The department started to work on the topic as early as 2015, investing significant efforts which culminated this year in the development of a National Health Strategy on Climate Change (Vol.I 2017-2030), soon to be sent for approval to the Ministry of Health and the Cabinet.
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The MoU will provide a strong basis for the future refinement and implementation of the NAP and sets an important precedent for ONEP’s collaboration with key adaptation sectors in Thailand.