(From left) Reinhold Elges, Director of GIZ Thailand, Jiravat Ratisoontorn, Deputy Secretary-General, Acting Secretary-General of the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning, Dr Phirun Saiyasitpanich, Director-General of the Department of Climate Change and Environment, Thalearngsak Petchsuwan, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Hans-Ulrich Südbeck, Deputy Chief of Mission, German Embassy Bangkok, Chidchanok Sukmongkhon, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, Athuek Prasenmoon, Director – Division of Tourist Attraction Development of the Department of Tourism, and Dr Angkana Chalermpong, Programme Director for Climate and Biodiversity Policy and IKI Interface Thailand, GIZ

Bangkok, 5 February 2024 – GIZ, in collaboration with the Department of Climate Change and Environment (DCCE), the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP), supported by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action: BMWK, organised the Climate, Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Project Event on Monday, 5 February 2024, at the Infinity Ballroom, Pullman King Power Bangkok. The purpose of the meeting was to present the project’s work plan and approaches and support collaborative partnerships among agencies and organisations to promote integrated and effective actions towards climate and biodiversity protection, while conserving marine and coastal resources, and promoting sustainable tourism.

In his opening remarks, Hans-Ulrich Südbeck, the Deputy Chief of Mission, German Embassy Bangkok stated: “Germany and Thailand have a long-standing partnership on sustainable development. Since its establishment 16 years ago, the International Climate Initiative (IKI) funded by the German government has considerably contributed to developing and advancing climate and environmental action in Thailand. The IKI has been a crucial vehicle for the close Thai-German cooperation we have today with diverse political partners and on a wide range of projects. The Climate, Coastal and Marine Biodiversity project, implemented by GIZ, is one of these projects. It supports its distinguished key political partners in advancing low-carbon, climate-resilient development as well as effectively safeguarding national marine and coastal biodiversity. CCMB supports both DCCE and ONEP to reach out to work with key partners in relevant sectors, notably the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.

Dr Phirun Saiyasitpanich, Director-General of the Department of Climate Change and Environment (DCCE), said: “The CCMB project focuses on policy development for climate change, climate finance, conservation of marine and coastal biodiversity, and sustainable tourism development. It supports the design of diverse (policy) instruments, including legal, economic, and spatial instruments, such as Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs). The CCMB project also places importance on building a network of experts by providing grants to such institutions as Chulalongkorn, Thammasat and Ramkhamhaeng universities, and the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI). This opens opportunities for Thai experts from various disciplines to actively collaborate and contribute their technical expertise, working closely with government agencies to drive forward efforts in addressing climate change and promoting biodiversity in Thailand. Furthermore, the collaborative network participating in today’s event is considered a significant alliance in jointly enhancing Thailand’s potential and readiness in various dimensions to combat climate change, promote adaptation and a low-carbon society, and encourage positive impacts on nature and sustainable development. This requires coherent implementation, both at policy and practitioner level, integrated with technical knowledge development to support efficient implementation.”

Thalearngsak Petchsuwan, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, delivered a special discourse on the Earth’s Planetary Boundaries. Currently, human activities have triggered transgression in at least 6 out of 9 boundaries that compromise the safety of the planet. These boundaries are 1) Biodiversity loss, 2) Nitrogen-Phosphorus cycle, 3) Climate change, 4) Land system change, specifically deforestation, 5) Freshwater cycles’ alterations, and 6) Pollution from human-produced chemicals such as insecticides, industrial chemicals, and microplastics.

“The CCMB project addresses globally interconnected challenges, presenting us with a great opportunity to collectively enhance Thailand’s future resilience and sustainable development. I am hopeful that collaboration in this project will lead to the development of policy and policy instruments to drive forward the transition to sustainable marine and coastal tourism. Simultaneously, it should positively lead to a better quality of life for communities at tourism destinations,” he added.

Furthermore, the event featured key discussions. On the topic: ‘Aligning Global Agenda with National Policies: Perspectives on Decarbonisation, Climate Resilience, and Nature Positive Development’, the panel featured the Deputy Director-General of the Department of Climate Change and Environment, Deputy Secretary-General, and the Acting Secretary-General of the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning, the Deputy Director-General of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, and the Director of the Division of Tourist Attraction Development, Department of Tourism.

The TED Talk session, titled ‘Expert Perspectives on Decarbonisation, Climate Resilience, and Nature Positive Development’, featured Dr Bundit Limmeechokchai, from Thammasat University, Supakorn Chinvanno from Chulalongkorn University, and Dr Wichin Suebpala, from Ramkhamhaeng University.

The event concluded with a panel discussion on ‘Journey towards Decarbonisation, Climate Resilience, and Nature Positive Development,’ with Suwit Nawakam, representative of PTT (PCL) Reforestation, Chutinan Mora, founder of Sea Slug Thailand, and Kittikun Saksung, from the Global Youth Biodiversity Network in Asia (GYBN Asia). The discussion was moderated by Dr Petch Manopravitr, Chair of the Bird Conservation Society of Thailand (BCST).