The Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP), supported by GIZ, hosted a debriefing meeting on January 30, 2023, to inform Thai government agencies and stakeholders from civil society, academia and the private sector on the outcomes of the 15^th Conference of the Parties (COP15) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The event featured ONEP expert presentations and discussions on what decisions were adopted at the COP15 as well as their implications for Thailand. A session outlining the road for Thailand and what lies ahead in terms of implementation of the Kunming-Montreal framework, the key outcome of CBD COP15, and its implications for Thailand and different stakeholder groups was also part of the programme.

The participants encompassing representatives from government agencies and international organisations as well as academics and NGOs got a clear picture of how the future of the biodiversity management landscape within the country will look, and how they each have a role to play in reversing the loss of biodiversity and contributing to enhanced conservation. Furthermore, the Secretary General of ONEP held a session on the links between climate change and biodiversity, in which he emphasised the importance of addressing both challenges in an integrated way and how this could lead to achieving win-win solutions where climate change is mitigated, and biodiversity benefits are achieved.

The linkages between climate change and biodiversity were highlighted in an exhibition at the venue, which was also live-streamed via ONEP’s Facebook page in order to provide the opportunity for the general public to learn and understand more about this crucial topic.