On 13 June 2023, the IKI Interface project in Thailand, the Climate, Coastal and Marine Biodiversity (CCMB) project, facilitated a bilateral exchange between the Thai Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP) and the German Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), together with the German Ministry of Environment and Nature Conservation (BMUV). The meeting provided for fruitful discussions of common interest and cooperation opportunities with regard to various global agenda topics, including climate change, biodiversity conservation, ocean protection, marine litter, and chemicals management.

The two sides provided updates on their national plans and progress to achieve long-term targets towards net-zero and the implementation of the recently adopted Kunming-Montréal Global Biodiversity Framework. In this context, they determined potential topics for enhancing Thai-German cooperation under the IKI and discussed opportunities for increasing engagement through different support formats and initiatives, such as the IKI Country Call, IKI Thematic Call, the Mitigation Action Facility (MAF), the Climate Club, NBSAP Accelerator Partnership, and Enhancing Nature-based Solutions for an Accelerated Climate Transformation (ENACT).

The bilateral exchange strongly emphasized the significance of climate change and biodiversity synergies and the co-benefits that can be achieved. In this regard, both sides noted that the integrated aspects of low-carbon, climate-resilient, biodiversity-friendly and nature-based solutions in coastal and marine conservation and management, as well as in sustainable tourism management to be piloted under the CCMB project will serve as a prime example of cross-sectoral mainstreaming and of the climate-biodiversity synergy.

IKI-supported projects, in particular key projects such as CCMB, TGC-EMC (Thai-German Climate, Energy and Mobility Cooperation), NACAG (Nitric Acid Climate Action Group), and Urban Act (Integrated Urban Action for Low-Carbon and Resilient Cities) implemented by GIZ, play an important role in driving the low-carbon, environment-friendly and nature-positive transformation in Thailand, while paving the way for promoting synergies of these highly interlinked topics and realising multiple benefits through holistic and integrated approaches.

CCMB aims to improve the framework conditions and synergies of climate, marine and coastal biodiversity. The project also promotes mainstreaming of climate and biodiversity objectives in marine, coastal and sustainable tourism planning. Pilot implementation integrating climate, marine and coastal biodiversity and sustainable tourism objectives will enhance vertical integration and subnational capacities for synergetic implementation of climate and biodiversity action. CCMB works closely with the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP) as its main partner, as well as with other relevant agencies identified as key partner agencies for the development and implementation of climate and biodiversity policies and action. Beyond this, CCMB, as a so-called IKI Interface project, plays a key role in coordination and facilitation among partners in Thailand and Germany. In its interface function, CCMB supports ONEP, BMWK, BMUV to engage bilaterally as well as to reach out to other political partners and implementing agencies implementing IKI projects in Thailand.

For more information about IKI Projects in Thailand: https://www.international-climate-initiative.com/en/search-project/#/