22 September 2025 – Thai climate negotiators, technical experts, and partner organisations joined a two-day UNFCCC COP 30 Capacity Building Workshop in Bangkok, organised by the Department of Climate Change and Environment (DCCE) and Climate, Coastal, and Marine Biodiversity (CCMB) project under GIZ Thailand. The workshop aimed to strengthen Thailand’s readiness for the upcoming UNFCCC COP30 in Belém, Brazil, this November.

As Thailand’s national focal point to the UNFCCC, the DCCE, led by Pavich Kesavawong, Deputy Director-General, emphasised linking climate change with other related issues, enhancing understanding of priority agenda items, and strengthening negotiation strategies to ensure Thailand’s effective participation.

Opening remark and opening session about anticipated roles and responsibilities of Thai negotiators by Pavich Kesavawong, Deputy Director-General of DCCE

A reflection on experiences as Thailand’s former negotiator by Dr Angkana Chalermpong, Director of CCMB Project, GIZ Thailand

Strengthening negotiation skills

One highlight of the workshop is a session on the “International Negotiation Technique” led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The session discussed the key to successful negotiations, challenges and essential preparation steps. Participants then applied these skills in a negotiation simulation focused on the Mitigation Work Programme and the Global Goal on Adaptation, drafting mock negotiation texts and practicing negotiation techniques.

International negotiation basics by Dr Charlie Garnjana-Goonchorn and Sasiyada Naowanondha from Department of International Organisation and Department of Treaties and Legal Affairs

UNFCCC COP Negotiation Simulation

Reflecting on COP 29: Key achievements and remaining challenges

The workshop also revisited last year’s COP 29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, highlighting achievements, lessons learned, and implications for future negotiations. Participants emphasised the importance of closer collaboration among Thai negotiators and greater visibility of Thailand’s negotiation efforts.

What is at stake in COP 30? – Setting priorities and planning the road ahead

Another key focus of the workshop was defining Thailand’s priorities for COP 30 and charting the way forward. Discussions covered the concept of just transition, identifying gaps and opportunities for Thailand, and analysing national strengths and weaknesses, while drawing on best practices from other countries. Participants also explored potential synergies between the UNFCCC, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification—both at national and local levels. In addition, the workshop reviewed progress from The 62nd sessions of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies (SB 62) and key items on the COP 30 agenda.

Thailand’s preparations toward COP 30 are as follows:

• Mitigation: Thailand intends to submit its Nationally Determined Contribution 2035 (NDC) ahead of COP 30, setting higher emission-reduction ambition and accelerate progress toward its 2065 net-zero target (Information as of 8-9 September 2025).
• Adaptation: Thailand aims to prepare for the expected adoption of indicators for Global Goal on Adaptationby developing climate risk databases and indicators, implementing a Thailand’s National Adaptation Plan(NAP), and advancing the development of national adaptation technologies.
• Climate Finance: Thailand is formulating strategies to secure access to international climate finance in support of both mitigation and adaptation efforts, including through the NDC financing need assessment and NDC investment plan. Domestically, the country is advancing the establishment of a national climate fund and the implementation of the Thailand Taxonomy to guide sustainable investment.
• Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE): Thailand seeks to strengthen inclusive participation in climate action, ensuring that all sectors of society—ranging from youth to local communities—are meaningfully engaged in shaping and implementing solutions.

The workshop successfully brought together representatives from the energy, industry, waste, agriculture, forestry, and climate sectors, consolidating lessons from past COPs and preparing negotiators for the challenges ahead. Thailand is set to enter COP 30 determined to contribute to advancing more ambitious global climate action in partnership with the international community.

‘COP 30: Process and expectations and how to navigate the UNFCCC resources and materials’ by representatives from UNFCCC-IGES Regional Collaboration Centre for Asia and the Pacific

Just energy transition by Suchart Klaikaew, Program Lead, IKI JET THAILAND, GIZ Thailand