Background

          Climate change is one of major threats for human security due to the impacts of natural disasters which are more and more severe. One cause is derived from more greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to the atmosphere resulting from human economic and social activities resulting in greenhouse effect circumstance. The global community has cooperated to accelerate climate action by setting the target for GHG mitigation and adapting to climate change.

      Thailand has ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and The Kyoto Protocol (KP) since 1994 and 2002 respectively. After ratification, Thailand has continued climate actions. At the COP21 conference in 2015 in Paris, France, the Paris Agreement was adopted and the Parties under UNFCCC are necessary to communicate Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Thailand, as one of the Parties, submitted Thailand’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) to UNFCCC after target of GHG mitigation at 20 – 25 per cent, compared to the Business-as-usual (BAU) being adopted by the Thailand’s cabinet. According to the COP26 conference in 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland, the Prime Minister of Thailand, had the statement to express the intention to enhance the climate action for the achievement of Carbon Neutrality by 2050 and Net Zero Greenhouse Gas emissions by 2065 in order to confirm upon giving the highest priority to climate change response, and readiness for further cooperation with all parties and sectors.ป

      Bangkok Metropolis is a capital city of the Kingdom of Thailand and also a mega city, coupled with rapid urbanization and accelerated economic activities. Bangkok has generated a large amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and it is forecasted that the quantity of GHG emissions will highly increase. Due to its geographical location at the Chao Phraya river delta and some area situated along the sea, Bangkok has a high vulnerability to climate-induced natural disasters such as flooding, sea-level rising, and coastal erosion. In recent history, the big flooding event in central Thailand in 2011 caused unprecedented economic and social damage to Bangkok

      The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), serves as the local government for the capital city of the Kingdom of Thailand and has always been proactive in tackling the issue of climate change. The BMA initiated its work on climate change as early as 2007 by implementing the Bangkok Action Plan on Global Warming Mitigation 2007 – 2012. BMA has made continued efforts to address climate change issue. The Bangkok Master Plan on Climate Change 2013 – 2023 is developed under cooperation between BMA and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for elaborated actions with a more holistic approach. To continue climate actions in accordance with the national policy and operational direction on climate change, BMA has still been supported by JICA for developing the new Bangkok Master Plan on Climate Change and setting GHG emission reduction target by 2030. The vision is to make efforts on net-zero GHG emissions by 2050 which conforms to the Prime Minister’s statement of Thailand at COP26 conference. Furthermore, BMA has conducted adaptation planning to climate change by striving and participating with major cities of other nations as the UNFCCC member for taking actions on climate change to accomplish the target in an effective manner.

Operational structure

          BMA has established an institutional arrangement for the implementation of the Bangkok Master Plan on Climate Change. Under such institutional arrangement, it consists of Steering Committee (SC), Working Group (WG), and 5 Task Forces (TFs) on transport, energy, waste and wastewater, green urban planning sector and adaptation planning. According to the implementation of Master Plan, Climate Change Strategy (CCS) Sub-division, Air Quality and Noise Management Division, Department of Environment, as a coordinating and driving unit, has played the key role in coordinating policy, technical work, and activities on climate change with BMA’s inter-department, governmental agencies, private sectors, and international agencies related to climate change operation.