Resident Coordinator's remarks at the NESDC Forum "A Bright Leap Forward 2021: Resilient & Sustainable Growth"

First intervention

Your Excellencies, esteemed colleagues, and partners,

Thank you for the opportunity to address you at this crucial time.

First, let me acknowledge two points of remarkable good news. Vaccination rates in Thailand have surged in recent weeks, strengthening all of us against the pandemic and moving closer to recovery.

The second related note is about innovation, and Chulalongkorn University’s recent invention of a robotic system that can draw more doses from a single vial of vaccine. This is Thai ingenuity on the world stage and an important contribution to the fight.

COVID is certainly foremost in our minds at present. It is also becoming increasingly clear that the long-term context of development is the climate crisis. The recent report from the International Panel on Climate Change leaves no doubt – we must adapt to built-in fluctuations to our climate and take urgent mitigation measures to avert more harmful scenarios.

Policymaking and fiscal decisions made today must account for this mid-to long-term perspective. From my many conversations with leaders from across society, I know that planning for these challenges is central to your thinking.

We need to examine how civic engagement and a whole-of-society approach strengthens national development; the UN value-added to investments in the future; and the essential role of sustainable financing to achieve our shared Goals.

The 13th draft NESDP comes at a critical crossroads as Thailand charts its course for the five-years ahead. The UN stands with you in this transformative vision.

The challenges are clear, and so too are Thailand’s strengths. I personally have drawn inspiration from the efforts of more than 1 million volunteers, most of whom are women, strengthening the public health response. On a daily basis, we see the generosity and commitment of both individuals and the business community helping those most in need.

At the macroeconomic level, Thailand has the fiscal space to further support the economy, with conducive financing conditions and significant upside potential.

That requires planning and foresight, partnerships and collaboration, and most of all our shared commitment to a stronger and more sustainable Thailand.

The greatest resource in that collective work is people, and the ingenuity and dedication they can bring to bear. Education is key to equip learners with skills and knowledge for the digital era, and so too is civic engagement, so that voices of all members of society are heard and valued.

As a development partner, the UN offers an impartial platform for engagement, dialogue and the advancement of common interests guided by sustainability and a human-rights approach.

The Asian Development Bank’s research clearly tells us that young people, and all of civil society, need to have an informed and active role in public life and policymaking, to build trust in institutions and leverage their commitment to a more prosperous and equitable future.

Over recent months, we have been engaging in comprehensive consultations with key actors, including with many of you here today, to inform the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework. The Framework strengthens the transition from natural resource-based industries towards a high value-added economy that is sustainable and globally competitive in the long term.

A key focus of this integrated work in Thailand is the inclusive economy based on green, low-carbon and sustainable development. Work in this area is already accelerating, with UNIDO having leveraged US$18 million from the private sector to scale up green technology solutions for steel and aluminum industries, led by the Ministry of Industry.

Regenerative furnaces and scrap processing for smelters are increasing efficiency, reducing costs and cutting CO2 emissions by more than 6%, as well as halving carcinogenic byproducts released into the environment. The lead industry is adopting similar technologies, exemplifying the knock-on benefits of upgrades across industries.

With COP26 around the corner in November, it is a timely reminder that these solutions are no longer optional add-ons, but vital investments in meeting international standards to stay competitive.

The Cooperation Framework is also about investing in human capital. The role of education, and especially developing STEM and ICT, is the key enabler.

The Girls in ICT initiative, jointly undertaken by ITU and UNICEF, with Government and the private sector, is focusing on gender inclusion and the school-to-work pipeline. This lays the foundation for full participation in the tech economy, buttressed by ILO’s partnership with the largest hard-disk manufacturer in the country to train technical and soft skills.

I also want to highlight how innovation and small investments can go a long way. UNESCO’s Learning Coin initiative, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and private sector, provides tablets and scholarships of 800 to 1,200 baht per month for out-of-school children, enabling them to continue their learning. This is an example dear to my heart showing how small investments can accomplish great outcomes in learners’ lives.

That brings me to the third pillar of the Cooperation Framework, ensuring that those at risk of being left furthest behind can participate and benefit from development, free from all forms of discrimination. The pandemic has clearly brought home that each person’s welfare affects society as a whole, and that an integrated social protection system for all is essential.

Once again, it is self-evident that Thailand is a leader in this area in many ways, for example with near-universal healthcare and the promise of free education.

From UN analysis, there is an important recommendation – it is imperative to strategically adjust and adapt the existing social security schemes to include the self-employed and assure mobility of benefits of people moving between formal and informal labour markets. Incremental gains work towards complete coverage, while new schemes can duplicate efforts.

There are still gaps, however, that must be filled in to strengthen the foundations of society. For example, 50% of new mothers do not have access to maternity benefits. Social security coverage must also be extended to about half of the population working in the informal sector, with the hardest hit in agriculture. For domestic workers in particular, pension schemes need to provide for employer contributions, which they currently do not.

I want to emphasize that strengthening social protection is not just for the poor or marginalized but affects everyone. We will all grow old, we will all need support at some point in our life, and wise investments in these programmes now will increase productivity and individual contributions to society in the long term.

This recognition is built into the 13th Draft Plan and its focus on inclusive economic prosperity. The UN’s work directly supports these priorities, such as the promotion of sustainable growth for SMEs and community businesses; smart cities; and reducing the number of people living in poverty and ensuring no one is left behind.

All of this requires investment, both financial and sweat equity. For all the high-minded goals, sustainable development must result in real action and tangible improvements in people’s lives.

To achieve that, we have to get the policy framework right.

For a more inclusive, green, and resilient future, ESCAP proposes the “build forward better” policy package that focuses on enhancing healthcare and social protection, improving access to digital technologies, and strengthening climate and clean energy action.

The package has the potential to reduce the number of poor in Thailand by almost 600,000, increase potential output by 10%, and cut carbon emissions by about 27% by 2030. This would achieve economic benefits with significant social and environmental gains.

Sustainable investing is proving to be smart investing. A recent IMF study estimates that green multipliers on investment are 2 to 7 times larger than conventional multipliers. There is clear recognition that addressing climate change means creating jobs and strengthening economies.

The private sector, as the source of about 75% of investment, has to be a co-leader in these efforts. This should be a major engine of the recovery.

Admittedly, at present the current investment sentiment is cautious, with bank lending a barrier to scaling up sustainable financing. This will take a collaborative effort to foster confidence and expand the shared commitment to Thailand’s future.

In conclusion, I look forward to working with all of you to build on this common ground. The UN stands as a steady partner with Thailand in that work in the coming years. Thank you.

Second intervention

The SDGs are reflected in Thailand’s own guiding principles and the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy that is an inspiration to so many. Sufficiency thinking places resilience, environmental stewardship, and community-led solutions to problems at the center.

These principles are seen in practice across the country, in savings and credit groups tackling indebtedness, and the many environmental projects focused on conservation and humanity’s relationship with nature.

The same priorities are reflected in the SDGs on the global scale. Today, I want to cover how the SDGs are in harmony with national and local interests, the importance of data-driven policy moving forward, and how we are working to localize the Goals in Thailand.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has always been greatly ambitious, by design challenging all of us to be the best that we can. Start at SDG 1 on zero poverty, in a world where more than 3 billion people still live on less than 2 and ½ dollars a day, we quickly realize the scale of the task, but also the concrete actions that can change people’s lives.

Prior to COVID, which has of course complicated the picture, ESCAP estimated that investing less than $1 per person per day could enable developing Asia-Pacific countries to end extreme poverty and malnutrition, while providing basic health care, quality education, clean energy and an enabling infrastructure. This is also in line with strengthening resilience to climate risks and protecting nature.

That requires a joint effort, with the private sector playing an essential role in leadership and sustainable financing, which in turns needs the support of policymakers and the UN. In Thailand, the Global Compact Network, which brings together key figures from the business community, has already made a commitment of $40 billion over a 10-year period, to be built upon in the meeting this October.

Progress on the SDGs always depends on partnerships. Equally, for sound policymaking, generating quality data and evidence is the bedrock where we must begin.

Thailand is ahead of most countries in the Asia-Pacific with nearly 56% of data already available for the SDG indicators, with a focus ranging from localizing SDGs, empowerment of people and communities, and volunteerism and sustainable development.

At present in Thailand, climate-related goals, specifically SDGs 12, 13 and 14 on Responsible Consumption and Production, Climate Action and Life Below Water, are the most challenging and have the lowest data availability. Given the scale and complexity of the climate challenge, we need the best available data to work towards the most effective policy solutions.

Thailand’s total carbon dioxide emissions constitute 0.7% of annual global emissions, with a per capita emission rate of 4 tons. A change in trajectory is very much possible with these levels, and an opportunity to showcase the transformation of Thailand into a green, sustainable and competitive economy.

The Goals are global, but to have real impact, they must make a difference in people’s lives and communities at the local level. The UN brings cutting-edge competencies and international networks that only can be brought to bear in partnership with Thailand’s own expertise, irreplaceable knowledge on the ground, and networks of relationships based on trust and shared interests.

The UNDP and other agencies are working with the NESDC to localize the SDGs, starting with pilot sites in 9 provinces, based on a framework of local-level policy planning, gathering data, and partnerships to maximize progress and investments. This initiative brings together a diverse range of actors at the national, provincial and local level – the Department of Local Administration, the National Municipal League of Thailand, academic institutions such as the King Prajadhipok’s Institute, and many other organizations, including civil society and communities to ensure that, no one is left behind.

In the Southern Border Provinces, as an example, the UN is leveraging local networks, including schools, farmers, entrepreneurs, youth groups and business associations, to transform local food systems. This “Social Innovation Platform” also brings people together to focus on shared priorities such as the COVID response, digitalization of public services, and promoting the culture of food to bring people together.

Another standout pilot project includes low-carbon cities in Chiang Mai, Nakhon Ratchasima, Khon Kaen and Samui, where the UN is working collaboratively to develop a carbon footprint measurement to support climate action planning. In a related initiative, UN Habitat and UNEP are partnering with municipalities on waste-management systems, including energy generation from alternative sources.

Undoubtedly, COVID has caused major setbacks in progress towards the SDGs, in particular it has worsened inequalities. At the same time, the world around us is transforming in other ways, and the climate crisis in particular will be the context for development planning in the future. As we have seen, challenges on the global scale require solutions at the local level.

There is a reason that we say, “build forward better”. In the face of these challenges, we can and will work towards a world that is more equitable, sustainable, and resilient – in short, to build the future in which we want to live. When we talk about the 17 interlinked SDGs, it is this continuous effort and joint mission that connects us all.