Resident Coordinator's Remarks at the webinar "BCG Economy Model in the Bioenergy, Biomaterial and Biochemical Sector"

Distinguished experts, colleagues and friends,

I am happy to be here today to address you all about a very important topic, which is especially relevant as Thailand will soon be hosting the APEC meeting later this year and can take the lead in the region on a bio-circular-green transformation.

I am very much looking forward to today’s discussions as I learned a lot during the previous three seminars.  

The BCG Economy Model will contribute greatly to sustainable growth, biodiversity protection and social inclusion in line with the SDGs.

Bioenergy, biomaterials and bio-chemicals are a key pillar of sustainability and the United Nations is working closely with Thailand on the advancement of the sector by providing targeted policy recommendations, scientific knowhow and the introduction of the best available technologies.

Let me share my views from a UN perspective about how we can add value.

First, bioenergy. As electricity demand continues rising the Government has committed to boosting the share of renewables in the energy mix for the sake of a greener future and to deliver on its NDCs.

Among the technologies being adopted with UN’s technical assistance are small-scale biomass gasification plants, which generate electricity from agricultural and wood processing waste in Thailand.

Many small agricultural and wood processing operations produce biomass residues that remain under-utilized, which is why biomass gasification is an ideal technology for green energy.

However, challenges remain, including a lack of expertise and training in rural communities. To that end, UNIDO helped set up pilot plants for using locally produced biomass residues to generate heat and electricity.

Working with the Ministry of Energy and other stakeholders, UNIDO promoted biomass gasification as part of building capacity for community-driven renewable energy management in rural Thailand.

Already the technology has made a difference in several rural communities in Chiang Mai, Kanchanaburi and Nakhon Ratchasima. 

Current installed capacity remains low, but when it is scaled up sufficiently small-scale gasification can increase energy autonomy in rural communities while reducing carbon emissions.

The technology can have transformative effects in villages and also aid Thailand to decentralize and diversify renewables towards a low-carbon future.

Second, biomaterials. We are working on pilots for introducing and popularizing bio-packaging materials such as bioplastics to reduce household and industrial waste.

These materials are urgently needed as waste has reached chronically high proportions with plastic and chemical pollution affecting the environment, including the oceans, while posing a threat to biodiversity.

Waste management assessments at 20 sites by UNEP and UNHABITAT, in partnership with provincial administrations and cities, have shown that three-quarters of waste ends up in landfills and dumpsites that are nearing saturation. Most of the waste is then left unrecycled.

Our analysis has shown that the average composition of household waste is 15 per cent plastic while 53 per cent is biodegradable kitchen waste.

In landfills, however, plastic waste rises to 23 per cent, which highlights the role businesses and industry can play in reducing their plastic footprints.

To do so, we can scale up waste collection, segregation and recycling. In addition, we will need to introduce biomaterials for packaging to reduce environmental impacts nationwide.

The Partnership for Action on Green Economy, or PAGE program, led by UNIDO is also working on waste application tools to enhance sustainable municipal waste management.

Third, biofuels. Biofuels can help boost sustainability and reduce Thailand’s carbon footprint in line with the country’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and net-zero emissions by 2065.

One important task is to address high dependency on fossil fuels for transportation within the Mekong region, including Thailand.

As a result, UNIDO and its local partners have been promoting bioethanol technology and advocating for targeted policies so that ethanol can replace conventional fuels.

The project has so far resulted in the transfer of low-carbon bioethanol production technology while engaging and training farmers, entrepreneurs and specialists.

The project has also informed the policy dialogue, promoting bioethanol production from cassava in Thailand and other Mekong countries.

As these examples show, we can harness scientific knowhow and available technologies to accelerate progress on the SDGs to scale the BCG model.  

I am looking forward to learning about other actionable practices from the distinguished experts during their speeches and panel discussions.

Thank you.