Resident Coordinator’s Remarks at the Partnership for Action on the Green Economy (PAGE) Launch in Thailand

[as prepared for delivery]

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Supattanapong Punmeechaow,

UN colleagues,

Government representatives, and friends.

I am pleased to be joining the launch of PAGE, a crucial joint initiative that brings together the technical expertise of five UN agencies to accelerate the green transition and contribute to advancing the SDGs in Thailand.

The UN’s Secretary-General has said that the green economy is the future. Thailand is showing leadership in this through its Sufficiency Economy Philosophy and BCG economic agenda in alignment with the 13th National Economic and Social Development Plan.

The Government’s commitment to a green transformation is reflected in its ambition to achieve carbon neutrality by mid-century.  

Its decision to increase the country’s emission reduction target to 30% below a business-as-usual scenario sets a progressive pathway for sustainable growth. In real terms, this means emissions in 2030 will be lower than in 2020, which is very heartening.

The private and financial markets, including banks, investors, and asset managers, are also facilitating the green transition by making their own commitments.

This includes the Global Compact Network Thailand, a partnership of 100 private sector players, most of whom have set 2050 as their target for carbon neutrality starting last year. They have already contributed to reductions in emissions by 8 million tons, which is equivalent to 1.6 million cars being taken off the roads.

However, this sense of purpose to transform business operations premised on ESG also needs to become the norm for small and medium enterprises. They will need technical and financial support to develop their capacity and higher-order skills in the service of the BCG.

The UN Thailand is adding value to by leveraging our convening power, cutting-edge scientific offerings and technical assistance based on lessons learned worldwide.

The Cooperation Framework prioritizes an inclusive green economy as an integral pillar of our partnership with a focus on introducing low-carbon technologies, effective waste management, biodiversity protection and reductions in food waste.

The PAGE initiative serves as an enabler to further scale up our technical assistance to address existing binding constraints. These include addressing capacity building for uptake of green jobs and carbon trading schemes, integrating green economy targets into development plans, and piloting BCG projects in waste management and sustainable agriculture.  

Let me outline three key areas that require acceleration.  

First, supporting innovation in partnership with the private sector will be critical for GHG reductions.

Partnerships are key to scaling up science and technology for green transitions in GHG-intensive sectors such as energy, agriculture, industry, and transport.

Importantly, once the best available low-carbon technologies are introduced, the private sector is quick to adopt and upscale them of its own accord as has been demonstrated by UNIDO.

In a pilot undertaken with the Government, for instance, we have introduced scrap-processing smelters, regenerative furnaces, and carbon-absorbing solvents in the heavily polluting aluminum and steel industries.

Improved waste collection and reuse such as by converting waste products into bioenergy premised on resource efficiency assessments is also being leveraged for emission reductions. 

These technologies have reduced emissions by 6% and are now being scaled up to 70% of steel and 40% of aluminum plants nationwide.

Second, bolstering resource efficiency will be vital for long-term sustainability.

Vast quantities of household and industrial waste, including plastics, remain unrecycled, which is why we urgently need to close the loop to improve circularity.

At present, around 87% of recyclable materials is left unrecovered, equaling $4 billion of economic value annually.

The PAGE initiative is working to incentivize recycling and improve waste management capacity in pilot locations.

In a collaboration with the municipality in Rayong and the private sector, PAGE is developing mobile applications for education on waste, fee collection, and rewards for separation and recycling.

Simultaneously, PAGE is working with the Ministry of Agriculture to cut agricultural waste in half from fruit and industrial crops such as durian, mango, palm oil and coffee by upcycling waste into new products.

The project already involves 50,000 farmers across 14 provinces and will secure livelihoods.

Third, creating green jobs will ensure a just transition based on the principle of leaving no one behind.

The green economy can foster prosperity and create decent work.

Green job creation will also safeguard human health and wellbeing as well as long-term sustainable development and biodiversity protection.

The green economy is still an emerging field, but responsible investments by the financial markets can translate into new green jobs and move the needle on circularity.

Under the leadership of ILO, PAGE will be a critical platform to take this agenda forward.

In closing, I would like to stress that Thailand should continue to lead by example by setting positive trends in line with the BCG.

The upcoming APEC forum will be an excellent opportunity to showcase the country’s leadership role in progressing towards the green economy.

Thank you.