Civil group to submit climate bill targeting 2035 carbon neutrality

A civil society group is preparing to present a bill to Parliament, aiming to accelerate climate goals while safeguarding local communities’ rights to their natural resources.

Coordinator of Thai Climate Justice for All, Kritsada Boonchai, announced that the draft law, the group’s first, intends to support the global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“Currently, tackling climate change is a slow process.”

The group’s bill proposes achieving carbon neutrality by 2035 and net zero emissions by 2065, significantly earlier than the government’s current target of 2050. Kritsada emphasised that the bill is grounded in global human rights principles.

“Climate goals can be achieved earlier if the government promptly phases out fossil fuel consumption, increases renewable energy production, and encourages single-crop plantations to switch to eco-agriculture.”

These measures are deemed essential for reducing and limiting greenhouse gas emissions.

The bill also addresses climate change adaptation and community rights to information, such as early warning data, to mitigate losses. Additionally, it promotes the rights of local and indigenous communities to natural resources, including food.

“We found that the climate change bill written by the state agency has deprived human rights.

“Our version was written to pave the way for justice. Under the principle of the loss and damage fund, people affected by climate change would be compensated.”

The draft law also seeks to prevent greenwashing of carbon credits in the industrial sector. If passed, it would introduce a carbon tax system for industries like cement and petrochemicals.

The tax revenue would be channelled into a Green Transition Fund, with half allocated for loss and damage compensation. Kritsada remains optimistic about the climate change plan.

“If the law is passed, we will see a big change in the climate change plan. A climate change commission will be set up as a regulator, making things move ahead [faster] under the plan.”

The group plans to submit the bill to Parliament tomorrow, June 25. If approved, they will need 10,000 signatures of public support before it can be read in parliament, reported Bangkok Post.