Thailand’s climate pledges slammed as “critically insufficient”

Climate research group Climate Action Tracker says Thailand’s pledges at the recent COP26 summit in Glasgow, Scotland are “critically insufficient”. A report issued by the group has slammed the targets that were agreed, saying Thailand, like most other countries, has not improved on its goals in any way that will make enough of a difference. The report says Thailand needs to do more, pointing out that the pledges made will not do enough to stop global temperatures rising beyond the critical threshold of 1. 5º Celsius, as stipulated in the Paris Agreement.

According to a Bangkok Post report, Thai environmentalists agree. Krisada Boonchai from Thai Climate Justice for All has also questioned the government’s pledges on greenhouse gas reduction. He says all stakeholders, particularly those in the transport and energy sectors, must make an effort to decarbonise, as part of Thailand agreeing to a Long-Term Low Greenhouse Gas Emissions Development Strategy to be carbon neutral by 2050.

“The pledges to cut carbon emission by 40% are courageous, but it would be much better if we start decarbonising now and aim for a more ambitious goal of reducing emissions by 50%, to bring the country in line with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recommendation.”

The CAT report also criticises the government’s plan to switch to natural gas to reduce the country’s dependence on coal. The group says doing this simply delays any move to clean energy and further undermines efforts to decarbonise. The Bangkok Post reports that the group have also criticised Thailand for not signing up to any of the key initiatives announced at COP26, including the Global Methane Pledge, Global Coal to Clean Power Transition Statement, and the Declaration on Accelerating the Transition to 100% Zero Emission Cars and Vans.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post