Launch workshop: National Action Planning to reduce SLCPs in Thailand

In February 2021, the Thailand Pollution Control Department (PCD) and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) announced a new collaboration to identify solutions to reduce ‘short-lived climate pollutants’ (also known as SLCPs). These solutions can help achieve Thailand’s climate change goals, while at the same time improving air quality across Thailand and protecting the health of Thais. 

The new collaboration is part of the CCAC’s Supporting National Planning and Action to reduce SLCPs(SNAP) Initiative. The Thai PCD will work with international researchers from the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) to assess air pollutant, greenhouse gas and SLCP emissions across Thailand. This assessment will quantify the type and amount of pollutants emitted by different sources – for example, transport, agricultural burning, electricity generation, and industry – and calculate the impact these emissions have on health and climate change. Solutions to reduce emissions will also be evaluated to find priority actions that provide the largest benefits for air quality and climate change. The second component of the work will look at how to implement these priority actions in Thailand. It will assess what institutional reforms are needed, and where coordination between national and local government can be improved for these solutions to be effective.

The launch workshop for Thailand’s CCAC SNAP project aims to bring together a broad range of stakeholders from Ministries and other Departments, NGOs, civil society, and sub-national organisation to introduce the project, and emphasise the role that different stakeholders in Thailand have for taking actions that can reduce SLCPs, improve air quality and mitigate climate change. The half-day, virtual launch workshops will cover the following aspects: 

• Provide an introduction to Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCPs), and how actions to reduce them can help to mitigate climate change and achieve the Paris Agreement, while at the same time reduce air pollution and protect public health
• Introduce Thailand’s project on National SLCP Planning, highlighting the activities that will be undertaken and the role that different organisations can play in each activity
• To hear from stakeholders in Thailand on the activities currently being undertaken on air quality and climate change planning, including at the sub-national level, and how the SLCP Planning project can link to these activities.