How climate fund can give justice for all

In one of the most momentous climate policy moves, Thailand's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) was formally submitted to the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on Nov 4.

- Sarinee Achavanuntakul

Compared to Thailand's previous NDCs, the NDC 3.0 is a big step up. It shifts the Net Zero target year from 2065 to 2050 and changes the greenhouse gas emissions reduction target to an absolute basis.

However, one other notable change many people may have missed is the fact that the NDC 3.0 mentions and elucidates Thailand's version of a "just transition" for the first time.

The NDC 3.0 document states that "Thailand has assessed the economic and social implications of its response measures to facilitate a just transition towards a low-carbon economy, aiming to minimise negative impacts while maximising opportunities for sustainable growth, green job creation, and social inclusiveness."

The document further claims that "Thailand's NDC prioritises protecting vulnerable groups — women, youth, children, and people of determination — demonstrating its commitment to diverse perspectives in climate action".

However, the NDC 3.0 document overall remains vague on how exactly Thailand will "facilitate a just transition". This is especially important since the NDC 3.0 also places great emphasis on private sector engagement, noting that Thailand will involve enterprises "in planning and maintaining stakeholder dialogue" to "craft economically sound, market-aligned policies for a low-carbon transition".

In Thailand, it is all too often that "market-aligned policies" in rhetoric become neoliberal "market-knows-best policies" in practice, and that discards all considerations of equality or justice by the wayside.

That's why we should all monitor and demand an inclusive stakeholder consultation process for the development of the revised NDC Action Plan and the implementation of Thailand's 2024 National Adaptation Plan.