ACC Attended Report Launch and Webinar on Thailand Carbon Pricing by IEA

On 30 April 2021, Ms. Wang Hongliu, Director of General Affairs and Coordination Division of the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), attended the Report Launch and Webinar on Thailand Carbon Pricing hosted by International Energy Agency (IEA).

IEA had completed a report on the Potential Role of Carbon Pricing in Thailand’s Power Sector in collaboration with the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organisation (TGO). Mr. Tom Howes, Head of Energy and Environment Division of IEA and Mr. KiatchaiMaitriwong, Executive Director of TGO delivered remarks at the event. Mr. Cyril Cassisa, Senior Analyst of IEA, briefed on the report and proposed specific recommendations for the implementation of the report to Thai authorities.

Following the report launch, Mr. BeniSuryadi from the ASEAN Centre for Energy, along with experts on climate change and energy from IEA, TGO and Chiang Mai University of Thailand, exchanged views about the report at a panel discussion. They believedthat carbon pricing in Thailand needs support from the government, which could become one of the directions for green development in the region. At the same time, carbon pricing also faces challenges, especially the need to strike a balance between reducing carbon emissions while ensuring energy security and affordability for local people.

Ms. WangHongliu interacted with the panel and expressed hope that the ASEAN-China cooperation willplay a positive role in the regional and global response to climate change. The experts also believed that ASEAN and China facesimilar challenges and opportunities in carbon pricing and energy structure, and hoped that the two sides willshare their best practicesininternational cooperationand join hands to address climate issues.