CLIMATE ACTION
What might work for Thailand
What the OPEC Fund is doing in Thailand
Develop a national heat action plan A unified national heat action plan would augment national climate and health frameworks in place and bring together a number of different government levels (national, provincial, municipal) from multiple ministries (health, education, disaster management) to tackle everything from unified early warning systems to urban cooling to public awareness campaigns. Such a plan would also aid financing organizations such as development banks in designing funding mechanisms to support heat-resilient initiatives.
The OPEC Fund has had a fruitful historical cooperation with the country since financing its first activity in 1977, a rural electrification project. After a slowdown in the partnership, which was also a reflection of the growth of the Thai economy in the last four decades moving from low-income to upper- middle-income status (achieved in 2011), the relationship is currently being rekindled. Despite progress the country still needs support from development finance institutions in financing and, most importantly, adding value through knowledge, innovation and expertise. For example, the OPEC Fund approved a US$500,000 technical assistance grant in May 2023 to support the operationalization of Thailand's Bio- Circular-Green Economy Model. Among others, the grant financed the report discussed on these pages. In May 2024, the OPEC Fund approved a US$500,000 project preparation grant to support a climate resilience project for the largest river basin in Thailand. Addressing urgent climate vulnerabilities, this is multi-billion US$ project for a consortium of co-financiers.
Photo: saksorn kumjit/Shutterstock
Heat and air action plans for cities Pilot city or provincial heat and air action plans would provide an integrated place for projects to be suggested on the local level that cover adaptation and mitigation measures (e.g. heat shelters, green spaces) and short- and long-term measures (e.g. retrofitting buildings, implementing district cooling networks). National heat fund Setting up a national-level blended finance incentive facility would encourage projects that are designed with the best possible impacts on heat adaptation and mitigation to find the financing they need, especially if they have already been identified by heat and air action plans.
2023: US$500,000 technical assistance grant to support Thailand's Bio-Circular-Green Economy Model 2024: US$500,000 preparation grant for a climate resilience project supporting the largest river basin in Thailand
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