The German Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety Ministry has provided 9 million euros (Bt413 million) to run the German Climate Initiative in Thailand until 2011.
The project is aimed at implementing appropriate responses and approaches to global warming while enabling local businesses and industries to grow sustainably amid global market competition.
Ambassador Hanns Schumacher yesterday said the ministry used income from sales of carbon dioxide certificates through the emissions-trading system in Germany to fund climate-change projects in his country and abroad.
The German Climate Initiative in Thailand consists of six projects, four of them under the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ), an international cooperation enterprise for sustainable development with projects the world over, including cooperation with Thailand for more than 30 years.
The GTZ's four projects involve climate policy, energy efficiency in medium-sized enterprises, climate protection in tourism and sustainable palm oil for bioenergy.
The two other projects are a programme for energy efficiency on Phang Nga's Koh Khao, managed by the World Tourism Organisation; and solar biomass cogeneration, overseen by Germany's Solarlite.
The Phang Nga project is aimed at reducing gas emissions from the hotel industry on Koh Khao by applying innovative solutions for energy efficiency and renewable energy.
German Deputy Minister Michael Mueller said his government had provided about 1 billion euro to several countries to assist them in protecting the climate. At present, 51 countries have implemented German technology to promote and develop renewable energy in their countries. Germany will also transfer technology to Thailand.
"To respond and adapt to climate change, corporations have to invest huge amounts of money. If we neglect to do so, it means that we're lacking in responsibility to the world. As far as I'm concerned, the countries that have started to implement the technology to reduce emissions as part of their businesses will gain economic benefits, as well," he said.
The German government has set up joint committees in India and China to work closely on this matter. Although there are some obstacles, everything should eventually be developed, he said.
For example, GTZ launched some projects in Thailand four or five years ago to improve the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises in the agricultural sector. Those projects touched on several areas, including environment, ecology and production.
GTZ has also helped Thai shrimp farmers improve their production, in order to resume exporting shrimp to Germany.
Four Thai agencies will be GTZ's partner in the four new projects: the Office of Natural Resources and Environment Policy and Planning, the Industrial Works Department, the Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration and the Agricultural Economics Office.
For the project on sustainable palm oil for bioenergy, GTZ intends to promote the production of certified sustainable palm oil to serve increasing demand in Europe.
It will also establish a certification scheme for sustainable palm oil produced in Thailand and show it can be a source of bioenergy under criteria for sustainability, thus preventing negative effects on the environment.
(c) 2009 NMG News Co., Ltd.
