SUSTAINABLE GOALS SET

>> Thailand has set shaping sustainable cities as a goal under its five-year National Economic and Social Development Plan, effective from now until 2021.

Sakol Thinagul, director-general of the Department of Environmental Quality Promotion, said the government has taken steps towards developing more sustainable cities aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. This means focusing on the joint need for economic development and environmental protection.

The plan dictates that there must be one model sustainable city per province.

To promote the sustainability goals, Thailand hosted the 8th East Asia Summit High-Level Seminar on Sustainable Cities early this month in Chiang Rai, attended by over 200 participants from Asean member states, city authorities, international agencies and local community members.

“Thailand presented to the meeting its success stories on local participation, which is a key element in successful sustainability,” said Mr Sakol. “We found that many countries still fall short of achieving this.”

The successful case studies included a waste management campaign conducted by Buri Ram residents in which they were encouraged to conceive of new waste disposal methods. The solutions they came up with ranged from segregating garbage at home to setting up garbage banks where depositors can cash in on their recyclable waste.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Surasak Karnjanarat said that sustainable city development and measures against climate change can go hand in hand.

Prasertsuk Chamornmarn, executive director of the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organisation, noted that 20% of the country’s greenhouse gases are generated in cities. It’s important to change city dwellers’ habits to decrease greenhouse gas emissions, including depending more on transport systems, she said.