Global Compact, United Nations to accelerate Thailand’s business leadership on climate action

The Global Compact Network in Thailand, in partnership with the United Nations in Thailand is organizing the GCNT Forum, which brings together a broad range of delegates to discuss strategies on maximizing the positive contribution of business to Thailand’s climate leadership and chart a path to a more inclusive future.

With the theme ‘Thailand’s Climate Leadership Summit 2021: A New Era of Accelerated Actions’, this year’s event will focus on the role private sector leadership can play to move towards carbon neutrality in Thailand against the grim backdrop of the climate crisis. General Prayuth Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister of Thailand, will deliver opening remarks.

Thanyaporn Krichtitayawuth, Executive Director at GCNT, said that climate change is a more serious threat to humanity than the COVID-19 crisis, which may eventually disappear. Climate change is one of the most pressing and challenging issues in sustainable development as has been confirmed by recent scientific reports. Our world is experiencing worsening global warming: intense wildfires, rising sea levels, melting Polar ice caps and reduced snowfall all culminating in the year 2020 being the world’s warmest year on record.

The central objective of the Paris Agreement is to hold the increase in global average temperatures to 1.5-degree Celsius from pre-industrial levels. Despite this, the year 2020 saw a 1.2-degree Celsius of warming, pointing to the severity of the current situation. The former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said: “There is no Plan B because there is no Planet B” – all this means we must take serious action now to preserve tomorrow as there is no spare planet.

Normally held in Bangkok, the Forum this year is virtual, with more than 70 GCNT members, private sector organizations and stakeholders in Thailand mobilized to work together through a “solutions-oriented” approach to mitigate the climate challenge. At the same time, they will take stock of progress made towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the country since last year’s forum, focusing on responsible business commitments and the role Thai private sector can play in charting the next steps to address climate change.

The opening segment will be chaired by high-level delegates including General Prayuth Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister of Thailand; H.E. Varawut Silpa-archa, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of Thailand; Sanda Ojiambo, CEO and Executive Director of the UN Global Compact; Suphachai Chearavanont, Chairperson of GCNT; Gita Sabharwal, UN Resident Coordinator in Thailand; Dr. Pakorn Peetathawatchai, President of Stock Exchange of Thailand; and Ruenvadee Suwanmongkol, Secretary-General, Securities and Exchange Commission of Thailand.

Leading companies in Thailand which are expected to take part in the event include Charoen Pokphand Group Company Limited., Thai Beverage Public Company Limited., CP ALL Public Company Limited., Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited., HSBC Thailand., Huawei Technologies (Thailand) Company Limited., NR Instant Produce Public Company Limited., True Corporation Public Company Limited., Bangchak Corporation Public Company Limited., BCPG Public Company Limited, C.P. INTERTRADE Company Limited., Charoen Pokphand Produce Company Limited., IRPC Public Company Limited., Ek-chai Distribution System Company Limited., Siam Makro Public Company Limited., Oklin (Thailand) Company Limited., Pranda Group, PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited, PTT Global Chemical Public Company Limited, PTT Public Company Limited., Thai Oil Public Company Limited. and Krungthai Bank Public Company Limited. Representatives from the United Nations will also be speaking at the GCNT Forum, including UNIDO, UNEP, and UNDP.

Registration: Mandatory for all participants including journalists. Click to register: https://gcntforum2021.globalcompact-th.com or scan the QR code (banner above).

When: October 11, 2021 [Event begins at 9.00 am (Bangkok time, GMT+7)]

Where: Online [Zoom]

Social Media: Follow the hashtags #GCNTForum2021 for live updates on our Twitter channels @UNThailand @GCNT_TH