KPMG calls Thailand Net Zero ‘country to watch’

Global professional services firm KPMG has called Thailand one of seven “countries to watch” for achieving Net Zero carbon emissions, saying in its global survey that the Kingdom is making progress in the right direction.

The Thai government has aligned its goals and policies with the campaign to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions. In the campaign, associated with the Paris climate accords, countries pledge to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 and net zero by 2065. Net zero means achieving an overall balance between greenhouse gas emissions produced and greenhouse gas emissions taken out of the atmosphere.

Goals are one thing. Achieving them is another. In that regard, KPMG recently published its first Net Zero Readiness Index to examine and assess countries’ preparedness to reach net zero.  It compares the progress of a selection of countries in reducing the greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change and gauges their ability to achieve the standard by 2050.

It found that Thailand was among a group of countries with significant opportunities to advance their decarbonization efforts through large-scale projects and emerging initiatives.

“The last few years have seen increasing public awareness of climate change in Thailand, partly due to the government adding the subject to the education curriculum,” said Tanate Kasemsarn, Sector Head of Infrastructure, Government, Healthcare and Hotel at KPMG in Thailand. “This is progress in the right direction as we are creating a generation that is aware of the importance of climate change.

“Thailand will need to improve research capacity, especially in harder-to-decarbonize sectors,” said Ganesan Kolandevelu, Head of Climate Change and Sustainability Services at KPMG in Thailand. “Technologies such as those that can measure the emission of greenhouse gas, will help the country achieve its climate change agenda. This will need cooperation from all stakeholders.”

Photo courtesy of: https://home.kpmg/xx/en/home/insights/2021/09/