Germany and Thailand launch TGC EMC project to strengthen climate change cooperation
![(From left to right) Mr Reinhold Elges Country Director of GIZ Thailand; Dr Philipp Behrens, Head of Division, International Climate Initiative (IKI), Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK); Mr Pavich Kesavawong, Deputy Director-General, Department of Climate Change and Environment (DCCE); Dr Ernst Reichel, Ambassador of Germany to Thailand; Dr Dominika Kalinowska, TGC EMC Project Director, GIZ](https://www.thai-german-cooperation.info/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/01_TGC-EMC-Kick-Off-Opening-speakers.jpg)
- The Department of Climate Change and Environment, in collaboration with GIZ, officially launched the Thai-German Cooperation on Energy, Mobility, and Climate (TGC EMC) project, signalling a significant step in Thailand’s commitment to carbon neutrality.
- TGC EMC’s key highlight lies in its cross-sector integration, fostering collaboration among Thai governmental organizations, international and Thai think tanks, private sectors, and civil society.
- The launch event featured a dynamic panel where experts from the public and private sectors explored the crucial factors driving Thailand’s energy transition in practice and emphasised the collaborative efforts required for a successful shift toward clean and sustainable energy solutions.
Bangkok, 20 October 2023 – The Department of Climate Change and Environment (CCE), Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, in partnership with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, have proudly inaugurated the Thai-German Cooperation on Energy, Mobility, and Climate (TGC EMC) project. This collaborative endeavour aims to reinforce Thailand’s pursuit of carbon neutrality.
The official launch event of TGC EMC was attended by more than 200 participants including representatives from government agencies, academic institutions, international organisations, the private sector and the media. The project kick-off event enjoyed support from the project’s political partners and technical team.
Funded by the Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action of Germany (BMWK) through the International Climate Initiative (IKI), the Thai-German Cooperation on Energy, Mobility and Climate (TGC EMC) aims to empower key actors in Thailand to plan and implement transformative activities in the energy, transport, industry and biomass sectors in line with the Government’s 2050 carbon neutrality objective. Additionally, the project will provide significant support in the field of climate finance. The Thai Climate Finance Initiative (ThaiCI), as part of the TGC EMC project, will provide seed funding to a number of local projects along with capacity development.
![Dr Ernst Reichel, Ambassador of Germany to Thailand](https://www.thai-german-cooperation.info/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/03_TGC-EMC-Kick-Off-Ernst-Reichel.jpg)
His Excellency Dr Ernst Reichel, Ambassador of Germany to Thailand, commented on the multisectoral and interdisciplinary approach of the project, saying, “The integration of the renewable energy, transport, industry, and biomass sectors is necessary and needs to be achieved before the assessment and exploration of innovative technological solutions are piloted and rolled out for implementation. In addition, with the ThaiCI component, TGC EMC will establish a long-term financing instrument to sustain and multiply the impact of the programme by fostering mitigation and adaptation projects in various fields of this greatly needed action.”
![Dr Philipp Behrens, Head of Division, International Climate Initiative (IKI), Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) Dr Philipp Behrens, Head of Division, International Climate Initiative (IKI), Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK)](https://www.thai-german-cooperation.info/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/04_TGC-EMC-Kick-Off-Philipp-Behrens-700x700.jpg)
Dr Philipp Behrens, Head of the International Climate Initiative (IKI) Division, Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action of Germany (BMWK), underlined the significance of TGC EMC, one of IKI’s flagship bilateral cooperation projects, noting, “TGC EMC is more than a mitigation project. It provides us with a collaboration platform for analysing, further developing, piloting, and upscaling transition pathways.”
![](https://www.thai-german-cooperation.info/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/05_TGC-EMC-Kick-Off-Pavich-Kesavawong.jpg)
Mr Pavich Kesavawong, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Climate Change and Environment, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, highlighted the approach of TGC EMC that aims to support the sectors by building a strong foundation of knowledge. He anticipated that the kick-off event would allow for closer cooperation and greater integration between all sectors, contributing to the country’s climate action goals.
![Keynote speaker, Mr Natee Sithiprasasana, Vice Chairman-Biomass Energy of Renewable Energy Industry Club, Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) Keynote speaker, Mr Natee Sithiprasasana, Vice Chairman-Biomass Energy of Renewable Energy Industry Club, Federation of Thai Industries (FTI)](https://www.thai-german-cooperation.info/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/06_TGC-EMC-Kick-Off-Natee-Sithiprasasana-700x700.jpg)
Mr Natee Sithiprasasana, Director and Secretary of the Climate Change Institute, Federation of Thai Industries, outlined in his keynote speech titled “Energy transition with sector integration for carbon neutrality in 2050”, the role of the political partners in building integration between sectors and how sector integration can support the country’s energy transition to and contribute to the carbon neutrality and net-zero targets.
The event also featured a panel discussion on “City Lab – Sector Integration for Solutions Driving Energy Transition”, by experts from the public and private sectors. The panellists discussed the requirements of Thailand’s energy transition and the priority factors that Thailand has to consider to effectively accelerate the transition towards clean energy.
![Mr Reinhold Elges, Country Director of GIZ Thailand Mr Reinhold Elges, Country Director of GIZ Thailand](https://www.thai-german-cooperation.info/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/09_TGC-EMC-Kick-Off-Reinhold-Elges-700x700.jpg)
As the event drew to a close, Mr Reinhold Elges, Country Director of GIZ Thailand, expressed his gratitude to the partner organisations, whose engagement in the project plays a crucial role in fostering fruitful collaboration. He placed particular emphasis on the long-standing cooperation between Germany and Thailand through a multitude of projects implemented by GIZ, which reflect the shared commitment to climate protection to ensure a sustainable future for everyone.
![Representatives from TGC EMC political partners joined the official project launch (From left to right) Ms Woranut Suaykhamkhao, Deputy Director Environment Department, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA); Ms Natthaporn Prommakorn, Head of Waste-To-Energy group, Division of Energy Research, Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency (DEDE); Mr Chidchanok Sukmongkhon, Deputy Secretary General, Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP); Dr Philipp Behrens, Head of Division, International Climate Initiative (IKI), Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK); Mr Pavich Kesavawong, Deputy Director-General, Department of Climate Change and Environment (DCCE); Mr Sarat Prakobchart, Deputy Director General, Energy Policy and Planning Office (EPPO); Mrs Chutinthorn Mankhong, Chief of Sustainable Transport Promotion Group, Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP); Miss Sairak Chailangga, Director of Economic Research Division for Technology, Agricultural Resources and Environment, Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE); Dr Dominika Kalinowska, TGC EMC Project Director, GIZ](https://www.thai-german-cooperation.info/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/TGC_EMC_1-1.png)
![Panel discussion on the topic of “City Lab” - Sector Integration for Solutions Driving Energy Transition Left: (from left to right) Mr Somporn Mueangthong, Senior sanitary researcher, Hat Yai Municipality; Mr Suttipong Kanakakorn, Founder and CEO of Blockfint and GideonOne; Mr Thanakom Plangsombat, Innovation Developer, National Innovation Agency (NIA) Right: Dr.Suneerat Fukuda, Lecturer at The Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT); Mr Pan Piyasil, GIZ (Moderator)](https://www.thai-german-cooperation.info/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Screenshot-2566-10-23-at-21.04.52.png)
![](https://www.thai-german-cooperation.info/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/10_TGC-EMC-Kick-Off-Group-photo.jpg)
Dr. Dominika Kalinowska
TGC EMC Project Director
Email: dominika.kalinowska(at)giz.de