Greens demand law against global warming

Global warming is expected to increase dangers of both floods and drought. (EPA file photo)

A national reform panel on natural resources and the environment is pushing for a draft bill to fight global warming and climate change which is the first of its kind in the country, says a member of the panel and green economist.

Buntoon Srethasirote, who is also director at the Good Governance for Social Development and the Environment Institute (GSEI), said Monday his panel has made achievements in several areas of natural resource and environmental reform and one of them is pushing for the draft bill to deal with global warming and climate change.

GSEI is a non-profit organisation set up to deal with social development and environmental issues, promote sustainable development through increasing community and individual participation in order to reduce conflicts and build up good governance, as well as disseminate knowledge for public awareness.

"If it passes into law, it will be a vital tool for Thailand to deal with global warming and climate change more effectively,'' Mr Buntoon said at a seminar to deal with global warming and climate change. The seminar was held at Chulalongkorn University.

Mr Buntoon said the panel is expected to finish the first draft of the bill next March before forwarding it to the cabinet for consideration.

If the cabinet approves the draft bill, it will have to be submitted to the National Legislative Assembly for debate and approval.

Mr Buntoon said if the draft bill passes into law, he is sure it will help enhance state officials' authority to gain access to information on "complete and actual amounts" of carbon emissions from private factories so correct data is reported to international agencies under the global commitment to battle climate change, adding that such information is currently received from factories on a voluntary basis.

According to the draft bill, he said it highlights two key points for greenhouse gas mitigation and adaptation that are in line with the country's master plan on climate change adaptation 2015-2050, strengthening all stakeholders' capacity to deal with the impacts of climate change.

"We have put both rewards and punishments in the draft bill, together with other economic tools, including collecting a carbon tax. But it is quite a sensitive issue that needs further study," he said.

The objective of a carbon tax is to reduce harmful carbon dioxide emission levels, thereby decelerating climate change and its negative effects on the environment and human health.

Mr Buntoon said it would be better if a carbon tax is collected in the country so the money could be used to set up a fund as required by the draft bill.

However, he said careful study is needed on whether extreme measures to limit greenhouse gas emissions are needed because the international commitment does not stipulate these.