PUBLISHED : 19 Aug 2023 at 05:00
The Department of Environment Quality Promotion has officially been renamed the Department of Climate Change and Environment as per a royal command by His Majesty the King.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa said the name change took effect yesterday, adding the new department will be restructured to meet its new challenges.
Citing recent remarks by UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres on “global boiling”, Mr Varawut said the new department is essential to Thailand’s efforts to address issues related to climate change. According to Mr Guterres, global surface and ocean temperatures have reached historically high levels, which signals that global warming has ended and the “global boiling” era is here.
Mr Varawut said he has instructed natural resources and environment permanent secretary Jatuporn Buruspat to oversee the transition and work closely with the new department chief, Somsak Sappakosolkul, to ensure the work is not disrupted.
Ministerial regulations will soon be issued about the structure of the new department, which will integrate work handled by the Department of Climate Change and Environment and that by the Climate Change Management and Coordination Division under the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (Onep).
“The department is vital as Thailand now has a body that is directly responsible for tackling issues related to climate change,” he said.