Thailand before the energy transition: Fossil fuels endanger climate goals!

Thailand before the energy transition: Fossil fuels endanger climate goals!

On November 7, 2025, a discussion event took place at the Bangkok Art and Culture Center (BACC) that focused on the topic “Future of fossil energy in Thailand on the way to Net Zero 2050”. Organized by JustPow, the event brought together some experts including Professor Dr. Chali Charoenlapnopparat from Thammasat University. He pointedly noted that Thailand is heavily dependent on fossil fuels, with natural gas accounting for 50-60% of electricity production. This dependence could jeopardize the country's climate goals, especially given the binding commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 270 million tons by 2035. This means that more than 40% of emissions have to be saved, which is a major challenge, knows Prachatai.

A central topic of the discussion was the planned construction of new, carbon-intensive power plants, such as the 540 MW Burapha Power. Such infrastructural expansions contradict the objectives of the Energy Development Plan (PDP), which Dr. Charoenlapnopparat strongly urged. He advocated revising the PDP and drastically reducing dependence on fossil fuels while focusing on expanding renewable energy.

The role of funding and public concerns

In this regard, Srisenee Achavanantakul, Director of Climate Finance Network Thailand, emphasized the need for comprehensive assessment of green loans by banks. These are intended to ensure that financed projects are actually environmentally friendly. Tara Buakamsri, co-founder of Greenpeace Thailand, was also critical of the discrepancy between the new National Determined Contributions (NDC) 3.0 and the current PDP, which is based on outdated 2018 plans.

In particular, technologies for reducing greenhouse gases, such as CO2 capture and storage (CCS) and small nuclear power plants, required high initial investments. When discussing the role of fossil fuels in the new PDP, the high cost structure of CCS was also raised, which means that alternative energy sources such as solar energy should receive more attention.

Another aspect of the meeting was the voices of local residents sharing their experiences with the Burapha Power project. They expressed serious concerns about the environmental impact and the transparency of the approval process. Protests against the approval of the project drew attention to insufficient consideration of residents' interests and criticized the approval process as unfair.

Global energy trends and national commitments

To broaden the scope of the discussion, the International Energy Agency (IEA) report on the “Roadmap to Net Zero Emissions by 2050” also makes it clear that the global energy sector is facing enormous challenges. The report was published back in 2021 and outlines a narrow but achievable path to reach net zero emissions by 2050. The increase in energy demand and the associated production methods are global issues that also affect Thailand. CO2 emissions rose by 1.9 gigatons in 2021, representing the largest annual increase on record, as IEA reports.

The discussion at the BACC not only represented an important forum for local concerns, but was also a contribution to a larger global dialogue about the future of energy production and its impact on the climate and society. The need for a broad public debate on energy policy and its impact on communities in Thailand was clearly stated.