Assoc. Prof. Wongkot Wongsapai, Vice President of NXPO, and Dr. Saravanee Singtong, Director of the Sustainability Policy Division at NXPO, led a delegation from the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat on a courtesy visit to Prof. Dr. Yodchanan Wongsawat, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI). The delegation also met with Prof. Dr. Supachai Pathumnakul, Permanent Secretary of MHESI; Mr. Suksit Srichomkwan, Deputy Secretary-General to the Prime Minister for Political Affairs; and Mr. Chattarin Chanhom, Secretary to the Minister of MHESI, at the Parliament Building. The international delegation comprised Ms. Ariesta Ningrum, Director of CTCN; Mr. Moritz Weigel, Technology Manager at the UNFCCC Secretariat; and Ms. Tomoko Furusawa, Head of the CTCN Partnership and Liaison Office. Discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in climate technologies, clean energy, and enhancing Thailand’s role in advancing these priorities.
The delegation expressed its appreciation to MHESI and NXPO, which serves as Thailand’s National Designated Entity (NDE) for climate technology development and transfer, for successfully co-hosting the 2026 Joint Programme: NDE Forum, Capacity Building on Integrating Energy Technologies, and NDE–NDA Coordination in Asia, held from 7–10 July 2026 at the Pullman Pattaya Hotel G in Chonburi Province. The event was the first regional forum organized under the Belém Technology Implementation Programme (TIP), launched at COP30 in November 2025 to accelerate the development, transfer, and deployment of climate technologies in developing countries.
During the meeting, the CTCN Director highlighted the strong partnership with Thailand, particularly through NXPO in its role as the country’s NDE. Discussions explored opportunities to scale up CTCN-supported Technical Assistance (TA) projects from pilot initiatives to commercial implementation. CTCN is currently working with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), an accredited entity of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), to identify financing pathways for expanding these initiatives. The delegation also discussed a new Technical Assistance proposal being developed with Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) to apply artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies to enhance water management in pipeline distribution systems.
The meeting marked another important milestone in strengthening Thailand’s role in connecting the UNFCCC Financial Mechanism and Technology Mechanism to accelerate climate action and contributing to the development of key discussion topics for future Conference of the Parties (COP). It also reinforced the integration of Thailand’s higher education, science, research, and innovation ecosystem with international partnerships on climate technology. The discussions emphasized the importance of developing projects that align with national priorities while expanding cooperation among MHESI, NXPO, CTCN, and the UNFCCC Secretariat to accelerate the clean energy transition, promote sustainable resource management, and strengthen climate resilience across the Asian region.
