Project News

Following the regional discussion held at the Side Event at UNFCCC COP24 Katowice on the role of capacity building, the Project convened UNFCCC Side Event entitled "Regional Focused Dialogue on NDC Implementation in Southeast Asian Countries – Facilitating Joint Crediting Mechanisms (JCM) and Stocktaking of Capacity Gaps & the Role of Regional Capacity Building Platform" during SB50 Bonn Conference, on 20th June 2019 (co-organized by ONEP (Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning), TGO (Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Overseas Environmental Cooperation Center, Japan (OECC)).

(Photo by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth)

The Dialogue initiated with the mutual updates and presentations on the current state of affairs regarding capacity building to facilitate climate actions especially NDC, and implementation of JCM by the United Nations (UN-ESCAP), TGO, Ministry of Environment, Japan, along with Southeast Asian country representatives (Lao PDR/Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Viet Nam/Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Thailand/ONEP)

Subsequent regional dialogue and exchange of views were convened in the form of panel discussion guided by the moderation by the JICA Project. The dialogue extracted the following summary points.

• To address observed capacity gaps for NDC implementation in ASEAN, importance of strengthening country readiness, and establishment of vertical implementation framework from national/central government to actual projects/measures were highlighted. Importance of results-based evaluation framework to connect capacity building effort and intended impacts was also emphasized.
• Establishing national-level MRV/transparency framework and engagement of non-state actors (including private sector) for NDC implementation are observed to be the topics of common interest. In this regard, several challenges and measures were pointed out, including, inter alia, data collection and sharing as the common bottleneck, importance of empowering domestic capacity pool/experts(Lao PDR), incentives remains a challenge to successful engagement of domestic stakeholders in transition to voluntary nature of pre-2020 regime to more commitment-based post-2020 regime (Viet Nam), and capacity building and human resource development at different layers (Thailand).
• While conclusion of Article 6 negotiation is anticipated to further consolidate the placement of market-based approach and carbon credits in NDC and climate actions in post-2020 Paris regime, several evidences for progressing domestic market-based approaches, including piloting national emission trading scheme, were observed.
• MOEJ highlighted JCM could be one of the tools to facilitate NDC implementation, and how the mechanism facilitates actual technology transfer as epitomized by proliferation of industrial chiller and amorphous transformer to reduce energy consumption and GHG emission reduction in partner countries.

Opening Remarks
Dr. Nattthanich ASVAPOOSITKUL, Director of Climate Change Management Coordination Division, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Thailand /ONEP

１. Presentation and Updates of Country Effort
MC: Mr. Makoto KATO (General Manager, OECC)

Contents	Presenters/Panelists
Importance of capacity building as one of a means of implementation to achieve Paris Agreement in ASEAN	Dr. Stefanos FOTIOU Director, Environment and Development Division, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP)
Preliminary results of ASEAN regional capacity building needs assessment	Mr. Thawatchai SAENGKHAMSUK Director, Climate Change International Technical and Training Center (CITC), TGO
Latest updates and way forward of the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM)	Ms.Maiko UGA Climate Change Policy Division, Global Environment Bureau, Ministry of the Environment, Japan (MOEJ)
Current Progress of JCM and challenges in Lao PDR" & "Country preparation to implement NDC, cooperation schemes, remaining gaps and needs	Ms. Daovinh SOUHONPHACDY Deputy Director, Climate Change Promotion and Management Division, MONRE/Lao PDR
Current Progress of JCM and challenges in Lao PDR" & "Country preparation to implement NDC, cooperation schemes, remaining gaps and needs	Mr. Pham Van TAN Deputy Director General, Viet Nam Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment / Department of Climate Change
Country preparation to implement NDC, cooperation schemes, remaining gaps and needs	Ms. Chanutsakul SUPIRAK Environmental Official, Policy and Strategy section, ONEP, Thailand
Current Progress of JCM and Challenges of Secretariat of JCM Thailand	Dr. Paweena PANICHAYAPICHET Manager, Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization (TGO)

2. Panel Discussion
Moderator: Mr. Koji FUKUDA (Chief Advisor, JICA TA for Capacity Development to Accelerate Low Carbon and Resilient Society Realization in the Southeast Asian Region)

Key Discussion Questions

• What are the priority capacity needs for ASEAN to implement NDC? Any capacity gaps towards successful transition to the implementation phase?
• What are approaches to effectively assess capacity gaps and needs in ASEAN?
• How to further upscale the [on-going] regional cooperation on capacity building activities to meet the needs?
• How to sustain capacity building platform in a long term?