Launch of Thailand Stockholm +50 National Consultations
A call for integrated gender perspectives to accelerate action towards a healthy planet for the prosperity of all
Bangkok, 12 April 2022, The UN Development Programme (UNDP) jointly with the Embassy of Sweden, the Embassy of Kenya and Thailand’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment convened on 5 April 2022 approximately 120 participants representing government, civil society, private sector, academia, international organizations for the launch of Stockholm+50 national consultations in Thailand. This included a round table discussion focused on gender perspectives to contribute to the outcome of Stockholm+50. (Access a recording of the event here.)
An international meeting will be held in Stockholm, Sweden from 2-3 June 2022 to commemorate the 1972 Stockholm Conference and celebrate 50 years of global environmental action by recognizing the importance of multilateralism in tackling the Earth’s triple planetary crisis related to climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste management.
“We are looking forward to welcoming a Thai delegation to Stockholm, where we will connect climate and environment action with development priorities and the well-being of present and future generations. We will also seek to mobilize key public and private stakeholders towards green and just transitions while accelerating the 2030 Agenda,” says Jon Åström Gröndahl, Ambassador of Sweden to Thailand.
Under the theme “Stockholm+50: a healthy planet for the prosperity of all – our responsibility, our opportunity,” the Stockholm+50 aims to accelerate the implementation of the UN Decade of Action to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including the 2030 Agenda, the Paris Agreement on climate change, the post-2020 global Biodiversity Framework, and encourage the adoption of green post-COVID-19 recovery plans.
The objective of the national consultations is to stimulate an inclusive whole-of-society and whole-of-government dialogue on the main themes of Stockhom+50. To achieve this, it is crucial to include the voices of women and vulnerable groups in the consultations. The issues of climate change, biodiversity, and sustainability have had, and will continue to have, severe and lasting impacts on our environment, as well as the country’s economic and social development. The men and women living on the edge of poverty and instability experience the deepest impacts. Women are increasingly being recognized as more vulnerable to climate change, as they constitute the majority of the world’s poor and are more dependent on natural resources.
Thailand’s launch event focused on the theme “Gender Perspectives Towards a Healthy Planet for the Prosperity of All”. The roundtable discussions reiterated the importance of gender perspectives to examine opportunities for empowering women and girls to have a voice and be equal players in decision-making related to climate change and sustainability, essential for sustainable development and greater gender equality.
UNDP is grateful to Sweden and Kenya for their support to this national consultation which is very timely, as Thailand engages in a post-COVID recovery guided by the Bio-Circular-Green development vision formulated by the Government. This BCG model is very much in line with the spirit of the Stockholm conference and well aligned to the Sustainable Development Goals. We therefore look forward to using this consultation process to also inform the localization of the SDGs at sub-national level and ensure all sectors of society are involved and given a voice, to leave no one behind” said Renaud Meyer, UNDP’s Resident Representative to Thailand.
Following the launch event, Thailand national consultations continue through April and May in the northern and southern regions focusing on environmental issues and priority national themes determined by the consultations. The outcomes of the national consultations will provide inputs for the preparation by UNDP of a global report to be presented at the June Meeting. This is expected to reflect the urgent need for action towards a healthy planet and prosperity of all, achieving a sustainable and inclusive recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, while accelerating the implementation of the environmental dimension of Sustainable Development in the context of the Decade of Action.
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NOTES TO EDITORS
About Stockholm+50:
Stockholm+50: a healthy planet for the prosperity of all – our responsibility, our opportunity” (Stockholm+50) is an international meeting, hosted by the Government of Sweden, convened by the United Nations General Assembly to be held in Stockholm, Sweden, from 2-3 June 2022. It will commemorate 50 years since the 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment, which made the environment a pressing global issue for the first time. Some 113 countries attended, and participants adopted a series of principles on the environment, including the Stockholm Declaration and Action Plan for the Human Environment. The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) was created as a result of the conference.
Learn more: https://www.stockholm50.global/
About the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP):
UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. Learn more at th.undp.org or follow us at @UNDPThailand.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
UNDP Thailand:
Kesrat Sukasam, Integrated Team Leader, [email protected]
Ampai Harakunarak, National Coordinator for Stockholm +50, [email protected]
Wadee Deeprawat, Communications and Outreach Specialist, wadee.deeprawat@undp.org
Embassy of Sweden:
Lina Eidmark, Counsellor, [email protected]
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