» US to put Thailand’s BCG economy on APEC agenda

For the kingdom’s green growth, APEC host economy – the United States included Thailand’s bio-circular-green (BCG) economic model in discussions on sustainability and an inclusive economy at APEC’s trade ministers’ summit last week.

Thailand hosted the 21-member Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in 2022 and used the opportunity to advance the Bangkok goals for the BCG economy. The Bangkok Goals outline goals for climate change mitigation, sustainable trade and investment, environmental resource conservation and waste management.

America’s willingness to advance the Bangkok goals is a testament to Thailand’s growing leadership on environmental and sustainability issues regionally and globally.

As a newly industrialized country, Thailand is wrestling with efforts to transform its development path into a cleaner, more sustainable paradigm for its economy and society. Its policymakers have committed the nation to a life-cycle-green model as the best way to achieve it and are promoting that path for others.

Ekasad Seethaworarath, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, discussed APCE’s role in supporting multilateral trade, promoting sustainable and inclusive trade through concrete guidelines and the continuation of the Bangkok Goals in the BCG economy at the summit in Detroit. Other topics include Putrajaya Vision 2040 and Aotearoa’s plan to tackle global environmental challenges.

He further noted that the United States encouraged APEC economies to work on the Bangkok Goals for the BCG economy through the „Manoa Agenda for Sustainable and Inclusive Economies.”

„This agenda will encourage ministerial meetings to show results in terms of sustainability and inclusion and building engagement with stakeholders,” Ekachat added.

Photo courtesy of https://www.state.gov/apec-2023-media-toolkit/