Problems and prospects for adopting the concept of low cabon society at the local government level in Thailand | |
| Author | Surawut Chomaitong |
| Call Number | AIT Diss. no.UE-14-05 |
| Subject(s) | Local government--Thailand--Social aspect Climate change mitigation--Thailand |
| Note | A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Environmental Management |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Dissertation ; no. UE-14-05 |
| Abstract | The Low Carbon Society (LCS) concept has emerged as a holistic approach to reduce carbon emission from human settlements and thereby contribute significantly to climate change mitigation efforts. Although successfully implemented in some cities of developed countries, their counterparts in developing countries like Thailand face many challenges when implementing local actions in line with the LCS concept. This study focuses on the drivers and barriers that affect the implementation of LCS concept in locally governed areas in Thailand. The study questions, why the local government bodies in Thailand struggle to implement the LCS concept which is promoted by the Ministry of Interior as a part of the national climate change policy. Accordingly, the study aims to; (i) investigate the status of implementing LCS activities at the local level,(ii) examine the barriers affecting the implementation of LCS related activities local government authorities and civil society organization, and (iii) explore prospective pathways contributing to the achievement of LCS goal at the local level. Three municipalities representing three geographical regions of Thailand were selected as study areas for the empirical part of the study. They are Rayong municipality (RYM), Khon Kan municipality (KKM), and Chiang Mai municipality (CMM). They govern secondary level cities of Thailand. Data collection for the study involved the key informant survey method. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to interview key informants representing the state authorities and civil society organizations (CSOs) that function at the local government level. The total numbers of respondents were 232. The study applied of both qualitative and quantitative methods to comparatively examine the drivers and barriers that affect the three municipalities and two respondent groups. The Likert scale (0-5) was used to quantitatively assess respondents’ perceptions on drivers and barriers. Several techniques such as Weighted Average Index (WAI), ANOVA, and post-hoc test were used to statistically compare the collective perceptions of the respondents. Analysis of data reveals that no particular drivers significantly influence the municipalities. However the findings infer that the barriers faced by municipalities that received financial and technological incentives were significantly different from the municipalities that did not receive such incentives. On the other hand, the study found that the municipalities are most affected by financial and managerial barriers and least affected by social and technological barriers when implementing carbon emission reduction activities. in the view of CSOs, solid backing received from the municipality and strong leadership of CSOs were found to be particular drivers. However, financial and social barriers were found to hinder LCS related activities of CSOs. Lacking of comprehensible information and technically competent people were found to be other barriers affections CSOs. Based on the findings, the study examined suitable capacity building options to overcome the barriers from the perspectives of both respondent groups. The study found that the respondents want provincial administration authority to take the responsibility of implementing climate change agenda at the local level and they prefer to take only a complimentary role. The study also finds co-benefits approach as the most suitable option to get civil society involved in the carbon emission reduction actions of the local authorities. Such an approach can motivate stakeholders to pursue LCS as a shared goal. |
| Year | 2014 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Dissertation ; no. UE-14-05 |
| Type | Dissertation |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development |
| Department | Department of Development and Sustainability (DDS) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Urban Environmental and Management (UE) |
| Chairperson(s) | Perera, L.A.S. Ranjith; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Kumar, Sivanappan ;Vilas Nitivattananon; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Prince of Song kla University, Thailand ;Energy Conservation Promotion Fund / Energy Policy and Planning Office ;Royal Thai Government; |
| Degree | Thesis (Ph.D.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2014 |