Thai Cement Manufacturers Association (TCMA), in collaboration with Saraburi Province and 21 supporting agencies, is introducing the ground-breaking initiative "PPP-Saraburi Sandbox: A Low Carbon City." This pioneering venture marks Thailand's inaugural climate-friendly model city and is endorsed by seven ministries.
Thai Cement Manufacturers Association (TCMA), in conjunction with Saraburi Province and 21 collaborating agencies, has inaugurated a transformative public-private partnership (PPP) endeavour known as the "PPP-Saraburi Sandbox: A Low Carbon City." This landmark initiative stands as Thailand's foremost climate-friendly model province, fortified by the backing of seven ministries. The project is primed to execute pilot undertakings aligned with the key sectors outlined in Thailand's NDC Roadmap. By doing so, it will contribute significantly to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in line with Thailand's Net Zero target. Furthermore, this endeavour seeks to convert Saraburi into a smart-green industrial city, fostering an improved quality of life for its residents.
The launch ceremony, held on Tuesday, August 15th, 2023, at the Saraburi City Hall Auditorium, was attended by prominent figures including Dr. Chana Poomee, Chairman of Thai Cement Manufacturers Association (TCMA); Mr. Phol Damtham, Saraburi Governor; Dr. Kitipong Promwong, President of the National Higher Education Science Research and Innovation Policy Council; Capt. Professor Dr. Thanakorn Pheeraphan, President of the Thai Concrete Association; Mr. Parinya Khumsraprom, Director of the Saraburi Provincial Office of Natural Resources and Environment; and Mr. Charoenchai Chaliewkriengkrai, Chairman of the FTI Saraburi Provincial Chapter.
Dr. Chana Poomee, Chairman of Thai Cement Manufacturers Association (TCMA), underscored the collective efforts of Thailand's leading cement manufacturers operating under the TCMA's guidance to curtail greenhouse gas emissions. This initiative aligns with Thailand's 2050 NET ZERO Cement & Concrete Roadmap and harmonizes with the nation's overarching greenhouse gas reduction strategy.
Dr. Poomee conveyed, "Today marks a momentous occasion for TCMA, Saraburi Province, and our 21 partner agencies, as we pledge our unified commitment to environmental stewardship. Serving as a pivotal step toward greenhouse gas reduction, the 'PPP-Saraburi Sandbox: A Low Carbon City' is a public-private partnership that designates Saraburi as the vanguard of Thailand's efforts to experiment with emission-reduction practices. This is to be achieved through a series of pilot projects operating within specific collaborative frameworks. The project encompasses sectors outlined in Thailand's NDC Roadmap, including energy, industrial processes and product use (IPPU), waste management, agriculture, and land use, land-use change, and forestry (LULUCF). Our ultimate aim with this sandbox initiative is to cultivate a sustainable, low carbon city in Saraburi, underpinned by resource efficiency and a climate-friendly ethos. TCMA and Thailand's cement and concrete industry stand ready to support Saraburi in this endeavour, collaborating across sectors to fully realize the potential of the 'PPP-Saraburi Sandbox: A Low Carbon City.'"
Mr. Phol Damtham, Saraburi Governor, emphasized the region's potential to become a pivotal industrial production hub for the country. He highlighted Saraburi's role as Thailand's cornerstone for cement production in the construction industry and its consistent economic advancement. Anchored in the principles of the Bio-Circular-Green Economy (BCG), holistic development will propel Saraburi toward its destiny as a smart-green industrial city, concurrently fostering a high quality of life. This transformation will holistically address economic, social, and environmental well-being, in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the national greenhouse gas reduction policy targeting Carbon Neutrality by 2050, and Net Zero GHG Emission by 2065.
Mr. Damtham affirmed, "Bolstered by support from seven ministries, the 'PPP-Saraburi Sandbox: A Low Carbon City' project stands as a flagship effort to diminish greenhouse gas emissions within Saraburi from 2023 to 2026. This endeavour will be a collaborative effort among governmental bodies, the private sector, the cement industry represented by TCMA, local governmental entities, and business collectives in Saraburi. Initial phases will feature prominent projects, such as the utilization of low-carbon products by promoting hydraulic cement in construction, energy transition through waste-to-energy initiatives, biomass and solar power utilization, plant energy optimization, low carbon rice cultivation with alternative wetting and drying techniques, reforestation, and carbon capture utilization/storage technology (CCUS). While these projects are anticipated to extend into various domains in the future, their collective impact will evolve Saraburi into a low carbon city, poised to flourish as a smart-green industrial hub while exemplifying collaborative efforts in greenhouse gas reduction. The successful implementation of this project will undoubtedly resonate across other provinces, resonating with the national greenhouse gas reduction strategy."
