Thailand may not have a national position at this week's climate summit in Bangkok, but the meeting could well give an effective stamp of approval to nuclear power generation in the Kingdom.

The Bangkok Summit is a gathering of leading world experts on climate issues.

"In addition to renewable energy sources, nuclear power will be recommended by scientists as a lesser evil in terms of global warming," Wanun Permpibul of Climate Action Network told The Nation.

"That recommendation will aid the pro-nuclear lobby, which includes the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand. It will use any international endorsement to back its push for nuclear-power projects," she said.

"Yes, it's very possible, because nuclear power is included in Thailand's recent 2007 Power Development Plan just approved by the Energy Policy and Planning Office board and expected to be the subject of wide opposition," said energy expert Detrat Sukkamnerd of the Health Systems Research Institute.

Apart from this, Thailand is unlikely to get anything from the international event, said Office of Environmental Policy and Planning (OEPP) board member and climate expert Dr Sitanon Jesadapipat.

"Even though I am on the national board, I still have no idea what Thailand's stance is on this global issue, especially at this meeting. I have tried to push the OEPP - the core authority in this issue - to find out and announce a national stand. But, silence is the answer. It's a shame. I am considering resigning," Sitanon said on Friday.

Bangkok hosts the 26th session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). It is a significant event because it will finalise mitigation measures for global climate change.

The session is the third of four taking place this year to consider climate change and vulnerability and mitigation measures. The sessions are seeking solutions to the international climate crisis.

"Bangkok session results will be gathered with those from Paris and Brussels to form a final report in Spain soon. Then the report will be submitted to the 13th Conference of Party and the 3rd Members of Party, which will be held in Bali at the end of this year," said WWF International energy expert Martin Hiller.

"What is concluded in Bangkok will be very important because it will be referenced in further negotiations among members of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

"Suggestions from Bangkok will be aired at the conference which is expected to decide the future direction of world climate-change efforts after the Kyoto Protocol," Hiller said.

The Kyoto Protocol was written after decades of negotiation under a framework convention initiated in 1992. The protocol represented the first global negotiations among United Nations members to tackle the problem.

Developed countries - the major producers of greenhouse gases for two centuries - agreed to reduce emissions by 5 per cent from 1990 levels by 2012.

According to an IPCC report, seven findings were agreed: global warming is man-made; the average temperature is now 0.76 degrees Celsius more than during the industrial revolution 200 years ago; warming is causing the extinction of 30 per cent of plant and animal species; millions of people are affected by sea-level rises and flooding; a billion people are living one metre above sea level; the health of millions will be affected; and special high-risk areas are along rivers and seashores.

"The Bangkok session will describe emission trends, look at causes of emissions, investigate options, measures and instruments, evaluate policies, measures and instruments and give a clear indication of their certainty or uncertainty," Hiller said.

"What will happen in the closed sessions is that some 80 scientists representing thousands worldwide will present work to some 150 state representatives. The results of this will be consensus between scientists and state members. This will become a reference for further negotiations in Bali," he added.

According to the OEPP's Sitanon, five delegates from Thailand might not be able to make any significant contribution because the country has no national stand for the scientific sessions or further Kyoto Protocol processes.

"I am not surprised if the public know nothing about this important session. Even I don't know much about it. We don't even know who will represent Thailand," Sitanon said.

Greenpeace Southeast Asia climate campaigner Thara Buakhamsri said the only benefit to the country would be public awareness of climate change.

Among mitigation measures expected to be suggested is the use of energy sources that contribute less to global warming, Wanun of Climate Action Network said.

Among those are renewable sources and nuclear-power generation.

"Even though these are just scientific suggestions - and each state can take its own greenhouse gas-emission reduction measures - here it could have a political meaning [that the pro-nuclear lobby can exploit]," Wanun said.

Detrat of the Health Systems Research Institute hopes the Bangkok Summit makes the government aware of the need to embrace renewable-energy sources.

"Currently, renewable sources of energy are not well recognised by our government. In the latest power-development plan just 1,700 megawatts will come from renewable sources. The rest will be from fossil fuels which cause global warming," he said.

"If the government really accepts the reality of climate change, it should use fewer fossil-based options and increase the use of power from renewable sources as well as take other measures for energy efficiency," he added.

Greenpeace Southeast Asia called on Asian governments to do their share in averting climate disaster. It wants the immediate phasing out of subsidies for fossil fuels and the setting of legally binding targets for renewable energy. In addition, there should be strict efficiency standards for all energy-consuming appliances, buildings and transport.

Greenpeace plans activities to push its demands during the summit.

Kamol Sukin

The Nation