LocationsNew financing strategy to tackle urban heat in Bangkok and city’s first SDG exhibition introduced at Bangkok Climate Action Week
October 6, 2026
Bangkok, Thailand – 4 October 2026 – Bangkok today took a new step towards becoming a cooler, greener and more climate-resilient city with the introduction of a new Financial Strategy to tackle urban heat, identifying nearly THB 150 million (USD 4.35 million) in investment needs, amid recent flooding across central Thailand, alongside the city’s first Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) exhibition, bringing climate finance, urban nature and public action together as part of Bangkok Climate Action Week 2026.
The initiatives bring together the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), the European Union (EU), the United Kingdom, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), alongside government, private-sector and civil society partners, to accelerate local climate action — supporting Bangkok to turn climate priorities into finance-ready investments through the financial strategy supported by the Government of the United Kingdom CARA programme, while connecting city data with planning, budgeting and public participation through the EU-funded SDG Localisation Project
Bangkok’s SDGs: From Data to Action
BMA introduced its first SDG exhibition at the City’s Environment and Education Centre, turning the SDGs into an interactive experience for the public. Through exhibits on disaster preparedness, waste reduction and urban green spaces, visitors can explore how global sustainability challenges connect with everyday choices and the future of their city. Developed with support from the EU-funded SDG Localisation Project, implemented by UNDP in partnership with the Ministry of Interior, the exhibition brings the SDGs closer to the public and features an environmental art installation by Thai artist Wishulada, created from 300-km waste collected across Bangkok.
The exhibition also speaks to the wider ambition of SDG localisation: bringing global goals closer to people and turning them into local priorities, planning and action. Building on Bangkok’s SDG Profile, through the EU-funded SDG Localisation Project, UNDP and partners are now supporting the city’s Voluntary Local Review (VLR) to track progress, identify gaps and better understand who may be left behind, with attention to gender equality and social inclusion. Initial evidence, to be further validated in November, highlights areas including urban agriculture, waste management, low-emission approaches, renewable energy, air pollution and green spaces, helping Bangkok move from measuring the SDGs to using them as a practical tool for decision making.
Financing Bangkok’s Climate Action
Bangkok already experiences a higher temperature, which can make the city 2-4°C hotter than surrounding areas. This has implications for public health, worker safety and productivity, and demand on the city’s energy infrastructure.
With recent flooding across Bangkok and central Thailand further highlighting the growing impacts of a changing climate, strengthening the city’s resilience is becoming increasingly urgent.
In response, Bangkok would need an initial investment of approximately THB 146.3 million (USD 4.35 million) to accelerate actions to tackle urban heat, according to the new financing strategy introduced by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) today as part of the city’s Climate Action Week.
THB 10.8 million would then be needed each year to sustain momentum in implementing the 2026 Urban Heat Management Action Plan of the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority (BMA), according to the strategy.
Beyond putting a THB value on how to implement the action plan, the new financing strategy identifies what BMA needs to turn its climate plans into investment-ready projects that can attract funding. This includes better data on who is most affected by extreme heat, where they are and what they need, clearer project costs and expected results, and stronger project preparation.
The new financing strategy, developed with BMA and the UNDP Climate Finance Network (CFN), with support from the UK government’s Climate Action for a Resilient Asia (CARA) programme, was developed to help shift the focus from climate planning to effective implementation.
It recommends financing instruments to help Bangkok reach its climate resilience goals by increasing business and private investors in climate action in one of Asia’s most important mega cities.
Pornphrom Vikitsreth, Deputy Governor of Bangkok
Pornphrom Vikitsreth, Deputy Governor of Bangkok, said: “Amid the flooding situation, Climate Action Week provides the best platform for us to communicate the impacts of climate change to everyone — to highlight why climate change is a very real threat to our city today. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is working together with UNDP, the European Union, and the United Kingdom to address everything from budget allocation and mobilising funding, to policymaking and community engagement, so that Bangkok can become a city that is safe and resilient to climate change.”
Luisa Ragher, Ambassador of the European Union to Thailand
Luisa Ragher, Ambassador of the European Union to Thailand, said: “The Sustainable Development Goals will only succeed if they translate into change that people can see in their own cities and communities. Through our partnership with UNDP and the Ministry of Interior, the European Union is supporting Thailand to connect global ambition with local data. Bangkok’s journey — from realities, community action to public engagement — shows what SDG localisation can look like in practice.”
Nicola Pollitt, British Ambassador to Thailand
Nicola Pollitt, British Ambassador to Thailand, said: “Climate finance is not about short-term aid or grants. It is about building the systems and creating the right conditions for plans to become investable solutions. Through our flagship Climate Action for a Resilient Asia (CARA) regional programme, we are backing UNDP’s Climate Finance Network to strengthen the data and financing pathways needed to mobilise investment over the long term. Bangkok’s Urban Heat Financing Strategy is a practical framework that will enable the city to adapt to extreme heat and, crucially, target support for at-risk districts and the most vulnerable people.”
Niamh Collier-Smith, UNDP Resident Representative in Thailand
Niamh Collier-Smith, UNDP Resident Representative in Thailand, said: “Building a cooler, greener Bangkok requires us to connect the dots between data, planning and finance. Infrastructure can fail when the investment pipeline does not factor in a changing climate — when projects are designed for yesterday’s conditions rather than tomorrow’s risks. That is why climate resilience needs to be built into how cities plan, prioritise and finance investment from the start. By understanding where the risks and gaps are, we can direct finance towards solutions that are resilient, improve people’s lives and leave no one behind.”
Held under the theme “Cooler, Greener Bangkok: Finance it, Protect it, Grow it,” the event connected finance and policy with practical opportunities for people to participate in climate and nature action.
Under “Finance it,” a discussion on Financing a Cooler Bangkok brought together BMA, government, financial actors, businesses and civil society to explore how Bangkok can move climate solutions from plans to investment, while inviting the public to consider where they would invest to make their city cooler.
Under “Protect it,” Icons of Hope: Nature in the Making, UNDP, YUEDPAO and Central Pattana, together with Thai artist Wishulada, invited the public to co-design the second edition of Icons of Hope, inspired by Thailand’s iconic species and the ecosystems they depend on, to help mobilise support for community-led conservation through UNDP’s GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP).
Under “Grow it,” the EU-supported SDG Localisation Project brought participants into Wachirabenchathat Park with project grantee Big Trees Foundation for a nature walk and species discovery with arborists. Participants learned how to assess and care for mature urban trees, while discovering how healthy trees help reduce urban heat and provide habitats for birds, insects, plants and other species. The activity reflects the project’s wider efforts to build urban resilience through greener cities and environmental learning, including support to Big Trees Foundation to integrate urban tree care into BMA’s school curriculum through pilot schools.
Together, these efforts show how action at the city level can contribute to Thailand’s ambition to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 — by mobilising investment for climate action, strengthening urban green spaces and biodiversity, and enabling people to participate in building a more sustainable city.
Building a cooler and greener Bangkok requires more than one solution. It means financing climate resilience, protecting nature, growing healthy urban ecosystems and giving people opportunities to shape the future of their city.
Bangkok's Financing Strategy for Tackling Urban Heat Challenges
About the EU-UNDP SDG Localisation Project
The SDG Localisation project supports SDG achievement by driving local action. Working with national and local partners, the project strengthens the use of local data, inclusive budgeting, policy planning and partnerships to help provinces and communities identify their priorities and turn the SDGs into practical solutions that respond to local needs. The project is implemented by UNDP Thailand with support from the European Union.
Learn more at https://www.undp.org/thailand/projects/sdg-localization-thailand
About the UNDP Climate Finance Network (CFN)
UNDP Climate Finance Network (CFN) supports Asia-Pacific countries to bridge the gap between climate goals and the investment needed to reach them. As a regional platform, CFN provides technical and policy support to integrate climate into public finance, mobilize private and innovative capital, and create the enabling environment required for lasting impact through regional knowledge exchange and peer learning.
Learn more at https://go.undp.org/climate-finance-network
For more details:
Dadanee Vuthipadadorn
Senior Economist
UNDP in Thailand
dadanee.vuthipadadorn@undp.org
Anuk Serechetapongse
Development Economist
UNDP in Thailand
anuk.serechetapongse@undp.org
Karnklon Raktham
Head of Strategic Communications and Engagement
UNDP in Thailand
karnklon.raktham@undp.org
+66 90 414 9454
Related
content
content
