Thailand is taking a significant step toward aligning climate ambition with inclusive economic growth and decent work through the introduction of the Just Transition Assessment Model (JTAM). On 26 January 2026, senior policymakers, researchers, social partners, and development partners convened in Bangkok to discuss the application of JTAM-Thailand, highlighting its role in supporting evidence-based policymaking.
JTAM-Thailand is a nationally calibrated assessment tool that integrates economic, labour market, social, and environmental data to evaluate the potential impacts of climate and development policies on GDP, investment, sectoral output, productivity, employment, and emissions. By enabling scenario analysis, the model allows policymakers to explore trade-offs and synergies across sectors and over time, supporting informed decision-making for a balanced and sustainable transition.
The model has been developed through collaboration between the International Labour Organization (ILO), the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), Thammasat University, and international research partners. This partnership ensures strong national ownership, academic rigor, and relevance to Thailand’s policy context. Wichayayuth Boonchit, Chair of the PAGE National Steering Committee and Deputy Secretary General of NESDC, emphasized the importance of integrated analytical tools for reducing emissions while safeguarding economic growth, employment, and well-being.
The initiative comes as Thailand advances key policy processes, including the Climate Change Bill, carbon pricing and market instruments, and the implementation of its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) commitments to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Robust analytical tools like JTAM are critical for understanding how climate policies interact with economic performance, employment, skills, and social outcomes. Lars Johansen, Deputy Director of the ILO Country Office for Thailand, Cambodia, and Lao PDR, noted that integrated assessment models help navigate the complex links between climate ambition, economic transformation, and decent work.
A core principle of JTAM-Thailand is Just Transition, which ensures that the shift toward a greener economy is fair and inclusive, supports decent work, and leaves no one behind. A three-day technical session was held, jointly delivered by the ILO, Cambridge Econometrics, and Thammasat University, to strengthen national technical capacity to apply the model effectively.
The consultation was organised by the ILO, NESDC, and Thammasat University under the UN Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), which brings together five UN agencies – ILO, UNDP, UNIDO, UNEP, and UNITAR – to support countries in advancing green economy transitions that balance environmental sustainability, economic resilience, and social inclusion.
