26 firms to use carbon labels

"Thai companies need to prepare themselves now that the European Union and the United States are expected to implement requirements for such carbon-footprint labelling," Prasertsuk Chamornmarn, deputy director of the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organisation (TGO), said yesterday.

Among the major companies joining the TGO's labelling pilot project are CP Intertrade, Charoen Pokphand Foods, Betagro, SCG Paper, Advance Agro, Thai Namthip, President Rice Products and Carpet International (Thailand).

Starting early next year, their products will be labelled to show their lifecycle assessment of carbon emissions, Prasertsuk said.

The 26 companies in the pilot project will win partial financing from the government.

Next year, the TGO will encourage more firms to join the project. The government may help by offering a tax incentive or tax privileges from the Board of Investment.

The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry has already drafted a blueprint for setting up the Carbon Fund to encourage private participation, Prasertsuk said.

Thailand emits 344 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year, but its existing "green" projects can reduce that by only 6 million tonnes of carbon.

The TGO was recently established as a public organisation with the specific purpose of implementing reductions in Thailand's greenhouse gas emissions and promoting low-carbon activities.

Prasertsuk was participating in the "Carbon Footprint Talk Session" hosted by hypermarket operator Tesco Lotus.

It welcomed experts from the public and private sectors, including the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry and environmental-resource management consultants.

The giant retailer also unveiled its own programme to cut carbon emissions.

CEO Steve Hammett said Tesco Lotus introduced a carbon-footprint programme in 2006, targeting a 50-per-cent reduction in its carbon footprint by 2020.

As of last year, it had eliminated 14.4 per cent, or 31,000 tonnes, of carbon through the investment of Bt578 million, and at the end of this year the cumulative savings will be 20.45 per cent.

Tesco Lotus is continuing its environmental commitment with its "Plant 9 Million" tree project in partnership with the Khao Yai National Park Protection Foundation.

The campaign is aimed at planting 9 million trees in national parks nationwide, which will offset carbon emissions by 225,000 tonnes a year, or 9 million tonnes over 40 years.