Thailand is committed to strengthening its governance systems to effectively address the complex policy landscape of the net zero transition. This introductory chapter highlights the growing importance of capacity at the centre of government to navigate such cross-cutting challenges, both globally and in Thailand. The chapter also details the report’s purpose and structure and outlines key strategic shifts possible through the implementation of the provided recommendations.
Governing Cross‑cutting Challenges from the Centre in Thailand
Abstract
Governments increasingly deal with complex, cross-cutting policies in a constantly evolving environment. This is further compounded by factors such as declining trust in government, polarisation, digital and data transformations and external shocks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Cross-cutting policies pose unique challenges which defy traditional ways of working and require more enhanced co-ordination practices from the centre. It is necessary for governments to step beyond methods of governance, which dictate issue ownership to specific line ministries, creating silos and administrative barriers which deny the agility and central co-ordination necessary to drive better public outcomes from the centre (OECD, 2024[1]).
Centres of government (CoGs) can play a key role in responding to the complex environment characterised by the increase in cross-cutting policies. Given their central positioning, CoGs can provide stewardship and co‑ordinated policy approaches to both short- and long-term issues. They can better guide policy development and act as a bridge in connecting the political and administrative spheres of government. Yet, this is no easy task. CoGs must consider the right institutional roles and responsibilities, effective co‑ordination of policy development and the right enablers and mechanisms to be able to monitor from the centre. The OECD Centre of Government Framework presents the main roles CoGs can take to in a contemporary governance structure to better respond to policies (Figure 1.1).
Centre of government can assume diverse roles to respond to complex governance challenges, including ones pertained to cross-cutting policies.
Source: Based on OECD (2024[1]), Steering from the Centre of Government in Times of Complexity: Compendium of Practices, https://doi.org/10.1787/69b1f129-en.
CoG can be defined as the “body or group of bodies that provide direct support and advice to Heads of Government and the Council of Ministers, or Cabinet” (OECD, 2020[2]). Many countries also acknowledge a greater range of functions and institutions that perform the key roles of CoGs, such as bridging the political-administrative interface, stewarding cross-cutting policies through co‑ordination and guiding good public sector practices and culture.
In many OECD countries, the CoG has become a central actor in policy development and co‑ordination for cross-cutting policies (Figure 1.2). It helps achieve consistency in the creation and execution of policies, ensuring evidence-informed decision making to support coherent and co‑ordinated policy design (OECD, 2014[3]). The CoG is particularly well-placed to support governments in addressing cross-cutting policies for several reasons. First, its proximity to the head of the executive (OECD, 2023[4]) can help translate political priorities into cohesive action. Ideally, as outlined in the EU-SIGMA (Support for Improvement in Governance and Management) Principles of Public Administration (OECD, 2023[5]), CoGs co-ordinate the preparation and approval of the government’s strategic priorities.
Note: n=26. Respondents to the OECD survey were asked: “For each of the below activities regarding co-ordinating and enhancing policy
development, please indicate who has the primary responsibility”.
Source: OECD (2023[6]), “Survey on strategic decision making at the centre of government”, Unpublished, OECD, Paris.
Further, their central positioning also gives them a holistic view that can be leveraged for cross‑cutting policies, given they span multiple agencies and stakeholders. Strong co-ordination from the CoG is an essential enabling condition for outcomes on cross-cutting policies (Kaur et al., 2023[7]).
A high-functioning CoG can help steer cross-cutting policies in several ways, including:
Stewarding cross-cutting policies through sound policy co‑ordination and ensuring whole-‑of-‑government responses align with long-term goals.
Managing performance of cross-cutting policies, such as net zero action, in a holistic way at the whole-of-government level.
Guiding good governance practices around the development of cross-cutting policies, including undertaking or supporting stakeholder and citizen engagement and involvement.
Climate change represents one of the greatest cross-cutting challenges for governments. Current policies around the world are projected to result in global warming well above the 1.5°C target set out in the Paris Agreement. The Climate Action Tracker estimates a 2.7°C warming above pre-industrial levels, while the International Energy Agency 2023 Stated Policies Scenario (STEPS) predicts a trajectory with a rise of around 2.5 °C in global average temperatures by 2100 (Climate Action Tracker, n.d.[8]; IEA, 2023[9]). ln response to the threats posed by climate change, governments across the OECD and beyond have renewed their efforts. Despite an increased sense of urgency and proliferation of climate commitments at the national and international levels, broader systemic reforms are needed to address the multifaceted issue of climate change and translate commitments and intentions into concrete measures and observable shifts.
The recognition that bolder action against climate change is needed has seen many governments shift towards more integrated, agile, evidence-based and co‑ordinated policy action. For instance, countries’ national communications to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change identified that improving co-ordination and co-operation are key to facilitate the integration of climate change considerations into policymaking. The Action Plan on Governing Green annexed to the OECD Declaration on Building Trust and Reinforcing Democracy also highlights the necessity for co-ordinated and coherent approaches addressing climate change from a whole-of-government perspective (OECD, 2022[10]). CoGs are specifically identified as vehicles to steer this through sound co‑ordination mechanisms.
Ten of the 38 OECD member countries have explicitly given the CoG responsibilities linked to climate action, including steering priorities and implementing or co‑ordinating climate policies. The CoG also plays a significant role in monitoring these high-priority policies for the government. In several countries, the CoG monitors the implementation of high-priority items, as recommended by the OECD 2023 NetZero+ paper (Kaur et al., 2023[7]). This allows the use of information to compare and evaluate policy options to optimise the implementation of these high-level priorities.
Moreover, data from the recent OECD “Survey on strategic decision making at the centre of government” shows that 44% of the surveyed countries reported that climate, the environment and biodiversity are among their CoG’s top 3 priorities (responsibilities, including those outside of legally binding responsibilities) in 2023 (OECD, 2023[6]).
Thailand has recognised the need to enhance its public governance approaches to address cross‑cutting policies, specifically prioritising net zero. The ambitious net zero targets are laid out in the 13th National Economic and Social Development Plan, specifying the aim towards achieving Thailand’s carbon neutrality goal under Milestone 10, updated from the 12th plan in 2020 (Office of the Prime Minister, 2023[11]) (Kingdom of Thailand, 2020[12]). The ongoing commitment to working with local stakeholders, private businesses and the international community necessitates enhancing Thailand’s public governance and policy development approaches (Kingdom of Thailand, 2022[13]).
Thailand is a peninsula situated in the tropical zone with a varied natural environment, making action on climate policy even more complex given it must be implemented across a diverse natural terrain (Kingdom of Thailand, 2022[14]). Thailand is significantly impacted by the long-term effects of climate change, including increasing average temperatures and the severity and frequency of weather events such as floods, droughts and storms (Kingdom of Thailand, 2021[15]).
In 2016, Thailand ratified the Paris Agreement at the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21), agreeing to take action to meet the nationally determined contribution (NDC) (Kingdom of Thailand, 2020[12]). Thailand committed on this occasion to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 and net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2065 (Kingdom of Thailand, 2022[13]). The NDC, which covers all economic sectors excluding land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF), sets an unconditional emissions reduction target of 30% from business-as-usual levels by 2030, and up to 40% conditional on international support. The country has worked to achieve lowered carbon emissions, consistent with the strategy put forth in its 13th National Economic and Social Development Plan (Office of the Prime Minister, 2023[11]). As stated in the second updated NDC, Thailand has committed to work to reduce emissions by 30% from business as usual by 2030 through domestic efforts, and an additional 10% through international support and co‑operation (Kingdom of Thailand, 2022[14]). In this context, Prime Minister of the Government of Thailand, delivered a statement during the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, reaffirming the commitment of Thailand to continued, sustained action on climate change (Kingdom of Thailand, 2023[16]).
Given the priority of net zero for Thailand at the time of this report and the recognition that the CoG’s role is vital to advancing this agenda, this topic has been selected as the specific case focus of the scan.
This scan report aims to explore public governance for cross-cutting policies, with a specific case study focusing on net zero in Thailand. It intends to provide a short, sharp presentation of the current state and key recommendations, focusing on three areas: roles and responsibilities, policy development, and performance management.
This scan forms the basis of further work, including prototyping models and developing guidance to enable Thailand to implement the recommendations.
The report methodology draws on primary and secondary research, including:
A literature review and an analysis of key documents provided by Thailand.
Interviews with civil servants and stakeholders during the fact-finding process.
Workshops with civil servants from Thailand during the fact-finding process.
No survey was undertaken at the request of Thailand.
The data and evidence collected were synthesised to identify common themes across the three focus areas. The recommendations from the scan work together to help achieve six key strategic shifts for enhancing public governance and the role of the CoG in cross-cutting policies, such as net zero (Figure 1.4).
The scan was significantly shaped and informed by several OECD frameworks and reports. Of note are: “Steering from the centre in times of complexity: Compendium of practices” (OECD, 2024[1]), the OECD Policy Framework on Sound Public Governance, the OECD Recommendation on Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development, the OECD Recommendation of the Council on Open Government and the SIGMA Principles of Public Administration.
Note: n=27; Respondents to the survey were asked: “What is the centre of government’s role with regard to climate and environmental policy?”.
Source: OECD (2023[6]), “Survey on strategic decision making at the centre of government”, Unpublished, OECD, Paris.
Report structure
This report is structured into four concise chapters. The first chapter provides an overarching discussion on governing cross-cutting challenges from the centre in Thailand, setting the stage for the subsequent chapters. The following three chapters focus on key areas identified by the OPDC and the OECD:
Chapter 2: Thailand’s roles and responsibilities for cross-cutting issues
This chapter explores the roles, responsibilities and mandates in Thailand for cross-cutting policies such as net zero. It identifies challenges and opportunities to strengthen and clarify these policies and drive more co‑ordinated and aligned government action.
Chapter 3: Enhancing policy development for cross-cutting issues from the centre
This chapter explores the current policy development frameworks and mechanisms used in Thailand for cross-cutting policies such as net zero. It outlines opportunities to enhance these, including through policy development frameworks and standards, co-ordination mechanisms and enabling conditions.
Chapter 4: Performance management of cross-cutting issues from the centre
This chapter explores the current performance management and monitoring arrangements from the CoG for Thailand’s strategic framework, with a particular focus on cross-cutting policies. It then identifies opportunities to strengthen the role of the CoG in driving more holistic, evidence-informed decision making.
References
[8] Climate Action Tracker (n.d.), CAT Thermometer, https://climateactiontracker.org/global/cat-thermometer/ (accessed on 6 February 2024).
[9] IEA (2023), World Energy Outlook 2023, International Energy Agency, Paris, https://iea.blob.core.windows.net/assets/86ede39e-4436-42d7-ba2a-edf61467e070/WorldEnergyOutlook2023.pdf (accessed on 6 February 2024).
[7] Kaur, M. et al. (2023), “Steering responses to climate change from the centre of government: A stocktaking”, OECD Working Papers on Public Governance, No. 65, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/b95c8396-en.
[16] Kingdom of Thailand (2023), “Prime Minister announces Thailand’s ambition to combat climate change along with global community”, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, https://www.mfa.go.th/en/content/climateambitionsummit2023-2 (accessed on 17 January 2024).
[14] Kingdom of Thailand (2022), Thailand’s Fourth Biennial Update Report, https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/Thailand_BUR4_final_28122022.pdf (accessed on 17 January 2024).
[13] Kingdom of Thailand (2022), Thailand’s Long-term Low Greenhouse Gas Emission Development Strategy (Revised Version), https://unfccc.int/documents/622276.
[15] Kingdom of Thailand (2021), Thailand Mid-century, Long-term Low Greenhouse Gas Emission Development Strategy, https://unfccc.int/documents/307950.
[12] Kingdom of Thailand (2020), Second Biennial Update Report of Thailand, United Nations Development Programme, https://unfccc.int/files/national_reports/non-annex_i_parties/biennial_update_reports/submitted_burs/application/pdf/347251_thailand-bur2-1-sbur_thailand.pdf (accessed on 17 January 2024).
[1] OECD (2024), Steering from the Centre of Government in Times of Complexity: Compendium of Practices, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/69b1f129-en.
[4] OECD (2023), “Coherence and co-ordination at the centre of government in Romania”, OECD Public Governance Policy Papers, No. 34, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/3feaa33e-en (accessed on 8 January 2024).
[6] OECD (2023), “Survey on strategic decision making at the centre of government”, Unpublished, OECD, Paris.
[5] OECD (2023), The Principles of Public Administration, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/7f5ec453-en (accessed on 18 December 2023).
[10] OECD (2022), Declaration on Building Trust and Reinforcing Democracy, OECD, Paris, https://legalinstruments.oecd.org/en/instruments/OECD-LEGAL-0484.
[2] OECD (2020), Policy Framework on Sound Public Governance: Baseline Features of Governments that Work Well, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/c03e01b3-en.
[3] OECD (2014), Centre Stage: Driving Better Policies from the Centre of Government, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/1ac01bba-en (accessed on 8 January 2024).
[11] Office of the Prime Minister (2023), The Thirteenth National Economic and Social Development Plan (2023-2027), Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council, Bangkok, https://www.nesdc.go.th/article_attach/article_file_20230615134223.pdf (accessed on 19 January 2024).