Bangkok: CIMB Thai Bank launched the Climate Transition Canvas, a one-page tool designed to help businesses plan their transition to a low-carbon economy. This tool assists organizations in assessing the costs associated with reducing greenhouse gas emissions and provides a roadmap for banks and investors to evaluate funding prospects. A pilot program featuring nearly 20 companies was conducted during The Cooler Earth Thailand 2026 event.
According to Thai News Agency, Jason Lee, Head of Sustainability at CIMB Thai Bank Public Company Limited and developer of the Climate Transition Canvas, introduced the tool at a closed technical workshop titled "Advancing the Transition: The Key to Transforming Thai Businesses." The workshop was part of the broader Cooler Earth Thailand 2026 event, held on August 3, 2026, aimed at assisting corporate clients in formulating credible climate transition plans and obtaining transition finance.
The event included participation from executives across high-emission sectors such as energy, fossil fuels, manufacturing, and real estate. Representatives from the Thai Bond Market Association (ThaiBMA) provided insights on fundraising strategies via the bond market to support Transition Finance. Additionally, the Second Party Opinion (SPO) unit of TRIS Rating shared criteria for developing reliable Sustainable Finance and Transition Finance Frameworks.
Jason Lee emphasized that despite many companies in high-emission industries having announced Net Zero targets, critical questions about investment requirements, timelines, and responsibilities remain. The Climate Transition Canvas aims to consolidate this information into a single-page format, enabling companies to prioritize investments in projects with the lowest unit carbon reduction cost.
Data from the Thai Bond Market Association reveals that from 2019 to April 2026, Thailand's sustainable bond market saw a cumulative issuance value of 1.1 trillion baht. However, high-emission industries still struggle to access funding due to a lack of clear transition plans that specify costs in a bank or investor-friendly format.
The Climate Transition Canvas integrates greenhouse gas emission reduction and funding plans into one document, outlining key aspects such as current emissions, reduction projects, responsible parties, investment sources, and potential risks. It is designed for collaborative development by engineers, financial managers, and company directors in practical workshops.
Jason stated that the tool's simplicity is crucial, as decision-makers should understand a transition plan within 10 minutes. The tool was tested with those responsible for implementation rather than merely presented at seminars.
The tool's launch coincides with increased pressure on high-emission sectors to expedite their transition, following Thailand Taxonomy Phase 2's expansion of sustainable economic activity classifications. Thailand aims to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by 47% from 2019 levels by 2035 under NDC 3.0 submitted to the United Nations.
CIMB Thai Bank's Sustainability360 project, which includes the Climate Transition Canvas, offers sustainability consulting and financing options such as Green Finance, Social Finance, Sustainability Finance, and Sustainability-linked Finance. The project also supports the application of Thailand Taxonomy and the development of information systems, governance, and reporting to prepare businesses for sustainability standards and external assessments.