Bhummikitti Ruktaengam, Chairman of the Sustainable Tourism Development Foundation, led a team presentation of the ‘Phuket Old Town Carbon Neutrality Project’ at the 25th International Island Tourism Forum (ITOP), held at the Pullman Karon Beach Phuket Resort on Wednesday and Thursday (Sept 25-26).
The forum attracted over 150 leaders and policymakers from island destinations worldwide.
Mr Bhummikitti’s daughter, Ms Kanruthay, Project Coordinator, took to the stage to present data gained as the first step of the project. With actual metrics, policies can be created to achieve specific results.
The data was accumulated through a collaborative project by Phuket City Municipality, and the Big Data Institute, along with the Pollution Control Department Region 15 branch and Prince of Songkla University, Phuket Campus, Ms Kanruthay explained.
The data aggregation began after talks with the project partners were held in December last year. The goal of the meeting was to explore how data technology can be used to assess the carbon footprint of various activities in the Old Town area.
Ms Kanruthay explained the goals of reducing carbon emissions by 30% by 2030, achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, and reaching net-zero emissions by 2065, as announced earlier this year.
The starting point was assessing the current greenhouse gas emissions in Phuket Old Town, which Ms Kanruthay said from January to June 2024 were:
- Transportation, released at 34,531 (KgCO2e)
- Waste released at 12,529 (KgCO2e)
- Wastewater released at 36,513 (KgCO2e)
- Electricity usage released at 442,259 (KgCO2e)
“As a result, Phuket Old Town released in total 525,832 (KgCO2e),” Ms Kanruthay said.
A Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (CO2e) is the unit of measurement for the warming effect of greenhouse gases. Kg/CO2e is the exchange rate of other greenhouse gases to carbon.
The exchange rate expresses how many kilogrammes of carbon dioxide emissions warm the climate equally as 1kg of another greenhouse gas, over a certain period of time (most often 100 years).
CO2e translates the potency (how much infrared radiation a ton of each gas absorbs) and longevity (how long a ton of each gas radiates the heat back to the atmosphere) in relation to the emissions of a ton of carbon dioxide. CO2e allows observers to compare and equate the effect of different greenhouse gases into a singular climate footprint, explains the Carbon Cloud website.
Ms Kanruthay explained that a system using AI and CCTV in the Phuket Old Town area is now being used to estimate the number of cars and tourists travelling in the area.
“This data will be important information for assessing the carbon footprint of the old town,” she said.
So far the system has estimated that 334,592 people visit the Old Town area each month, about 13,428 people per day.
“Phuket Old Town produces 17 tons of solid waste per month, all sent to the incinerator, once incinerated, this accounts for 29,575 KgCO2e in greenhouse gas emissions,” she added.
SEPARATION IN THE BAG
“The second solution the project is working on involves waste management through the strategic use of three types of plastic bags in local shops,” Ms Kanruthay also explained.
The bags to be differentiated by colour were:
- Blue bags for waste destined for incineration
- Green bags for organic waste
- Yellow bags for recyclable materials
“These bags are designed to encourage residents to separate their trash and dispose of it in the appropriate bins,” Ms Kanruthay said.
“Organic waste will be processed using a machine that converts it into liquid fertiliser and generates gas for electricity.
“The separation of trash into different categories is currently being supported by young ambassadors who provide guidance and promote environmental awareness throughout Phuket Old Town,” she added.
The final as pect of the project is to support the use of electric buses (EV buses) in Phuket Town.
“These buses provide an eco-friendly alternative to diesel vehicles, helping to reduce emissions and improve air quality.” Ms Kanruthay said.
There were economic and financial benefits to be had by reducing carbon emissions, Ms Kanruthay noted.
“By implementing this initiative, we aim to reduce carbon emissions by 30% by 2030. Additionally, we anticipate generating revenue of B24 million from carbon credits, valued at B90 per KgCO2e,” she said.