Journal of Earth Science & Climatic Change
Open Access

Abstract

The ongoing globalization of economic activities in Southeast Asia and climate change has led to heightened awareness of and concerns about the challenges it poses to the international environment. With increased access to information on a timely basis, effects of transboundary issues on utilization of georesource and management of geohazards have become ever more apparent. These transboundary challenges highlight the need for decision-making processes that go beyond the borders of individual nation-states. Strategy to deal with transboundary issues in georesources utilization, geohazards mitigation, environment protection and climate change adaptation is to foster collaboration by the member countries, based on regional network to influence national networks, and enhance capacity for building database, harmonized maps and monitoring system. As a unique intergovernmental organization on geosciences, the Coordinating Committee for Geoscience Programmes in East and Southeast Asia (CCOP) promotes capacity building, technology transfer, exchange of information and institutional linkages for geosciences. Based on the long-term friendship and network of geoscientists and government officers from 14 member countries, CCOP have been conducting programme of activities that addressed the new areas of concern, with more focus on exchanging knowledge/best practices and collaboration in transboundary assessment and management of georesources, geohazard mitigation, climate change adaptation and geological information database. At present, the harmonized 1:2 M geological map of CCOP and the 1:1 M geological maps of some member countries are accessible from the 1G Portal, (http://portal.onegeology.org). So far, CCOP has published 1:2 million digital seamless geology in CCOP region and now cooperating with ASEAN Secretariat and GSJ/AIST to implement the Harmonized Geology Project. Besides, building resilience and adapting to Climate Change is also increasingly a high priority for CCOP communities, with capacity building and networking as the keys to develop long term policies and plans with a view to achieving sustainable development of each nation and the whole East and Southeast Asia region. Some CCOP projects are on-going, for example: CO2 Storage Mapping Program (CCS-M), VIETADAPT,Korean CCUS Technology for Climate Change and multiple international/regional climate change workshops. CCOP has made solid and steady growth since its establishment in 1966 and still has room for further progress in facilitating the collaboration by member countries in solving transboundary issues based on geosciences. Towards attaining its four strategic goals of 2016-2020: Outreach, Cooperation & Partnership, Knowledge Enhancement & Sharing, and Data & Information, CCOP will continue to expand its scope of activities in areas of energy, resources, environment, natural disaster mitigation, web-GIS database and other emerging topics, to become a regional data-knowledge center of geoscience and lead to a better life for all.

Biography

Adichat Surinkum is Director of CCOP TS. He is also Member of Chaipattana Foundation on Landslide Mitigation Committee, Member of Thailand Environment Impact Assessment Committee on Infrastructure Development and Member of Thailand Research Institute on the Andaman Tsunami Mitigation Program. Previously, he was Department spokesman/Director, Bureau of Environment Geology and Geohazard and Expert Advisor on Geological Resources Management of the Department of Mineral Resources, Thailand, (2008–2012) and Director of Geotechnique Division and Director of Environmental Geology and Geoharzard Division, DMR, Thailand, (2003–2008). He obtained his Doctor of Philosophy from Chiang Mai University, Thailand in the year of 2002. He has 32 years of experience in geophysics, geothermal, geo-environment and mineral exploration and management.

Email: ccopts@ccop.or.th adichat_s@ccop.or.th