CIMB THAI Bank on Monday piloted a new transition planning tool designed to assist corporate clients in formulating climate transition plans and securing transition finance.
The tool, named the “Climate Transition Canvas,” was developed by Jason Lee, Head of Sustainability at CIMB THAI Bank. It was introduced during a closed-door technical workshop titled “Advancing the Transition – the Key to Transitioning Thailand’s Businesses,” held as part of The Cooler Earth Thailand 2026 series at the Bangkok Marriott Hotel Sukhumvit.
The workshop involved executives from nearly 20 companies operating in high-emitting sectors, including power, fossil fuel, manufacturing, and real estate. Representatives from the Thai Bond Market Association and TRIS Rating’s Second Party Opinion (SPO) division also presented at the event, covering bond market mobilization and criteria for sustainable finance frameworks.
Jason Lee noted that while most high-emitting companies have set net-zero targets, difficulties arise when aligning project costs, timelines, and operational accountability between sustainability and finance teams. The canvas is intended to consolidate project costs alongside their corresponding carbon reduction capacity onto a single page, allowing companies to prioritize lower-cost emissions reductions.
Data from the Thai Bond Market Association shows that ESG bond issuance in Thailand reached 1.1 trillion baht between 2019 and April of this year, with approximately 70 percent of private-sector issuance originating from low-carbon energy and transport companies. High-emitting industries have faced challenges in securing transition financing due to a lack of costed, bankable plans.
The canvas consolidates a company’s decarbonization metrics and financing requirements into one document, detailing current emissions, specific reduction projects, project ownership, capital requirements, funding sources, and potential failure conditions. It is designed to be completed directly by internal engineers, treasurers, and directors.
Lee stated that the single-page format enables corporate boards to evaluate a company’s transition plan efficiently during the approval process.
The introduction of the tool coincides with evolving regulatory and climate policy standards in Thailand. The Thailand Taxonomy Phase 2, published in May 2025, expanded the national sustainable finance classification to cover manufacturing, construction, agriculture, and waste—sectors accounting for roughly 95 percent of national emissions. Additionally, under Thailand’s NDC 3.0 submitted to the United Nations in November 2025, the country committed to reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by 47 percent from 2019 levels by 2035.
The canvas functions within Sustainability360, CIMB THAI’s corporate sustainability advisory program, which assists clients with structuring green, social, and sustainability-linked financing, incorporating Thailand Taxonomy standards, and establishing governance and reporting frameworks for external review.
