"Karndee" urged policymakers and the business sector to elevate the environmental crisis to an "urgent agenda," emphasizing it as an economic threat and a security matter for humanity.,
On 2 Nov 2026 GMT+7, Dr. Karndee Liaoipiroj, Deputy Leader of the Democrat Party, spoke at the 65th Liberal International Congress held from 2–3 Nov 2026 GMT+7 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. The Democrat Party was the main host, in collaboration with the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF).
He addressed the urgent need to change how executives and policymakers view environmental issues, stating these should no longer be seen as secondary or peripheral concerns but truly as economic threats and security matters for humanity.
Currently, although the Polluter Pays Principle is being promoted and immediate issues like air pollution are being addressed, larger challenges such as climate risk and major flood crises still require serious management. These threats do not stem from immediate-impact activities but accumulate from lifestyles and collective actions.
A key gap today is that decision-makers remain focused on short-term problem-solving rather than investing budget, time, innovation, and knowledge to prevent long-term issues. Despite awareness of daily life impacts, pushing this issue as a genuine "Priority Action" has yet to materialize.
Environmental policy advancement requires collective action and must be integrated into private sector considerations of return on investment (ROI). Although all may need to share these costs in the long term, the entire process must prioritize a Just Transition, as this crisis is not limited to any one country but concerns the survival of future generations.