#Climateaction

Helsinki has retained its position at the very top of the Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDS Index) for 2025, confirming a European city’s sustained leadership in regenerative tourism. The index, which assesses more than a hundred destinations across roughly 70 indicators, ranks cities by four pillars: destination management, supply chains, social sustainability, and environmental performance. In Helsinki’s case, the proof of depth lies in concrete actions: a transparent climate roadmap for tourism, a comprehensive plan to measure tourism’s carbon footprint, and a robust network of environmentally certified hotels and tourism operators. The city’s approach is praised not only for reducing negative impacts but for actively increasing positive ones, leaving visitors and residents better off when a trip ends.

A quiet revolution is reshaping travel economics. As climate shocks intensify, destinations are testing small fees to fund environmental protection and resilience. Thailand stands at a crossroads: embrace a climate-focused tourism model or risk hollowing out its tourism crown.

The Maui wildfires and European floods highlighted a growing trend: countries are introducing dedicated fees to fund climate adaptation. Starting in 2026, Hawaii plans a 0.75% Green Fee on hotel stays, with proceeds channeled toward environmental protection and resilience. For visitors, that amounts to roughly 100 baht on a typical 3,000-baht room night. Beyond Hawaii, the trend is spreading to other popular destinations.

Southeast Asia’s urban centres are facing unprecedented challenges as they attempt to finance the transition to sustainable, resilient, and climate-friendly cities, according to the latest analysis by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The report—“Financing Sustainable Cities in Southeast Asia”—delves into the critical question of how city governments in the rapidly urbanising ASEAN-5 (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam) can marshal the investments necessary to achieve their ambitious sustainability agendas. Against a backdrop of rising carbon emissions, increased climate risks, and mounting infrastructure needs, the report’s findings have major implications for cities across the region, including Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and other key Thai urban areas.

Southeast Asia’s urban transformation stands at a critical crossroads, with cities across the region—including Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and emerging Thai metropolitan areas—facing an unprecedented financing crisis that threatens their sustainable development ambitions. A groundbreaking analysis by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development reveals how rapidly growing ASEAN cities are struggling to secure the massive investments required to combat climate change, manage urban growth, and build resilient infrastructure systems. For Thailand, these findings expose fundamental weaknesses in municipal finance structures that could determine whether the kingdom’s cities evolve into sustainable models or become cautionary tales of missed environmental opportunities.