The Costs of Overcoming Social and Institutional Barriers to Implementing Co-Benefit Solutions in Thailand’s Transport and Residential Energy Sectors: Methods and Applications

Interest in co-benefits—the multiple benefits from mitigating climate change while addressing other sustainability challenges—has grown as policymakers seek to lower the costs of decarbonization. Much of this interest stems from data-driven models that quantify how much improved air quality, better health, and other co-benefits can offset those costs. However, co-benefits research often features transport, residential energy, and other solutions that face greater social and institutional barriers than economic barriers to achieving estimated gains.

This study examines the costs of overcoming social and institutional barriers to implementing climate solutions in Thailand’s transport and residential energy sectors. Using a mixed-method approach with survey and budgetary data, the study estimates these costs at USD 170–270 million per year (2022–2032) for transport and USD 0.07–0.1 million per year for residential energy. The findings suggest that while costs are lower than the benefits, transport sector barriers are more costly to address. The study highlights the need to integrate co-benefits research with transaction cost analysis to better inform policy on institutional capacity building and climate-aligned development.