The Ministry of Environment (Minister Kim Sungwhan) announced that from September 8 to 9, it will jointly hold the 20th Policy Forum on Green Growth, the ‘Seoul Initiative (SINGG* or SI),’ with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP) at the UN Conference Center in Bangkok, Thailand.

* Seoul Initiative Network on Green Growth

The “Seoul Initiative” was proposed by the Korean government at the 5th Ministerial Conference on Environment and Development in Asia and the Pacific, co-hosted by the Ministry of Environment and the UN ESCAP in Seoul in 2005. It was presented as a regional cooperation project to address environmental pressures resulting from economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region.

This policy forum will be held under the theme “Accelerating the Implementation of Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) 3.0*: Climate-Resilient Development in the Asia-Pacific Region,” ahead of the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement.

* It refers to the “2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC),” which, under the Paris Agreement, is a climate change response target that each party determines on its own to help limit global temperature rise and submits every five years. It is scheduled to be submitted to the United Nations in the second half of this year (2025).

The event, with over 90 participants from 29 countries, will feature opening remarks by: Park Yong-min, Korean Ambassador to Thailand; Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Executive Secretary of the UN ESCAP; Jean-Claude Poimboeuf, French Ambassador to Thailand; and Phirun Saiyasitpanich, Director General at Thailand’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. 

The policy forum will review the implementation status of the Paris Agreement in the Asia-Pacific region and share country-specific action plans for achieving NDC 3.0 and the Paris Agreement 1.5°C target. In addition, Korea’s National Climate Change Adaptation Plan, which integrates greenhouse gas reduction and climate adaptation, will be introduced, and strategies to strengthen climate resilience through nature-based solutions will be shared, seeking an integrated approach.

In addition, to mark the 20th anniversary of the launch of the “Seoul Initiative,” the five phase project plan (2026-2030) will also be introduced.

This project plan, with the goal of “establishing the foundation for carbon neutrality and green growth,” aims to systematically support the climate crisis response capacities of Asia-Pacific countries.

First, to mainstream the climate agenda, it will be linked with major international conferences and domestic and international climate events. Network projects will expand from small-scale, single-year projects to large-scale, multi-year projects, tailored to the diverse climate-related needs of member countries.

In particular, under the five phase project plan, the network projects, which have so far focused on capacity building, will be transformed into “diagnostic projects,” where various experts participate to analyze local challenges and develop tailored solutions.

The solutions developed will be concretized* through linkage with the Ministry of Environment’s master plans for overseas expansion support, feasibility studies, and carbon neutrality and green Official Development Assistance (ODA).

* Government plan for 2026: Project-based Official Development Assistance (KRW 28 billion), etc.

Not only domestic institutions but also international organizations such as the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and multilateral development banks such as the World Bank (WB) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) can participate in the project process, which is expected to further expand the impact of the “Seoul Initiative.”

Over the past 20 years, the “Seoul Initiative,” based on Korea’s sustainable development experience, has provided about KRW 10.1 billion to support policy consultation, knowledge sharing, and capacity building, while carrying out 19 policy forums and 53 network projects across 21 countries. This year, projects such as the “Capacity Building for Local Government Greenhouse Gas Reduction” in the Philippines and the “Capacity Building for Waste-to-Energy Systems” in Fiji are also underway.

Jeong Eun-hae, Director General of International Cooperation Bureau at the Ministry of Environment, stated, “The Seoul Initiative has been a hub of environmental cooperation driving sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region over the past 20 years.” She added, “Through the five phase project plan, we will actively serve as a green bridge linking country-specific diagnostics with follow-up projects, thereby generating tangible climate action and green transition outcomes in the Asia-Pacific region.”

For further information, please contact the Public Relations Division. 

Contact person: Gina Lee, foreign media spokesperson

Phone: +82-44-201-6055

Email: gcjgina @gmail.com