Latest news with #GGGI
The Star
17-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
South Korea, Laos join forces to promote green growth, investment cooperation
VIENTIANE: The Republic of Korea and Laos are strengthening their partnership to advance green growth and sustainable investment through enhanced bilateral cooperation, as highlighted at the 2025 Korea–Laos Net-Zero Partnership Forum held in Vientiane on Tuesday (May 13). The event brought together over 100 participants from government ministries, international organisations, and private sector companies from both countries. Lao and Korean officials join development partners for a group photo at the 2025 Korea–Laos Net-Zero Partnership Forum in Vientiane on May 13. It was jointly organised by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), in celebration of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Laos. The forum aimed to deepen collaboration on carbon emission reduction and to promote green investment initiatives that contribute to both countries' sustainable development goals. Co-chaired by the President of Southeast Asia and Oceania at KOTRA, Koo Bon Kyung, and Laos' Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of Laos, Phouvong Luangxaysana, the event welcomed several distinguished guests, including Minister-Counsellor at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Laos, Lee Dong Gyu, and Country Representative of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), Dagmar Zwebe. Koo Bon Kyung reaffirmed Korea's commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and underscored Laos' importance as a strategic partner in green energy development. He said 'This forum provides a timely opportunity for our governments, businesses, and development partners to share strategies, align policies, and identify concrete projects that can turn climate ambition into climate action.' Phouvong echoed this sentiment, reiterating the Lao government's commitment to its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC). 'We are actively implementing the Decree on Carbon Credits, preparing NDC 3.0, and enhancing climate finance strategies, with strong support from international partners such as Korea,' he said. Key presentations from Lao ministries—including the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Ministry of Energy and Mines, Ministry of Public Works and Transport, and Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry—highlighted national strategies on carbon credit markets, greenhouse gas reduction, and energy transition. International partners such as GGGI, KOICA, and KOTRA shared updates on technical assistance, Article 6 carbon trading mechanisms, and frameworks to drive green investment. The forum also featured a technology showcase by leading Korean green energy companies. These included the CS Tech Consortium (comprising NS Telecom, KCP, and Dasco), Enerwin Korea, MOA E&C, Thanks Carbon, and EWC, who introduced their innovations in renewable energy and carbon reduction technologies. Two significant Memorandums of Agreement were signed during the event. The first was between CS Tech Consortium and Electrical Construction and Installation State Enterprise (ECI) for the development of e-bike and battery-swapping infrastructure. The second was with ASA Power Engineering for solar power development projects. These initiatives are expected to become the first Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes between the Republic of Korea and Laos under the Paris Agreement framework. A government-to-government session was also conducted between the Lao Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and representatives from Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, KOTRA Headquarters. Discussions focused on establishing a collaborative framework to meet 2030 GHG emission reduction targets. The event concluded with a business matching session that facilitated direct consultations between 19 major Lao companies—including EDL, EDL-Gen, Phongsubthavy Group, Khounxay Group, ASEAN Group, DDC, and the AIF Group—and Korean green technology providers. In his closing remarks, Director General of KOTRA Vientiane, Park Jungwe, said 'This is not a one-time event. It is a long-term initiative. KOTRA will continue to support project identification, investor engagement, and capacity-building to ensure Korea and Laos achieve meaningful progress together on the net-zero transition.' The forum served not only as a platform to promote investment cooperation, but also to raise public awareness about Laos' climate change commitments and the growing opportunities for Korean companies to invest in renewable energy, electric mobility, and sustainable infrastructure in Laos. - Vientiane Times/ANN
Korea Herald
20-03-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Kenyan embassy welcomes Kenya's accession to GGGI
The Kenyan Embassy in Seoul on Thursday welcomed Kenya's accession to the Global Green Growth Institute, an intergovernmental organization dedicated to promoting sustainable economic growth. In a statement shared with The Korea Herald, the embassy highlighted Kenya's commitment to climate action and green growth as key pillars of its national development strategy. "The Government of Kenya has continued to prioritize climate change and green growth to transition towards a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy in line with the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)," the statement read. The Paris Agreement (2015) aims to limit the "increase in global average temperature" to below 2 degrees Celsius, striving for 1.5 C. Article 6 of the Paris Agreement allows countries to cooperate on emission reduction targets by transferring carbon credits. This helps establish frameworks for trading greenhouse gas reductions as well as promote finance, technology transfer and capacity building. Kenya's accession to GGGI follows initial discussions between Kenya's ambassador to Korea, professor Emmy Jerono Kipsoi, and GGGI officials on green growth initiatives. "By adding our voices, we amplify our commitment to climate mitigation," said the ambassador at the accession ceremony. Following its accession, Kenya will officially become the 50th Member State of the Global Green Growth Institute on April 18, 2025. It will also be the 10th African nation to join the organization, alongside Angola, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Rwanda, Senegal, Togo, Uganda and Zambia. "GGGI presents an opportunity for Kenya to tap into the benefits of green financing, job creation, competitive manufacturing, environmental conservation and climate resilience," said the statement. Kenya has collaborated with GGGI on several projects, including the National Green Growth Index, an E-Mobility Project and a Green Hydrogen Program. The embassy also confirmed Kenya's commitment to finalizing a host country agreement with GGGI to establish a regional office in Nairobi, which is expected to attract investments, facilitate climate financing and create jobs. Kenya's natural resource-dependent economy is highly vulnerable to climate change, with rising temperatures and erratic rainfall increasing extreme weather events such as droughts and floods. Kenya developed the National Climate Change Framework Policy and has shown commitment to climate protection by supporting the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, ratifying the Kyoto Protocol in 2005 and engaging in regional initiatives. The country's Constitution mandates ecologically sustainable development, aligning with its Kenya Vision 2030 goals. "Kenya's accession to GGGI marks a historic milestone, allowing the country to fully participate in GGGI's programs and further its green development goals," the statement read. sanjaykumar@
Korea Herald
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Ban Ki-moon calls for action on climate
Kim Sang-hyup to lead GGGI as director general Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned on the dangers of climate change, calling on diplomats and country representatives to take global action to tackle the crisis. "The climate crisis does not take a break or call a timeout," Ban said, urging nonstop commitment to environmental sustainability. He said that armed conflicts, natural disasters and pandemics do not halt the effects of climate change. "Crop failures due to droughts and floods, or rising sea levels threatening small island nations, will persist regardless of other global crises," said Ban who chairs the Global Green Growth Institute. Ban was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the institute's new director-general, Kim Sang-hyup, on Monday. Kim Sang-hyup, 61, is a KAIST Graduate School of Green Growth professor and former co-chair of Korea's Presidential Commission on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth. He previously served as senior presidential secretary for green growth under former President Lee Myung-bak and as president of the Jeju Research Institute. Kim commenced his four-year term with GGGI on Jan. 1, 2025, and will oversee the institute's secretariat, managing over 270 projects across 50 countries. Ban expressed his eagerness to collaborate on global green growth and aid efforts, highlighting the GGGI as one of South Korea's two international organizations alongside the International Vaccine Institute. He also praised Kim's commitment to green policies and affirmed his leadership in advancing GGGI's mission. "I strongly believe Director-General Kim will provide GGGI with the right direction and innovative solutions to climate change issues," said korea's acting President Choi Sang-mok in a prerecorded speech on video. Choi also reaffirmed the Korean government's commitment to global green initiatives. South Korea aims to cut emissions by 40 percent from 2018 levels by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, in his speech at the event, also highlighted urgent climate action needs, pointing to extreme weather, rising seas and environmental degradation as increasingly evident. 'With only five years left until 2030 and only 17 percent of the SDGs' targets currently on track, we must urgently intensify our collective efforts," Cho said. The SDGs refer to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, global targets adopted by the UN in 2015, including ending poverty, taking climate action, achieving gender equality and promoting peace, justice and strong institutions, by 2030. "We must respond with innovation and economic transformation," Cho said. "As the host of both GGGI and the Green Climate Fund, we have committed over $600 million to these organizations, along with significant contributions to the Loss and Damage Fund and the Global Adaptation Fund," he said. He also mentioned Korea's recent ASEAN-Korea partnership initiative with the GGGI to achieve tangible climate mitigation results. Meanwhile, Norway's ambassador to Korea, Anne Kari Hansen Ovind, reaffirmed her country's strong partnership with the GGGI, particularly in advancing carbon markets and climate cooperation. "As Vice-President of the Assembly and Vice-Chair of the Council, Norway stands ready to provide the necessary support to ensure GGGI's success," she stated. The new director-general vowed to embrace innovation, build unconventional partnerships, and strengthen global collaboration with its 49 member states and 29 partner countries for sustainability. "My aspiration is not for GGGI to be the largest but to be the most trusted international organization for our member states and partners," Kim said, underlining the GGGI's commitment to leveraging AI-driven services and hydrogen ecosystem development. The event was attended by over 140 dignitaries, including representatives from the GGGI's member states, partner nations, diplomatic corps, intergovernmental organizations, private sector and the media. sanjaykumar@
