29 Nations' Climate Leaders Gather in Gyeonggi Province to Discuss Solutions to Climate Crisis

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Kim Kab-dong] The "World Local Government Climate Summit," designed to promote climate action led by local governments and strengthen international solidarity, opened on April 15.

The climate summit, jointly hosted by Gyeonggi Province and ICLEI from April 15 to 16 at Kintex in Goyang, was attended by local government officials from 82 cities in 29 countries, international organizations, and approximately 1,600 climate and energy experts.

The World Local Government Climate Summit is the first large-scale international conference hosted by Gyeonggi Province since attracting ICLEI's (International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives) Korea office to Kintex. It was planned to comprehensively address climate crisis response at the local government level and strengthen the foundation for international cooperation. The summit, under the theme of "Science-based Green Transition for All," discussed solutions for creating sustainable communities.

The summit began with an opening ceremony on April 15, followed by keynote speeches, main sessions, six parallel sessions, and an RE100 city network performance. On April 16, six parallel sessions, a closing ceremony, announcement of a World Local Government Joint Declaration, and a field visit to Jangahg Wetland are planned.

The opening ceremony began with opening remarks by Katrin Stjernfeldt Jammeh, president of ICLEI, followed by a welcome address from Kim Sung-joong, administrative first vice governor of Gyeonggi Province, congratulatory remarks from Gyeonggi Provincial Council member Oh Jun-hwan, and a video message from former U.S. Vice President Al Gore. In the keynote speech, Seyni Nafo, chairman of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), emphasized the role of sustainable local cities linked to climate finance.

The RE100 city network performance, featuring Gyeonggi Province, Gwangmyeong City, Paju City, and representatives of international organizations, was noted as a symbolic scene strongly demonstrating local governments' commitment to renewable energy transition.

The key themes discussed across sessions during the summit are five in total: △science-based solutions △promoting citizen participation △climate economy △bridging climate gaps △and harmony with nature. Each session was chaired by local government heads from home and abroad, including Naina Vaid (Mayor of Rajkot, India), Alyx Desume (Mayor of North Miami, Florida, USA), and Anna Reynolds (Mayor of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia), who presented environmental policies and climate action initiatives of their local governments.

On April 16, the final day of the summit, a "World Local Government Joint Declaration" based on the five key themes is planned to be adopted. The declaration will include a commitment by local governments to take substantive action and play a leading role for a sustainable future. The declaration will be used to convey the voices of local governments to the international community at the 30th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 30) to be held in Brazil in November.

Gyeonggi Province expects this summit to serve as an opportunity to reconsider the role of local governments in addressing the climate crisis and to expand the global cooperation network by sharing achievements and policies of each country.

Cha Sung-soo, director of Gyeonggi Province's Climate, Environment and Energy Bureau, said, "Together with introducing leading climate policies such as 'Gyeonggi RE100,' 'Climate Platform,' and 'Climate Insurance,' and reemphasizing the role of local governments, the province's policies are a science-based, citizen-focused climate crisis response model."