Pohang City Emerges as a Global Climate Innovation Hub... UN GIH S.I.W Successfully Concluded

Over 100 Domestic and International Experts Gather to Discuss City-Level Climate Response Strategies
Actionable Tasks Identified in Four Key Sectors: Steel, Secondary Batteries, Transportation, and Energy

Pohang City is emerging as a new center for global innovation discussions led by cities, taking the initiative in developing solutions to the climate crisis.

On July 4, the city successfully concluded the "14th UN Global Innovation Hub Pohang Systemic Innovation Workshop (UN GIH S.I.W)," which was co-hosted with the United Nations Global Innovation Hub (UGIH).

Pohang City, Leaps Forward as a Global Climate Innovation Hub. Photo by Pohang City

This two-day workshop, held at Lahan Hotel Pohang, was an official program under the UNFCCC. More than 100 domestic and international experts in climate and industry participated, focusing on strategies for responding to the climate crisis at the city level and solutions for industrial transformation.

On the second day of the workshop, July 4, participants built on the previous day's discussions to organize key issues by industry and develop them into concrete action items.

Participants identified feasible action items in four sectors?steel, secondary batteries, transportation, and energy?and reviewed the potential to develop these into long-term projects.

In the steel sector, transitioning to high-efficiency, low-carbon processes and strategies for responding to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) were highlighted as key tasks. In the secondary battery sector, securing competitiveness across the entire value chain and developing technologies for recycling spent batteries were identified as major priorities.

For transportation, the expansion of eco-friendly mobility based on hydrogen and electricity, as well as the establishment of pedestrian-centered infrastructure, were emphasized. In the energy sector, activating distributed energy systems and developing an energy mix strategy based on renewable energy and nuclear power were proposed.

The action items identified during this workshop are expected to be further developed into policies and business initiatives through collaboration among Pohang City, the United Nations, private companies, and the government.

To support these efforts, the city plans to form follow-up working groups and to further specify joint implementation measures with international organizations.

A UGIH representative commented, "This workshop was a meaningful occasion where cities took the lead in concretizing climate solutions. We hope it will serve as a model case for international cooperation among local governments."

Mayor Lee Kangdeok said, "Experts in each field proposed actionable tasks that are closely connected to citizens' lives, based on practicality and feasibility. Pohang City will work closely with the United Nations to ensure that these discussions are translated into action, solidifying the foundation for implementation."

In addition to this workshop, Pohang City has successfully hosted a series of international events, including the World Green Growth Forum (WGGF) in May, further establishing itself as a central city for international cooperation and discussion in the fields of climate and green industry.

The city plans to continue playing a leading role in global climate governance, based on city-level action and solidarity.