The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Climate Week, held from 21 to 25 April in Yeosu, Republic of Korea, brought together policymakers, local governments, and international organisations to advance climate action beyond East Asia. The conference underscored the central role of cities in achieving carbon neutrality, particularly as urban areas account for approximately 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions. 

In his opening address of the Climate Week, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell emphasised that “clean energy is the antidote to fossil fuel cost chaos, as it is cheaper, safer, and faster to deploy.” The session highlighted the importance of strengthening local implementation capacity and accelerating the transition from policy commitments to tangible outcomes.

Amid escalating climate risks and rising global temperatures, the Yeosu conference provided a platform to translate international climate commitments into locally driven action. Building on ongoing initiatives led by organisations such as ICLEI, discussions focused on scaling up proven solutions through peer learning, technical cooperation, and multi-level governance.

To showcase and advance local commitments and achievements in carbon neutrality and green transitions, ICLEI Korea—supported by Yeosu City and Jeollanam-do Province—organized the World Climate Cities Forum on April 21–22. ICLEI East Asia joined sessions to foster city-to-city dialogue, explore pathways for a sustainable transition, and share actionable insights to help urban areas address the climate crisis both regionally and globally.

World Climate Cities Forum

 

Session Overview: Industrial Decarbonisation and Just Transition

Cities, shaped by rapid urbanization and high energy consumption, emerged as both significant sources of emissions and essential leaders in driving mitigation and adaptation. In particular, industrial cities face the dual challenge of reducing emissions while maintaining economic competitiveness and ensuring a just transition.

Moderated by Zhu Shu, Regional Director of ICLEI East Asia Secretariat, the session brought together representatives from Pohang, Kaohsiung, Penang, Greater Manchester, and Yeosu. The discussion focused on industrial transformation pathways, with an emphasis on aligning decarbonisation with economic resilience and social inclusion.

• Pohang outlined its transition from a steel-based economy toward low-carbon industrial development, including efforts to introduce hydrogen-based steelmaking and strengthen workforce transition policies.
• Kaohsiung presented its industrial decarbonisation strategy, highlighting the integration of carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), renewable energy expansion, and industrial symbiosis within its industrial complexes.
• Penang demonstrated how a globally integrated manufacturing hub is advancing green transformation through energy efficiency measures, industrial innovation, and targeted support for small and medium-sized enterprises.
• Greater Manchester emphasised a place-based approach to green industrialisation, integrating decarbonisation with skills development, inclusive growth, and coordinated governance across the city-region.
• Yeosu highlighted its experience in fostering public-private collaboration within its petrochemical cluster, including pilot initiatives on low-carbon technologies and multi-stakeholder coordination mechanisms.

These case studies illustrated diverse but complementary approaches to industrial decarbonisation, reflecting different governance contexts and economic structures.

Session on Green transition of industrial cities

 

Key Themes and Insights

Strengthening Local Implementation Capacity

Participants highlighted the need to enhance local governments’ capacity to operationalise climate commitments through improved data systems, policy instruments, and institutional coordination. Aligning local climate action plans with Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) was identified as a key priority.

Mobilising Climate Finance and Partnerships

The session underscored the importance of enabling cities to access climate finance, including through blended finance models and public-private partnerships. Addressing structural barriers to local-level financing remains critical to scaling implementation.

Advancing Sectoral Decarbonisation

Cities are increasingly adopting sector-specific approaches to emissions reduction, particularly in energy systems, transport, and industry. Industrial decarbonisation in port and manufacturing cities was identified as a key area requiring targeted policy and technological innovation.

Enhancing Public-Private Collaboration

Effective collaboration between local governments, industry, and research institutions was highlighted as essential for deploying low-carbon technologies and scaling innovation. Multi-stakeholder platforms were identified as a key mechanism for facilitating such cooperation.

Promoting Regional and International Cooperation

Participants emphasised the role of regional networks in enabling knowledge exchange, peer learning, and replication of best practices. Transnational cooperation was seen as critical for accelerating progress across cities.

group photo of the speakers

 

Post-Event Reflections

The session reaffirmed the growing role of cities as active agents in driving industrial decarbonisation. Discussions highlighted the importance of adopting place-based approaches that reflect local economic structures, institutional capacities, and social considerations.

Participants also noted increasing interest in cross-city collaboration, particularly in areas such as technology deployment, capacity building, and financing mechanisms. The session contributed to strengthening linkages among cities and stakeholders, supporting continued cooperation under regional and global platforms.

 

Implications for Policy and Practice

The discussions in Yeosu point to several key implications for advancing climate action at the local level:

• The need to move from high-level commitments toward implementation-focused strategies
• The importance of integrating economic, environmental, and social dimensions within industrial transition
• The role of local governments as coordinators of multi-level and multi-stakeholder action

World Climate Cities Forum Group photo

 

Moving Forward

The UNFCCC Climate Week in Yeosu marked a critical step in advancing implementation-oriented climate action. By placing local governments at the centre of industrial transformation, the World Climate Cities Forum highlighted the importance of scalable, inclusive, and context-specific solutions.

Sustained progress will depend on strengthening institutional capacity, mobilising adequate financing, and fostering continued collaboration across sectors and regions. The outcomes of the Yeosu conference provide a foundation for accelerating climate action and supporting cities in delivering on their carbon neutrality commitments.

Building on this momentum, ICLEI’s next World Congress will convene in October next year in Pohang, offering an ongoing platform for cities to strengthen collaboration and drive implementation-focused climate action.