The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Climate Week 3, held from 21 to 25 April in Yeosu, Republic of Korea, brought together national representatives,  policymakers, local governments, international organisations, Civil Society Organisations, research institutes, etc. to explore actionable solutions through preliminary discussions on key agenda items in advance of COP31, which will take place in Antalya, Turkey between 9 to 20 of November this year. 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 the opening address of the Climate Week, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell emphasized that “clean energy is the antidote to fossil fuel cost chaos, as it is cheaper, safer, and faster to deploy.” The Conference further highlighted the importance of strengthening local implementation capacity and accelerating the transition from policy commitments to tangible outcomes.

 

World Climate Cities Forum

Echoing the importance of local implementation and transition to green cities, ICLEI Korea Office, supported by Yeosu City and Jeollanam-do Province, organized the World Climate Cities Forum on April 21-22 to showcase and advance local commitments and achievements in carbon neutrality and green transitions. It successfully convened together a wide range of stakeholders, including 18 local governments from Korea, and approximately 170 participants representing local governments across 12 different countries.

The forum has convened to share strategies for city-led climate actions and green transition.  It also serves as a strong advocacy and aligned commitment for local governments in addressing the climate agenda, especially for effective reinforcement of NDCs towards the Paris Agreement. To foster intercity dialogues, ICLEI East Asia Secretariat joined sessions to 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 Group Photo

 

Particularly, the Regional Director of ICLEI East Asia Secretariat Mr. Shu Zhu moderated Session III “Industrial Decarbonization and Just Transition”. The Session brought together industrial cities of Pohang, Kaohsiung, Penang, Greater Manchester, and Yeosu to share their experiences on reducing emissions while maintaining economic competitiveness for a green transition.

The discussion focused on industrial transformation pathways, with an emphasis on aligning decarbonization with economic resilience and social inclusion. Although each city was unique with its own story for diverse governance contexts and economic structures, all of the cases demonstrated that the green transition is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Rather, it requires tailored strategies aligned with each city’s industrial structure and local characteristics.

Session on Green transition of industrial cities

 

In parallel with the conference, ICLEI operated a promotional booth during the Climate Week. The booth highlighted key programs on climate neutrality, sustainable urban development, and regional cooperation, while providing an opportunity for participants to envision ICLEI’s pathways and networks for connecting local governments and exploring potential partnerships. Through direct interaction with local governments, experts, and international organizations from around the world at the site, the booth contributed to strengthening visibility and fostering collaboration on implementation-focused climate action.

 

ICLEI Booth

 

Key Takeaway

The two-day forum has demonstrated that cities sit at the center of delivering carbon neutrality. In alignment with the Climate Week’s agenda, the forum played an essential role to turn policy commitments into measurable results to strengthen local implementation capacity. The discussion also reconfirmed that decarbonization of industrial cities can be advanced without sacrificing competitiveness when strategies are built around innovation and economic resilience. In a broader context, under the three pillars of green transformation of regional energy grid, industrial, and port cities, the forum has effectively established a platform for national, regional and relevant stakeholders to not only share their unique experiences and solutions but also make expertised advice and share know-hows to exchange insights, and make joint-commitments to decarbonization.

group photo of the speakers

 

Moving Forward

The UNFCCC conference in Yeosu marked a critical step in advancing implementation-oriented climate action. By placing local governments at the center of industrial transformation, the event highlighted the importance of scalable, inclusive, and context-specific solutions.

Sustained progress will depend on strengthening institutional capacity, mobilizing 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 World Congress 2027 will convene next year in Pohang, offering an ongoing platform for cities to strengthen collaboration and drive implementation-focused climate action and urban sustainable development.

ICLEI Offices at the World Climate Cities Forum