ICLEI, a leading global network of cities devoted to sustainability, once again demonstrated its commitment to advancing low-carbon and sustainable urban development at the “3rd International Forum on Low Carbon Cities: City-led climate actions in North-East Asia” on August 29 at Songdo Convensia Incheon, Republic of Korea. The forum was jointly organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and Incheon Metropolitan City. As a forum partner, ICLEI East Asia brought several representatives to share their expertise and innovative solutions to the forefront, setting the stage for crucial next steps in the quest for net-zero cities.

 

Group Photo of the Panelists (source: UNESCAP)

 

The forum provided an excellent opportunity to accelerate multilevel and cooperative actions to transition the Northeast Asian region to a more sustainable and resilient region. Local governments, international and regional organizations, companies and stakeholders from other sectors in and beyond the region provided valuable insights, knowledge, and practices to address climate change.

As a strategic partner, ICLEI’s active participation in the forum underscored its pivotal role in driving change toward a low-carbon future. The forum featured representatives, members, and partners of ICLEI as panelists in various sessions.

 

ICLEI staff and partners at the forum (Source: ICLEI East Asia)

 

The forum consisted of three sessions. At the first session, panelists from cities and city networks discussed their roles in local climate action. In particular, Mr. Xuan Xie from ICLEI East Asia made a presentation on ICLEI’s role in driving local climate action by sharing the Regional Roadmap for Building and Construction in the Greater Bay Area of China. Ms. Nozomi Shimazu from the City of Kyoto, a long-term ICLEI member, highlighted the city’s key accomplishments regarding climate change and stressed a need for international cooperation.

 

Mr. Xuan Xie emphasizes ICLEI’s role in supporting low-carbon cities (Source: UNESCAP)

Ms. Nozomi Shimazu highlights the low-carbon achievements of Kyoto (Source: UNESCAP)

 

Session 2 was held under the theme of Technology and Innovation for local climate action. Ms. Xingxing Cai from Fudan University, China delivered a presentation on the experimental mangrove as a nature-based solution (NbS) in Shanghai. Ms. Junko Akagi from the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) presented Kitakyushu’s climate initiatives, particularly the Kitakyushu Model for RE100.

 

Ms. Xingxing Cai gives a overview of experimental mangrove solution in Shanghai (Source: UNESCAP)

Ms. Junko Akagi presents the low-carbon development of Kitakyushu city (Source: UNESCAP)

 

At the last session, panelists from diverse backgrounds discussed public-private-citizen engagement. After speakers from Tencent and Samsung discussed their firms’ strategies and projects on climate change, the youth climate activist group U-Savers shared their engagement with college students in climate governance and zero-waste campus activities. Ms. Zolzaya Enkhtur from Climate Campaign, a partner of ICLEI East Asia in Mongolia, shared their youth activities in Ulaanbaatar. In particular, Climate Campaign has successfully planned a car-free and green downtown park in an abandoned amusement park plot in Ulaanbaatar by launching workshops and architectural competitions.

 

Ms. Zolzaya Enkhtur shares the Climate Campaign’s key achievements (source: UNESCAP)

 

Next Steps

ICLEI East Asia’s engagement at the 3rd Low Carbon Cities Forum served as a prelude to an exciting milestone—the release of a comprehensive compendium on sustainable urban development at the upcoming 8th Asia Pacific Urban Forum scheduled for October. The compendium, a collaborative effort involving experts from ICLEI East Asia, UNESCAP, and Institute for Global Decarbonization Progress (iGDP) will offer a wealth of practical insights, case studies, and innovative solutions. It aims to inspire cities on their journey towards urban sustainability.

ICLEI East Asia’s active role in the 3^rd International Forum on Low-Carbon Cities and its forthcoming compendium reinforce its dedication to creating sustainable, low-carbon cities. With increasing urbanization and climate change a pressing concern, ICLEI East Asia’s initiatives are poised to shape a more resilient and environmentally friendly future for cities in the region.

 

More details are available at the UNESCAP website.