Press Release

GGGI briefs Ambassadors and Heads of International Organizations based in Korea on response to COP21

cropped-2SEOUL – March 23,  2016 – GGGI Director-General, Yvo de Boer, briefed Diplomatic Missions and Heads of International Organizations based in the Republic of Korea on the Institute’s achievements in 2015, including work in Rwanda and Korea. In addition, the briefing session provided an overview of plans for the Global Green Growth Week that will take place on September 5-9, 2016, on Jeju Island, Republic of Korea. The event was attended by officials from 40 diplomatic missions and international organizations based in Korea.

Looking at GGGI’s results for 2015, Mr. de Boer highlighted that “GGGI has been working closely with governments to develop policies that are relevant, implemented and resourced”. This has been done by supporting governments to align their national policies with the objectives of green growth.

Mr. de Boer also noted that “although GGGI is a small organization established in 2012, it is already beginning to see results in its efforts to support governments to mobilize green growth finance. In 2015, GGGI’s in-country work in Colombia, Ethiopia, India, and Indonesia catalyzed green growth investments worth $131 million.”

Rwanda’s Ambassador to Korea, Her Excellency Emma-Francois Isumbigabo, noted that “since 2012 GGGI has been a key partner to achieve [Rwanda’s] vision to become a middle-income country in a sustainable and green way”. GGGI has supported the Government of Rwanda to develop a roadmap for green urbanization in secondary cities and is currently supporting the operationalization of Rwanda’s Green Fund (FONERWA) that will enable Rwanda to move from green investment project planning to implementation.

GGGI’s Mr. Yong Sung Kim presented the main findings of the Institute’s assessment of Korea’s green growth experience that was launched in January 2015. Mr. Kim noted that since its First Five Year Plan for Green Growth in 2009, Korea has made significant progress to make “green” a new engine for growth, to invest in green infrastructure, and increase public awareness and institutional standing of green growth.

Finally, Mr. de Boer presented an overview of the high-level action-oriented discussions during the Global Green Growth Week. The Fourth Green Growth Knowledge Platform Annual Conference on September 6-7 will examine the extent to which green growth is delivering its promise of social inclusion. The Global Green Growth Summit on Thursday September 8 will address barriers to green growth investments in an effort to increase the flow of financing by examining international financing instruments and assess progress on national financing vehicles that catalyze green growth technology and infrastructure. An Asian Regional Policy Dialogue on Wednesday September 7 will discuss implementable policy options that address the challenge of transitioning away from inexpensive coal in many countries, in favor of green growth powered by clean renewables.

About GGGI

Based in Seoul, GGGI is an intergovernmental organization founded to support and promote green growth. The organization partners with countries to help them build economies that grow strongly, are more efficient and sustainable in the use of natural resources, less carbon intensive, and more resilient to climate change. GGGI works with countries around the world, building their capacity and working collaboratively on green growth policies that can impact the lives of millions.  To learn more, see https://gggi.org and visit us on Facebook and Twitter.