Pohang Emerges as a New Leader on the International Climate Diplomacy Stage Beyond Asia

International Conference Marks 10th Anniversary of the Paris Agreement
Discussion on 2035 NDCs and Climate Diplomacy
Pohang Introduces Green Industry Transition Strategy
Leveraging Steel, Battery, and Hydrogen Sectors

Pohang City, which has brought a cool "carbon-neutral" breeze instead of hot molten iron, is heating up the stage of international climate diplomacy.

On December 2, Pohang City attended the 1st East Asia Climate Dialogue (EACD 2025) held at the Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Seoul, where it engaged with domestic and international climate and diplomatic leaders and officially introduced the region’s green transition strategy for local industries to the international community.

Kangdeok Lee, Mayor of Pohang, attending the 1st East Asia Climate Dialogue (EACD 2025) (second from the left in the front row). Provided by Pohang City

This conference was an international event organized by the Climate Change Center to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement. With countries preparing to submit their 2035 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) following COP30, the meeting was convened to discuss the future direction of the global climate regime’s implementation.

The event was attended by prominent figures such as Jaecheol Choi, Chair of the Climate Change Center; Philippe Bertoux, French Ambassador to Korea; Giyong Jeong, Climate Change Ambassador of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; heads of foreign diplomatic missions in Korea including Singapore; as well as academic and industry experts. They engaged in in-depth discussions on the status of Paris Agreement implementation, the future direction of climate diplomacy, and the roles of non-state actors (local governments, businesses, and civil society).

Pohang City presented the strengthening of climate diplomacy, industrial transition strategies, and the expansion of international networks as core tasks, exchanging in-depth views with participants. In particular, the city introduced its green industry transition strategy based on steel, batteries, and hydrogen, and emphasized the need for intercity cooperation and increased participation in the international community to enable practical climate action.

During the subsequent high-level policy dialogue session, participants reviewed the achievements of 10 years of Paris Agreement implementation and shared trends in the global shift in climate policy. They also discussed practical ways to link Pohang’s industrial and climate policies with international partnerships.

In the panel discussion, Youngwook Son, President of the Steel Industry Research Institute, presented Pohang’s case of industrial restructuring and green innovation strategy. He stressed that the CCU (Carbon Capture and Utilization) megaproject will be a key driver for transforming the local industrial ecosystem and securing competitiveness in the global carbon-neutral market. He also proposed expanding government financial support for a just transition and institutionalizing youth participation in decision-making as future national and regional cooperation tasks.

Mayor Kangdeok Lee stated, "This East Asia Climate Dialogue was a meaningful opportunity to share Pohang’s green industry transition strategy with the international community," and added, "We will strengthen cooperation with industry, government, and international organizations to develop Pohang into a leading global city for green industries."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.