Seoul, Republic of Korea, July 06: The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), in collaboration with the World Economic Forum (WEF), convened senior leaders from government, industry, finance, academia and international organizations in Seoul on 29–30 June for Decarbonization and Circularity for Industrial Growth and Competitiveness, a high-level dialogue exploring how industrial decarbonization and circular economy approaches can strengthen economic competitiveness, resilience and long-term growth across Asia-Pacific.
The event brought together nearly 200 participants from more than 130 organizations across over 30 countries, representing sectors including steel, automotive, shipping, mining, chemicals, manufacturing, technology and finance. Senior speakers and panelists included representatives from Hyundai Motor Group, SK Innovation E&S, Shinhan Financial Group, ING, POSCO, Samsung Electronics and Indorama Ventures. Through plenary sessions, roundtables and working discussions, participants explored practical pathways to unlock investment, strengthen demand for low-carbon products, develop regional industrial value chains and accelerate the transition towards competitive, low-carbon industries.
Convened as part of the World Economic Forum’s work on industrial decarbonization and circular economy, and aligned with GGGI’s mission to support green growth and sustainable economic transformation, the dialogue reflected a growing global consensus that industrial competitiveness and climate action are increasingly reinforcing one another.
“Green growth is no longer a choice between economic development and climate action—it is the pathway to achieving both,” said Sang-Hyup Kim, Director-General of GGGI. “Industrial decarbonization presents a tremendous opportunity for countries to strengthen competitiveness, foster innovation and build more resilient economies. By bringing together governments, businesses, financial institutions and international organizations, this dialogue helps turn shared ambition into practical action and strengthens the partnerships needed to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon future.”
Throughout the discussions, participants agreed that industrial decarbonization is increasingly being driven by economic opportunity as much as climate ambition. As global markets evolve, low-carbon manufacturing, resource efficiency and circular business models are becoming important drivers of competitiveness, investment and resilient supply chains.
Participants also highlighted the need to strengthen regional cooperation through integrated industrial value chains, green trade corridors and aligned policy frameworks that can support the deployment of proven technologies at scale. Discussions emphasized that future success will depend not only on innovation, but also on mobilizing finance, creating demand for low-carbon products and fostering collaboration across governments, industry and investors.
Circularity emerged as a central theme throughout the event, with participants recognizing its growing role in enhancing resource security, strengthening critical mineral supply chains and supporting more competitive, resilient and sustainable industries across the region.
Building on the momentum generated in Seoul, participants will continue advancing these discussions through upcoming international engagements, including COP31 and the Global Green Growth Week, helping translate dialogue into practical collaboration and implementation.
Leave a Reply