Korean-German Climate & Environment Forum 2024

Contributing to the future after INC5: Perspectives on Global Plastic Strategies

November 17, 2024

Recognizing the urgent need for global action on plastic pollution, the Korean-German Climate & Environment Forum 2024 will take place on 22 November 2024 in Seoul. Co-hosted by the German Embassy in the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the UNDP Seoul Policy Centre (USPC) as part of the German Embassy’s Climate Talks Series, the forum will build on the momentum generated by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) and align with the objectives of the international plastic treaty. The event aims to explore innovative strategies for plastic waste management while fostering international collaboration to address one of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.

The forum will convene government officials, researchers, industry leaders, and environmental experts to exchange insights, discuss policy frameworks, and explore technological innovations in plastic sustainability. Participants will engage in knowledge-sharing sessions, interactive workshops, and networking opportunities designed to promote best practices and build partnerships. A key focus will be on translating global trends and innovations into concrete, actionable solutions for developing economies, ensuring that the discussions contribute meaningfully to future plastic management efforts.

As the ROK prepares to host INC-5 in Busan (25 November – 1 December 2024), this forum offers a timely opportunity to strengthen international cooperation on plastic sustainability. With Korea and Germany both recognized for their innovative approaches — such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and reuse systems — this dialogue will help advance global solutions and inspire collective action for a sustainable future.

Event Details

22 November 2024, 09:45AM - 12:30PM (Seoul time, GMT+9)

Simultaneous interpretation (ENG ↔ KOR) will be provided. 한↔영 동시통역이 제공됩니다.

#	Session	Time
01	Registration	09:00-09:45
02	Welcoming remarks: Anne Juepner \| Director of UNDP Seoul Policy Centre Opening remarks: Jörn Beißert \| Deputy Ambassador, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in the Republic of Korea	09:45-10:00
03	Session 1: Localising global commitments at the time of INC5 - Strategies for effective implementation of plastic waste management	10:00-11:00
	Moderation: Sulan Chen \| UNDP Principal Technical Advisor and Global Lead Panel: Emmy Jerono Kipsoi \| Ambassador, Embassy of the Republic of Kenya to the Republic of Korea Seung Chull Ok \| Director, Department of Resource Recirculation, Korea Environment Corporation Jaeyeon Choi \| International Environmental Cooperation Specialist, International Environmental Cooperation Centre, Korea Environmental Industry and Technology Institute Sameer Akbar \| Senior Environmental Specialist, East Asia and Pacific, The World Bank Konrad Becker \| Co-founder, Would You Love (WYL)
04	Break	11:00-11:15
05	Session 2: Next steps in plastic sustainability - Latest technologies and innovations in plastic waste management	11:15-12:15
	Moderation: Anh Dang \| National Plastic Action Partnership (NPAP) Manager, UNDP Vietnam Office Panel: Joe Kim \| Deputy Head, Fraunhofer Representative Office Korea Sangkeon Moon \| Director, Korean Plastic Industry Cooperative Daniel Karthe \| Head of Programme-Resource Nexus for Sustainability Transformations Institute for Integrated Management for Material Fluxes and of Resources, UN UNIVERSITY FLORES Abdul Ghofar \| Pollution and Urban Justice Campaigner, The Indonesian Forum for Environment (WALHI) Dennis Schneider \| Director of the Sales and Project Development, Rieckermann
06	Closing remarks: Anne Juepner \| Director of UNDP Seoul Policy Centre Jörn Beißert \| Deputy Ambassador, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in the Republic of Korea	12:15-12:30
07	Networking lunch	12:30-14:00

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English