SEOUL -- The need for innovative and scalable solutions has never been more urgent as climate change continues to accelerate, hitting the most vulnerable countries and populations the hardest. Digital technologies are emerging as powerful allies in the fight against climate change and the pursuit of sustainable development. From enabling crucial mitigation strategies to enhancing resilience, these innovations are reshaping our approach to climate action.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Seoul Policy Centre and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of the Republic of Korea co-hosted the ‘2024 Seoul Debates’ today at Lotte Hotel Seoul, under the theme of “Empowering Climate Action with Digital Technologies: How to initiate lasting and inclusive change to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals”.

The Seoul Debates is a platform for high-level knowledge exchange and policy dialogue that contribute to the identification of opportunities to share Korea’s tested and proven development solutions with partner countries. This year’s edition, with the focus on fostering collaboration to drive green recovery and transition, is the fifth installment since the launch of the first Seoul Debates in 2013.

Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator, said at the opening, “We must not lose sight of the urgent need to act on climate change and the opportunities that technology, science, and human ingenuity offer for sustainable development. The 2030 Agenda and the Pact for the Future that nations just recommitted to at the Summit of the Future this September, are the roadmaps towards a future we can look at with anticipation.” He added, “Korea, which has been such an extraordinary success story in electronics, in the automotive industry, in industrial and energy sectors, is a model case study of what is possible when government policy, the private sector and investors come together.”

Insun Kang, 2nd Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, noted, “As the climate crisis is reversing development gains and threatening the well-being of people, we have to be creative and innovative in exploring our future endeavors,” emphasizing the need to effectively harness AI and digital technologies and further strengthen partnership with private sector. “Seoul Debates is serving as a useful fora for frank discussions about real-life challenges faced by developing countries,” she added, expressing appreciation for UNDP’s efforts in supporting more than 120 countries to reduce greenhouse gas through its Climate Promise. She also emphasized that the Republic of Korea, with its vision as Global Pivotal State, has been expanding its contribution to the international community in addressing climate change and achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including through its Green ODA.

The event featured four main sessions led by a diverse group of expert panels, each addressing areas in which digital technologies has the potential to enhance climate action and sustainable development. Key topics included leveraging innovation for sustainable and low-carbon energy, integrating climate impact and risks into financial policy, unleashing digital public infrastructure (DPI) to improve sustainable forestry and carbon sinks, and achieving circular economy and fighting plastic pollution through innovation.

The event concluded with a fireside chat that brought together representatives from different generations to reflect on past climate action and future strategies. This unique session enabled an open dialogue with youth leaders, while also opening the floor for input from the Korean public, fostering an open exchange of ideas on how to sustain momentum in the fight against climate change.

This year’s Seoul Debates brought together around 900 offline and online participants including government officials, international organizations, private sector leaders, research institutions, academia and the student community who joined the discussion on site.

This year’s Seoul Debates coincides with the UNDP Administrator’s official visit to the Republic of Korea, and underscores the global significance of the event and Korea’s pivotal role in joint climate change efforts. During his landmark visit, Steiner will meet with key government officials, think-tanks and private sector counterparts in the country, including Samsung that has collaborated with UNDP on advancing the SDGs through the Samsung Global Goals app and the Generation17 initiative. He will emphasize the critical role of the Republic of Korea and further strengthen the partnership with UNDP to advance international development.

Earlier this month, UNDP welcomed the announcement that the Republic of Korea has increased its core funding to the agency for 2024, which reflects Korea’s overall commitment to expand its Overseas Development Assistance contributions to the international community.