International Environmental Research Institute hosts IFOCA 2017 International Climate Change Adaptation Forum

□ For the first time, the GIST International Environmental Research Institute (Director Joon Ha Kim) hosted the International Climate Change Adaptation Forum (UNESCAP) in Bangkok, Thailand, on December 12, 2017.

* IFOCA 2017 (International Forum on Climate Adaptation 2017): Bridging Carbon Action with Southeast Asia.

□ Co-organized by the GIST Institute for Global Environmental Studies and the Climate Technology Center-Network (CTCN) *, the forum will take a step further than the the IFOCA 2016 Forum, which focused on climate adaptation, to address "Carbon Action." It was held to provide a practical forum for the local issues in Southeast Asia and finding solutions through innovative technology and funding.

* Climate Technology Center - Network (CTCN): An organization that co-ordinates and manages the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). It mainly establishes a cooperation system between government, private and non-governmental organizations in developing countries to investigate and analyze technological needs and provide practical technological support for developing countries.

□ This forum will be attended by senior civil servants and scientists from five developing countries in Southeast Asia that are directly affected by climate change: Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand, as well as climate technology centers that provide technical support for climate change. △ Introduction of carbon mitigation policy and climate change issues in each country △ Applying carbon reduction technology and financial strategy △ Business model success case, promotion and expansion of capacity, and expansion of cooperation.

□ Participants also discussed in detail the areas of high national priorities for greenhouse gas reduction, such as energy, agriculture, industrial processes, and waste. To effectively cope with climate change, participants need a deep understanding of the real problems affecting countries, and this requires consensus on the need for close cooperation and continuous dialogue between developing and developed countries.

□ Mats Rinaldo, CTCN's Climate Action Program Principal Investigator, said, "GIST is an important member of the CTCN, as well as climate technology support that has been carried out so far, as well as an important institution leading the development of preemptive response technologies by identifying the climate technology needs that are truly needed by developing countries through IFOCA. I look forward to this forum."

□ Director Joon Ha Kim said, "The GIST will contribute to the development of environmental technology development and research policies so that the region can accumulate information on climate change and environmental issues in developing countries in Southeast Asia and actively respond to climate change and seek solutions. Through this forum, we cooperated with CTCN to expand the scope of our activities."