On March 25-26, Jeong Ki-yong, the Ambassador for Climate Change at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, represented the South Korean government at the 16th Petersberg Climate Dialogue held in Berlin, Germany. This event, hosted annually by the German government, serves as a platform where high-level officials gather to lay the political groundwork for negotiations at the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP30).
This year’s dialogue saw attendance from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, UNFCCC Secretary-General Simon Stiell, and over 40 ministerial-level officials from various countries. The discussions centered on accelerating the implementation of the Paris Agreement, commemorating its 10th anniversary, and devising strategies to achieve tangible results at COP30.
Main topics included implementing the results of the first Global Stocktake (GST), transitioning to a just carbon-neutral future, enhancing climate adaptation efforts, preparation status of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) from non-submitting countries, and methods to expand climate finance. Proposals were also presented on improving the multilateral climate system and COP procedures.
Ambassador Jeong emphasized that the NDCs submitted by countries this year must align with the goals of the Paris Agreement and shared policy tools to expand private green investment. He also participated in discussions on GST implementation and climate adaptation.
Additionally, during the conference, he held bilateral meetings with key officials, such as Selwin Hart, UN Climate Adviser, and representatives from China, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Azerbaijan. They exchanged views on the direction for establishing the 2035 NDC, the progress of plastic treaty negotiations, and expanding climate finance.
The government intends to strengthen policy cooperation with the international community through this meeting and continue efforts to achieve substantial climate outcomes at the upcoming COP30.