Korean Capital Hosts Far-Reaching Environmental Sustainability Talks. Talks are underway in Seoul as top economic and environmental policymakers and experts from around the world discuss ways of fostering environmental cooperation and economic development strategies at the 2012 Global Green Growth Summit (GGGS). The two-day event is taking place in Seoul’s central business district at the Lotte Hotel Seoul, and will continue through until May 12th.
Under the theme, “Global Governance for Green Growth and the Green Economy”, panel discussions focus on specific ways in which international cooperation could be strengthened to support countries that wish to pursue green growth on a large scale.

For Seoul, the talks are a major opportunity to promote its own green growth initiatives, particularly during the “Water and Green Growth” session, which will feature a presentation on South Korea’s nationwide ‘Four Rivers Restoration Project’. Over the past decade, Seoul has worked extensively to clean up and enhance the Han River under an initiative known as the Han River Renaissance Project. Examples of this include the creation of parkland, recreational facilities and wildlife sanctuaries both along the Han and its tributaries.
The summit is also another opportunity for the city to host international events of major importance, following the recent 2012 Nuclear Security Summit in March.
“Seoul is pleased to be the host city of this vital environmental summit,” said Seoul Convention Bureau vice-president Maureen O’Crowley.
“It is an honor to play a role in a gathering whose outcomes are so important for the significant impact they have on the global community and the world we all call home.”
A number of key international figures are speaking during the summit, including Mr. Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Mr. Richard Samans, Executive Director of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), and Dr. Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Colombia University Earth Institute.
GGGS 2012 is jointly hosted by the GGGI and the Korean government. It is organized by the GGGI in association with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the UNEP, and the World Bank. The summit promotes co-operation among international organizations and federal governments actively working to increase environmental growth and green economic development.
The summit venue, The Lotte Hotel Seoul, was designed ‘Best Business Hotel in Seoul’ during the 2011 Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Awards.

During the 2012 Nuclear Security Summit, the hotel’s popular traditional Korean restaurant Mugunghwa provided a special 9-course lunch banquet for the spouses of world leaders for their visit to Cheong Wa Dae, the presidential residence.
The Seoul Convention Bureau (SCB), a division of the Seoul Tourism Organization, is the official government-sponsored body representing and promoting the city overseas as a prime venue for meetings, conventions and exhibitions. The SCB is in charge of international marketing and public relations for Seoul as a convention city. The Seoul Tourism Organization (STO) is a joint venture launched by the city and private enterprises in February 2008 with a core mission to promote Seoul as a convention and tourism destination.
In the most recent set of UIA rankings, Seoul was ranked 5th in the world for number of international conferences hosted in 2010.