Incheon Institute and UNESCAP Strengthen International Cooperation on Sustainable Development, Expand Joint Research and Policy Dialogue

【Financial News Incheon=Reporter Gap-su Han】 The Incheon Institute and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) are set to significantly expand policy research and international cooperation for sustainable development.
The Incheon Institute announced on the 15th that it will sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with UNESCAP on the 16th at its main conference room to strengthen policy research and international cooperation in sustainable development. Choi Gye-woon, president of the Incheon Institute, and Srinivas Tata, director of UNESCAP’s Strategic Planning Division, will sign the agreement on behalf of their respective organizations.
The MOA was established to formalize the cooperation between the two organizations and expand their partnership from climate change and sustainable urban policies to sustainable development more broadly, including transportation and logistics, marine and terrestrial ecosystems, and carbon neutrality.
UNESCAP is a leading United Nations regional commission for the Asia-Pacific region, established by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand. It supports inclusive, resilient and sustainable development across the region through policy knowledge creation, technical assistance and capacity building.
The two organizations plan to support evidence-based policymaking and implementation by UNESCAP member states and local governments through policy dialogue, capacity-building projects and joint regional initiatives.
The main areas of cooperation are centered on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In clean energy, the organizations will pursue carbon-neutral cooperation among South Korea, China and Japan. In industry, innovation and infrastructure, they will seek to strengthen sustainable connectivity in transportation and logistics.
In sustainable cities and climate action, they will develop the International Forum on Low-Carbon Cities into a regular knowledge-sharing platform and expand cooperation to enhance urban resilience. In marine and terrestrial ecosystems, they will jointly address marine protected areas, biodiversity conservation, air pollution, desertification and land degradation.
The organizations will also strengthen multi-stakeholder partnerships so cities in East and Northeast Asia can respond jointly to climate change and improve their resilience. Policy agendas that have been pursued separately—including transportation and logistics, marine protected areas, air pollution, and desertification—will be linked through joint research and policy dialogue.
The Incheon Institute will pursue joint projects based on Incheon’s policy experience and research expertise. UNESCAP will use regional and subregional cooperation platforms to connect the participation of member states, local governments, international organizations and other stakeholders. It will also support knowledge and policy networks to ensure that joint projects align with United Nations policy and technical standards and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The two organizations have jointly hosted the International Forum on Low-Carbon Cities since 2021, cooperating mainly on climate change and sustainable urban policies. The MOA is significant because it will develop their event-based cooperation into an ongoing system of policy research and international cooperation, while expanding the agenda to sustainable development as a whole.
The Incheon Institute will also launch its first follow-up project after signing the MOA. During the 2026 Sustainable Development Week in Incheon this October, it plans to co-host the 10th East and North-East Asia Multi-Stakeholder Forum on the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals with UNESCAP. Local governments, international organizations, research institutions and civil society will participate to discuss regional sustainable development challenges and turn the agreement into concrete international cooperation projects.
Choi Gye-woon, president of the Incheon Institute, said, "Following our cooperation with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), we will closely connect Incheon’s sustainable development policies with international agendas through the MOA with UNESCAP."
Srinivas Tata, director of UNESCAP’s Strategic Planning Division, stated, "It is important to turn this agreement into concrete projects, including joint research, international forums and policy development," adding, "Beginning with the SDGs Multi-Stakeholder Forum in October, we hope to achieve tangible cooperation on issues that Incheon and Northeast Asia must address together, including climate change and carbon neutrality, transportation and logistics, and marine and terrestrial ecosystems."
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