Students from the Master's Program in Climate Technology Convergence at our university's Graduate School participated as presenters and facilitators at the Korean Pavilion side event held during the UNFCCC COP 30 in Belém, Brazil, on November 15.

This side event featured broad participation from experts across academia, research, policy, industry, and international cooperation, including not only Kookmin University but also international research institutions (Center for International Forestry Research CIFOR-ICRAF), international certification bodies (Global Carbon Council GCC), international cooperation organizations (AFoCO), and government/public institutions (Korea Forestry Promotion Institute, Korea Forest Service, Presidential Commission on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth) participated. Presentations and discussions were held under the theme ‘Mangroves as Next-generation Nature-based Solutions: From Digital MRV to Carbon Markets’.

Kwak Ji Su, a master's student in the Department of Climate Technology Convergence (advisor: Professor Lee Chang Bae), presented on the carbon storage potential of mangrove ecosystems and the importance of biodiversity conservation. Park, Ji Soo another master's student (advisor: Professor Lim Chul Hee), shared case studies on digital MRV and the quantification of blue carbon projects using satellite and AI analysis technologies.

During the subsequent panel discussion, Park Ye Ji, a master's student in the Climate Technology Convergence Department (advisor: Professor Lim Chul Hee), chaired the session. Representatives from CIFOR-ICRAF, GCC, AFoCO, the Korea Forestry Promotion Institute, and the Korea Forest Service participated, discussing the need to expand the foundation for international cooperation to advance blue carbon projects, establish a Results-Based Payment (RBP) system, and strengthen data-based MRV frameworks. It was particularly significant that our university students led the discussion alongside experts from major institutions, creating a substantive forum for dialogue.

Meanwhile, students from the Climate Technology Convergence Department also observed key agenda items at this COP, including the ‘Implementation Framework for Article 6 of the Paris Agreement’, ‘Roadmap for Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels’, ‘Global Adaptation Goals and Finance’, and ‘Loss and Damage’ discussions. They returned having directly observed international negotiation trends and the role of national delegations.

The Climate Technology Convergence Department is an interdisciplinary cooperative program (master's and doctoral levels) aiming to cultivate specialized climate change professionals spanning technology, science, policy, and international cooperation. Designated as a specialized graduate school for carbon sinks by the Korea Forest Service in 2023, it continues to operate and is steadily expanding its education and research programs based on global field experience.