Seoul-led int'l body for green growth begins operation

The Seoul-led international organization on green growth began its official operations on Tuesday.

The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) kicked off inaugural meetings of its assembly and council in the day for a two-day run in central Seoul, during which it will select its secretary general and permanent council members, according to the Secretariat.

The GGGI was officially launched last week as an international entity, upgrading the Seoul-based think tank set up in 2010 to promote strategies for environment-friendly economic growth drivers, the secretariat said.

It marks the first time that Seoul has led the establishment of a global organization, it added.

Some 300 officials from 18 member countries attended Tuesday's opening ceremony, including South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Chairman of the GGGI and former Danish Prime Minister Lars Rasmussen as well as senior officials from governments and relevant international organizations and experts, according to the Secretariat.

Based upon the mechanism of transferring funds from developed nations to developing ones to address climate change, the GGGI will confirm action plans for its operations from 2012-2014 during the Seoul meeting, according to the office.

With aims to spread green growth models as alternative development strategies and to support emerging countries' eco-friendly growth, the GGGI said it plans to devise "tailor-made" plans for each country and region, adding it is now working on 24 such projects in 17 countries, including Indonesia, Cambodia and Brazil.

Four countries -- Denmark, Guyana, Kiribati and the Philippines -- have ratified the treaty so far, with 18 countries signing it, according to the Secretariat. (Yonhap News)