The Global Green Hub Korea 2017 (GGHK 2017) that took place from Sept. 4 to 5 at the Songdo Convensia in Incheon attracted about 200 officials of 143 foreign project owners from 41 countries and roughly 500 Korean company officials. 

The 10th GGKH exhibition was hosted by the Ministry of Environment and the Incheon Metropolitan City government and organized by Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) and Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute (KEITI).

The participating company officials held one-on-one business meetings with their Korean counterparts. Sessions were also held to give explanations on overseas projects based on region, and prominent corporate exhibitors showed off their products and technologies at their publicity pavilions. There were about 1,000 one-on-one business meetings involving projects and the supply of equipment and materials worth a combined $16.3 billion. 

A $260 million Davao water treatment project in the Philippinea, a $230 million project to modernize the Vranua waste water treatment plant in Romania, a $230 million Quito waste incinerator project in Ecuador, and a $100 million Dar es Salaam tap water supply project in Tanzania are considered to have the highest potential of winning orders. 

Day 1 events were attended by ranking officials of governments and international organizations, including the Ethiopian water, irrigation and electricity minister, the Venezuelan environment vice minister, and Steven Stone. Chief of UNEP's Economics and Trade Branch (ETB). KOTRA President Kim Jae-hong and KEITI President Nam Gwang-hee gave opening speeches at an opening ceremony, while Environment Vice Minister Ahn Byung-ok delivered a commemorative speech. Stone gave a lecture on the status and prospects of the global environment industry. 

Moon Sang-jin, a division head of Doosan, lectured on the overseas entry of Doosan’s fuel cell technology.

GGKH 2017 coincided with the 11th Environment & Energy Tech (ENTECH 20917) that took place from Sept. 6 to 7 at BEXCO in Busan. ENTECH 20917 served as an opportunity for shipbuilding and maritime companies suffering from hardships to have one-on-one meetings on exporting equipment and materials with European and North American global wind power companies. 

KOTRA President Kim said, “The Paris Agreement on Climate Change has brought about a new paradigm toward the building of a safe society escaping from energy and environment dangers. The foundation for new and renewal energies and eco-friendliness, stemming from the convergence of the 4th Industrial Revolution, needs to be tackled urgently to realize the government’s efforts to wean the nation from nuclear power.” 

Kim said this event was expected to help Korean companies take a look at the global market for new technology trends and feel out changes in the eco-friendly and new/renewable energy sectors. He added that KOTRA, recognizing new environmental changes as opportunities, will continue to support Korean companies so that they can ramp up competitiveness and enter the global market. 

In his opening speech, Environment Vice Minsier Ahn expressed hope that this event would serve as an opportunity for Korean environmental companies to have a greater access to winning overseas projects with solid financial resources, thus making them new growth engines and contributing to creating jobs.