SEOUL, 9 July 2026 — Philippine Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Bernadette Therese C. Fernandez presented the country’s priorities for a just and investment-ready maritime transition during the GGGI-led session on the future of zero-carbon shipping at the World Green Growth Forum 2026 in Pohang on 09 July 2026. The high-level discussion brought together governments, industry and international organizations to examine green ammonia as a scalable pathway to net-zero shipping.

Ambassador Fernandez underscored the importance of maritime transport to the Philippine economy specially as an archipelagic nation. She shared the Philippine government’s well-structured policy approaches in its transition toward a low-carbon and climate-resilient maritime sector, consistent with the 2023 IMO GHG Strategy, and emphasized that decarbonization or transition toward zero-carbon shipping must remain just, equitable, and inclusive. She emphasized that hydrogen-based solutions, including green ammonia, should be advanced through feasibility studies, safety standards, port-readiness assessments, workforce training and pilot green corridors. The Ambassador also called for stronger cooperation with GGGI and other partners to convert Philippine green shipping priorities into bankable projects through policy support, climate finance, investment structuring and capacity-building. 

Filipino expertise was also represented at the forum by GGGI Senior Governance Associate Dr. Micah Lourdes A. Felix, who served as an event lead and judge for the 2nd Green Growth Idea Hackathon. The hackathon, which brought together participants from around the world, was organized to inspire innovative solutions that could evolve into viable marine-linked net-zero business models addressing the climate crisis. Ambassador Fernandez was likewise pleased to meet Filipino government scholars currently studying at Hanyang Global University in Pohang. END