EU-Korea Biodiversity Youth Forum: Driving Integration Between Renewables and Biodiversity

SEOUL, 4 February 2026 — On Thursday, 29 January 2026, the EU-Korea Biodiversity Youth Forum was held in Seoul, bringing together renewable energy & policy experts from the EU and Korea, and youth advocates for an afternoon dedicated to exploring how renewable energy expansion can be implemented in ways that protect and enhance biodiversity.

Jointly organized by the European Union (EU) Delegation to the Republic of Korea, through its climate-dedicated EU-Korea Green Partnership Programme (GPP), and Green Environment Youth Korea (GEYK), the youth-led forum focused on collaborative solutions between environment protection and energy projects, such as offshore wind and solar farms.

Opening the event, Helene Juramy, Counsellor Trade and Economic Section at the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Korea, underscored the importance of the EU and Korea’s strong partnership to advance together on the energy transition and work together on solutions. Jihye Park, Member of the National Assembly (Democratic Party), also delivered congratulatory remarks, reaffirming her commitment to climate resilience and the protection of biological diversity.

The forum highlighted the importance of "local acceptance”, highlighting how large scale renewable energy projects can be designed to support the livelihoods of local communities. Speaker sessions included:

Domen Petelin, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia discussed advancing renewable energy while protecting nature in Slovenia.

Dr. Who-Seung Lee from the Korea Environment Institute (KEI) shared South Korea’s Offshore Wind Development Status and National Strategy for Avian Protection.

Han Park, Campaigner at the Korea SHE Foundation, presented a model for the integration of biodiversity into energy siting that reflects the priorities of civil society.

Andras Takacs, Energy Policy Officer at Birdlife Europe and Central Asia detailed the EU approach to ensuring biodiversity considerations in renewable energy deployment.

This youth-led forum empowered next-generation leaders to drive a lively dialogue between environmental voices from the EU and Korea. This exchange resulted in concrete action points for youth engagement, including:

Citizen Science and Observation: Encouraging youth to take an active interest in their immediate environment—from neighborhood trees to local flowers—and sharing data on various platforms where experts can utilize this information for biodiversity mapping.

Civic Advocacy: Working closely with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to voice concerns and consistently request that national assembly members and government departments listen to youth perspectives on environmental policy.

The program concluded with a screening of the film Legend of Water Flowers, combining technical dialogue with cultural engagement to inspire long-term momentum for the planet's future.

About the EU–Korea Green Partnership Programme (GPP)

The EU–Korea Green Partnership Programme is an EU-funded initiative designed to strengthen climate and environmental cooperation between the European Union and the Re-public of Korea. The programme supports the implementation of the EU-Korea Green Partnership, focusing on policy dialogue, technical exchange, and community engagement to foster a just and clean energy transition.

About Green Environment Youth Korea (GEYK)

GEYK is a youth-led non-profit organization based in Seoul, dedicated to raising awareness about climate change and biodiversity. Through advocacy, education, and international cooperation, GEYK empowers the next generation of environmental leaders to participate in the global sustainability transition."