Korea Environment Institute and NYU’s Center on International Cooperation Partner to Advance Local Climate and Environmental Finance

The Korea Environment Institute (KEI) and the Center on International Cooperation (CIC) at New York University (NYU) have announced a new collaboration to advocate for reforms to the global financial architecture, with the goal of unlocking funding and financing for development, environmental action, and climate resilience at the local level.

As countries grapple with mounting environmental challenges, existing international agreements have proven slow to negotiate and difficult to implement. At the same time, the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation are increasingly felt at the local level, where solutions must be tailored to specific contexts and communities.

With more than 80 percent of the world’s population living in towns and cities, local leaders are already taking action. Across political systems and income levels, mayors and city officials are moving swiftly to secure a livable, healthy, and prosperous future for their communities, even as national-level debates continue.

This new partnership between KEI and CIC recognizes that nature, climate, and environmental resilience are inherently local, and that empowering cities and regions with the right financial tools is critical to accelerating progress.

“We are facing increasingly complex global environmental challenges, from climate change to biodiversity loss and pollution, that no single country or institution can address alone,” said Dr. Hoon Change, Vice President for Management at KEI. “As Korea’s leading environmental policy think tank, KEI is committed to advancing evidence-based policy, and this collaboration with CIC marks an important step in expanding our global partnerships and amplifying KEI’s role in addressing shared environmental challenges.”

“Strengthening cooperation between global, national, and local actors—public and private—is essential to addressing today’s climate and environmental challenges,” said Paul Smoke, Executive Director of CIC. “By working with KEI, we are advancing efforts to reform the international financial architecture so that it better supports local governments in delivering inclusive, resilient, and sustainable solutions.”

Through this collaboration, KEI and CIC will:

• Explore, analyze, and advocate for reforms to the international financial architecture to accelerate fiscal flows and financing to local governments for environmental resilience.

• Highlight and support the development of pilot initiatives, such as nature asset accounting, regional guarantee facilities, locally adaptive infrastructure, and cleaner air solutions, that demonstrate pathways for broader systemic reform.

• Promote awareness and visibility of the innovative work led by mayors and city leaders worldwide, showcasing how cities are reimagining urban systems to meet the needs of future generations.

By combining their expertise in environmental policy and international cooperation, KEI and CIC aim to catalyze a shift towards more inclusive and effective financing mechanisms, ensuring that local actors have the resources they need to address the defining challenges of our time.

About the Korea Environment Institute (KEI):

The Korea Environment Institute (“KEI”) is a Korea-based national research institute established to support evidence-based environmental policymaking and to contribute to the prevention and resolution of environmental challenges. KEI’s vision is to become an environmental think tank at the forefront of global leadership by producing high-quality research, strengthening international cooperation, and advancing sustainable development through policy solutions on climate change, resource circulation, environmental health, nature and biodiversity, environmental assessment, and related fields. Learn more: https://www.kei.re.kr/eng/.

About the Center on International Cooperation (CIC):

The Center on International Cooperation (CIC) at New York University (NYU) is a think tank and research center that has, for three decades, been a leader in applied policy, connecting politics, security, justice, development, and humanitarian issues. Our mission is to inform and strengthen collaborative approaches and/or collaboration among national governments, international organizations, and the wider policy community to build trust, prevent and respond to crises, and advance peace, justice, and inclusion at all levels. Learn more on our website and @nyuCIC on social media.