World Climate Industry Expo opens in Busan

The 2026 World Climate Industry Expo opened Wednesday at Bexco in Busan, running through Friday. The expo launched in 2023 as an international event by merging several climate and energy exhibitions and conferences — including the Korea Energy Show, which dates to 1975 — and this year marks its fourth consecutive edition in Busan.

The event is co-hosted by the Busan city government, the Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy, the International Energy Agency (IEA), the World Bank and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), with IRENA joining as a co-host for the first time this year. The program includes 14 academic conferences — among them a climate-energy forum — an exhibition featuring more than 550 companies, and business consultation sessions.

The academic conferences address major global climate and energy issues through three tracks: a global climate governance track led by international organizations such as the IEA to discuss world energy policy and technology; a domestic climate initiatives track centered on Korean institutions to explore carbon neutrality implementation strategies; and a climate solutions platform track focused on the needs of climate industry users.

At the exhibition, more than 550 domestic and international companies — including Samsung and LG Group — will showcase innovative climate and energy technologies. Five exhibition halls cover the full spectrum of the sector, from high-efficiency equipment and renewable energy to eco-friendly products, carbon neutrality and meteorological observation instruments. A dedicated "Climate Tech Special Zone" will also spotlight new technologies from startups and small and medium-sized enterprises in the climate-tech sector.

A range of other programs has been arranged, including export and sales consultations for domestic and international buyers, guided docent tours, a climate quiz show and upcycling experience activities.

The city is operating a "Busan Energy Policy Pavilion" showcasing its key energy initiatives, along with a hydrogen energy experience booth. On Wednesday afternoon, the first day of the expo, Bexco's Exhibition Hall 1 hosted the "NEXT Solar Busan" conference, where domestic and international experts delivered keynote speeches, presentations and panel discussions on next-generation solar technology and space-based solar power development under the theme "From the Ground to Space: Next-Generation Solar Innovation Strategies."

Busan Mayor Jeon Jae-soo said the city would use the expo as an opportunity "to create new cooperation and business opportunities in climate tech and the decarbonization industry, and to showcase Busan's future competitiveness to the world."