The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Trinidad and Tobago hosted the “Digital-AI Based Ocean Climate Action Seminar” on Friday, May 1, 2026, in Port of Spain.
The seminar built upon and further advanced the outcomes of the “Ocean-Based Climate Action Seminar” co-hosted by the Embassy with the Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) of Trinidad and Tobago and the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in September last year. It aimed to further concretize cooperative approaches to marine and climate response through the use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence.
The seminar brought together experts from the Republic of Korea as well as representatives from regional and international organizations, including the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), who shared a range of perspectives and approaches.
In his welcoming remarks, H.E. Ambassador Seijoong Kwon of the Republic of Korea to Trinidad and Tobago emphasized that “the climate crisis is an urgent challenge that directly affects the survival of the Caribbean region,” adding that Korea “will actively contribute to strengthening coastal ecosystem resilience by combining advanced AI technologies with nature-based solutions.” He further stated that, “starting with Carriacou Island in Grenada, which suffered severe damage from Hurricane Beryl in 2024, and through cooperation with the UNFCCC Secretariat, Korea hopes to support the wider dissemination of nature-friendly recovery models utilizing digital technologies across the Caribbean.”
Mr. Kishan Kumarsingh, Head of the Multilateral Environmental Agreements Unit at the Ministry of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development of Trinidad and Tobago, emphasized that “in the Caribbean Sea, which faces climate threats such as sea level rise and coastal erosion, AI-based proactive data-driven responses are no longer optional but essential.” He further noted that “this requires not only government action, but also strengthened collaborative governance and digital capacity-building involving the private sector, academia, and local communities.”
The thematic presentations that followed included:
- Prof. Kwi-Gon Kim, Emeritus Professor at Seoul National University, on “Digital Tools for Marine Ecosystem Restoration,”
- Mr. Daniel Muñoz-Smith, Caribbean Representative at GGGI, on “Digital and AI-Driven Approaches to Develop Intelligent Oceans,”
- Ms. Jimena Cuevas-Portilla, Directorate for Disaster Risk Reduction, Sustainable Tourism, the Caribbean Sea and Environment at ACS, on “Regional Cooperation for Coastal Protection: A Caribbean Perspective,”
- Ms. Keron Alleyne, Digital Facility Lead at UNDP, on “Transforming Ocean and Coastal Governance: AI-Driven Responses to National Challenges,”
- Mr. Enrique Zapata, Principal Executive for Digital Transformation and AI Coordinator at CAF, on “Strategic Synergy: Open Data, AI, and Climate Action for Ocean Protection.”
Ms. Ava Maxam, Director of the Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA), concluded the seminar by emphasizing that marine and coastal protection is not merely about physical defenses, but fundamentally about building intelligent, data-driven systems supported by an integrated approach across technology, finance, and policy.
The seminar served as a meaningful platform for governments, academia, and international organizations from Korea and the Caribbean to come together and exchange views on climate response and green transition, laying a concrete foundation for expanding cooperation in marine and climate action through digital technologies and AI.