Source: China News Network
China News Service Seoul, October 7 Title: South Korean Minister of the Environment Han Zhen'ai: In the face of environmental protection issues, how can South Korea and China "go in both directions"?
China News Service reporter Liu Xu
From 5 to 7 October, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Ministry of environment of the Republic of Korea jointly hosted the 4th Asia-Pacific Forum of Ministers of the Environment in Suwon, South Korea. Ministers and senior officials from more than 30 member states, including Singapore, India and Mongolia, and high-level representatives of international organizations such as the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) attended the forum to discuss environmental problems in the region and seek solutions through collective action. On October 11, the 15th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity will open in Kunming, Yunnan Province, where leaders and heads of international organizations will discuss biodiversity conservation plans. China and South Korea are working hand in hand in promoting environmental cooperation.
South Korea's Environment Minister Han Jeoung Ae recently gave an exclusive interview to China News Agency's "East-West Question", reiterating South Korea's commitment to supporting regional green growth and emphasizing that through international cooperation, effectively address environmental challenges.
Infographic: Guests visit hydrogen charging piles in North Jeolla Province, South Korea. Photo by Liu Xu
The interview transcript is summarized below:
China News Service: What is the focus of South Korea's current work in the field of environmental protection?
Han Zhen'ai: One of our current priorities is to make efforts to achieve the 2050 carbon neutrality vision. Carbon neutrality is related to the survival of the next generation, and the South Korean government regards carbon neutrality as a new value and milestone in society, and is seriously promoting relevant policies.
In October last year, President Moon Jae-in announced the 2050 carbon neutrality target, and in December, the relevant departments jointly formulated a carbon neutrality promotion strategy, decisively promoting the reduction of power plants and expanding energy conversion such as renewable energy, and promoting green new deal projects.
On August 31 this year, South Korea's parliament passed the Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth Act, becoming the 14th country to commit to carbon neutrality by 2050. At the same time, we will also establish a governance system such as the 2050 Carbon Neutrality Committee, introduce new systems such as climate change impact assessment and a cognitive budget system for greenhouse gas emission reduction, and add a new climate response fund in order to provide financial support for carbon neutral policies.
In order to achieve the 2050 carbon neutrality target, in addition to formulating policies, South Korea is also popularizing new and renewable energy sources, which is a worldwide trend. The data shows that the power generation ratio of new and renewable energy in South Korea has increased from 1.7% in 2010 to 6.5% in 2019, and we are formulating a plan to expand popularization, intending to increase the power generation ratio of new and renewable energy to more than 20% by 2030, and now the target is 20%, and we will exceed the target.
In terms of figures, south Korea's estimated greenhouse gas emissions are 648.6 million tons based on 2020, a decrease of 10.9% compared with 2018 and a 7.3% reduction compared with the estimated emissions in 2019, which is affected by the reduction of power plants, the steady promotion of carbon emissions trading and the new crown pneumonia. However, as economic activity resumes, the trend of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in industries such as industry and power generation will become slow, but carbon neutrality is the way to go, so we will continue to promote relevant policies through technological innovation and without damaging the environment.
China News Service: Environmental protection is not a simple responsibility of government agencies, it requires all countries and all stakeholders to work together, what has South Korea done to this end?
Han Zhen'ai: In May this year, South Korea held the 2021 P4G Seoul Green Future Summit and adopted the Seoul Declaration, emphasizing cooperation between developed and developing countries, civil society and enterprises.
At the 4th Asia-Pacific Environment Ministers' Forum, which will be held for three days in Suwon, South Korea, we will pursue the "Joint and Cooperative Solution for Inclusive Green Recovery and Sustainable Development in the Asia-Pacific Region" after COVID-19, and will also discuss the Nature-Based Solution (NBS) and other four major areas of natural action to achieve sustainable development - economy, health, climate, and food.
In terms of future plans for international cooperation on environmental protection, The Republic of Korea intends to participate in the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change held in Glasgow, Uk, in November this year, and will issue the revised 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets to actively promote the construction of a fair, reasonable, cooperative and win-win global climate governance system.
In addition, we are moving forward with the convening of the twenty-eighth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) in 2023. Through this very important platform, we will discuss a vision of inclusive carbon neutrality, encourage Parties to meet greenhouse gas reduction targets, expand climate revenues, develop technologies, and more.
Infographic: In order to welcome the upcoming COP15 in Kunming, 100 finalists of the China Kunming Three-dimensional Flower Bed Competition were unveiled in Kunming. Photo by Liu Ranyang, a reporter from China News Service
China News Service: On the 11th of this month, the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity will open in Kunming, Yunnan Province.
Han Zhen'ai: The COP15 meeting that will be held in China in October is a very important meeting, biodiversity is a very important topic, and it is also a topic that must be solved, so this meeting in China is very meaningful. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are unable to have face-to-face discussions and can only participate online.
Specific to biodiversity conservation, south Korea, China and Japan have many opportunities for cooperation at this level. First of all, South Korea, China and Japan can discuss nature-based solutions to use existing natural resources such as solar energy, wind energy, and hydropower; secondly, wetlands and marine ecological resources, especially the development and protection of marine resources, which require the cooperation of the three countries and hope to discuss this.
Data map: The flags of China and South Korea are hung on Beijing's Tiananmen Square. Photo by Du Yang, a reporter from China News Service
China News Service: From a more macroscopic perspective, what achievements have China and the ROK made in the field of environmental cooperation, and what are the future cooperation plans?
Han Zhen'ai: Next year we will usher in the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between The two countries, since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992, the two countries have insisted on cooperation in various fields, including, of course, environmental cooperation.
The first is the Korea-China-Japan Environment Ministers' Meeting. In order to enhance environmental cooperation in Northeast Asia, including The Republic of Korea and China, the ROK initiated the Korea-China-Japan Environment Ministers' Meeting (TEMM) held since 1999, and has achieved important results in implementing the consensus of the trilateral summit, exploring and resolving common regional environmental issues, and promoting sustainable development in the region for more than 20 years. At the end of this year, we will convene the 3rd Annual Working Meeting of the Environment Ministers of the Republic of Korea and China and the 22nd Meeting of Environment Ministers of Korea, China and Japan as soon as possible.
The second is air pollution cooperation. In order to jointly cope with environmental problems such as smog and haze, the two countries have held an annual working meeting between the environment ministers of The Republic of Korea and China since 2019, and at the same time, the "Sunny Days Plan" has been regarded as the main cooperation project of the two countries, in addition to cooperation in the field of atmosphere, it has also become a brand project of environmental cooperation between the two countries, and we will seriously promote and successfully complete the work plan for 2021.
In addressing climate change, China has announced a 2060 carbon neutrality target, and South Korea has also announced a 2050 carbon neutrality target, and the two countries have the will and potential to cooperate in overcoming the climate crisis in the Asia-Pacific region, hoping that we can maintain policy and information exchanges to jointly achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement.
Data map: Photo by Guo Xiongwei, the crested ibis, at the Crested Ibis Conservation Base in Xiazhu Lake
In terms of biodiversity conservation, the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) will be held in Kunming, China, in October this year, which is a very important meeting to seek solutions to the climate crisis, and the Republic of Korea has actively cooperated with the successful convening of this conference. In July this year, the Republic of Korea held the 8th Korea-China-Japan Biodiversity Policy Dialogue Video Conference (TPDB-8), during which people from the three countries shared information and discussed cooperation options. In addition, in the area of marine ecosystem protection, we would like to discuss the issue of marine litter in the Yellow Sea and programmes for ecosystem restoration.
Finally, I would like to introduce to my Chinese friends that, taking the 2008 Rok-China summit as an opportunity, as a symbol of friendship between the two countries, the crested ibises donated by the Chinese side to the ROK were bred and bred at the "Ngapou Crested Ibis Recovery Center" in Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea, and as of April 2021, the number of breeding crested ibises was 432, and 80 crested ibises have been released and are being successfully restored. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to the Chinese government for its active support. (End)
Respondent Profiles:
Han Jeong-ae is the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Korea. Graduated from Busan University in South Korea with a degree in environmental engineering, he received his Ph.D. in industrial engineering from the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom in 2003, and is a member of the 19th, 20th and 21st National Assembly of South Korea. He has been the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Korea since 2021.