Moon Declares South Korea’s Commitment to Cut Carbon Emissions by 40 pct by 2030

GLASGOW, Scotland, Nov. 1 (Korea Bizwire) — President Moon Jae-in officially declared South Korea’s commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent from the 2018 levels by 2030 as he addressed the annual U.N. climate conference.

Moon also said South Korea will try to bring carbon emissions down on the entire Korean Peninsula by pushing for tree planting campaigns in North Korea during a keynote speech at the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow.

South Korea’s reduction target represents a sharp raise from its previous goal of 26.3 percent.

“This is a bold objective that was raised by about 14 percent from the previous target,” Moon told the climate summit that brought together more than 100 heads of state, including U.S. President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

“This is a very challenging task of having to reduce greenhouse gases steeply in a short period of time,” Moon told the world leaders. “It is not an easy task, but South Korea has decided now is the time to act.”

Last month, South Korea finalized the decision to reduce emissions by 40 percent from 2018 levels by 2030. It also confirmed that it will achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, as the nation started tackling the challenge of responding to climate change and attaining sustainable growth simultaneously.

“Following the inauguration of our government, eight coal-fired power plants were shut down. By the end of this year, two additional plants are scheduled to close. We will put a complete end to coal-fired power generation by 2050,” Moon said.

“Moreover, official financial support for the construction of new coal-fired power plants overseas has already been suspended,” Moon said.

Moon also formally announced South Korea’s decision to join the Global Methane Pledge, a global pact to cut methane emissions by 30 percent by 2030.

Moon said he will also push for reforestation in North Korea.

“The Republic of Korea will take a leading role in cooperation for reforestation,” Moon told the summit, adding that tree planting is one of key solutions to mitigate climate change.

“We will reduce greenhouse gas emissions on the entire Korean Peninsula through forestry cooperation between the South and North Korea,” Moon said.

North Korea is known for severe deforestation due to excessive logging for fuel, which has been blamed for flooding and many other natural disasters.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has urged efforts to restore the forests since he came to power, ordering the construction of greenhouse farms and tree nurseries across the country and making on-site inspections to check on progress.

During the speech, Moon told world leaders that South Korea will stay in lockstep with the push for carbon neutrality, briefing them on the nation’s efforts to cut emissions.

In Glasgow, world leaders are expected to assess achievements since the Paris agreement to limit global warming, which was signed in 2015. Whether to agree on limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius is one of the key topics at the U.N. summit.

Scientists said the timing of a 1.5 C rise in the earth’s temperature is very likely to come before 2040, a decade faster than an earlier prediction, if greenhouse gas emissions remain at current levels.

Wrapping up the G-20 summit in Italy, world leaders agreed that, “Keeping 1.5 degrees within reach will require meaningful and effective actions and commitment by all countries.”

However, they agreed to achieve global net zero greenhouse gas emissions or carbon neutrality “by or around mid-century,” instead of setting the target year at 2050.

(Yonhap)