The South Korean government is participating in international discussions aimed at addressing the climate crisis, pollution, and biodiversity loss in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment announced that Park Yeon-jae, head of the National Institute of Environmental Research, will lead the South Korean delegation at the 9th Environment Development Committee of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP), taking place from July 1 to 3 in Bangkok, Thailand. This ministerial-level meeting will gather around 300 representatives from major governments, international organizations, academia, and experts to discuss sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region.
The meeting will focus on enhancing policy synergy and promoting integrated implementation to respond to the "triple crisis" facing the planet, which includes climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. Countries will discuss ways to implement environmental policies that have been pursued in a fragmented manner and aim to adopt the Asia-Pacific Environmental Development Ministerial Declaration and a regional action plan for 2026-2030.
While climate change, pollution, and ecosystem degradation may appear as separate issues, they are interconnected. Policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions are linked to improving air quality, and ecosystem restoration can contribute to carbon absorption and disaster response.
The South Korean delegation will present its national greenhouse gas reduction target (NDC) for 2035 and plans to deploy 100 GW of renewable energy by 2030. They will also emphasize the importance of designing evaluation indicators for effectively implementing nature-based solutions, which aim to address climate change, environmental pollution, natural disasters, water resources, diseases, and biodiversity issues through the protection, restoration, and management of ecosystems.
Air quality cooperation will also be a key agenda item. The South Korean delegation will highlight the need for joint responses to air quality issues based on artificial intelligence (AI) technology and satellite data. They argue that science-based collaboration is essential for effective responses to the triple crisis and enhancing inter-country cooperation, as air pollution is a significant environmental issue that crosses borders.
Additionally, the National Institute of Environmental Research will hold a side event during the meeting in collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Environmental Sciences, the Northeast Asia Clean Air Partnership, and UN ESCAP, focusing on improving air quality in the Asia-Pacific region. This event aims to share South Korea's experiences in air quality improvement and showcase the achievements of air management cooperation between South Korea and China to the international community.
Park Yeon-jae, head of the Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment, stated, "Carbon neutrality is the path the world must take to overcome the climate crisis and achieve sustainable economic growth. We will expand cooperation with the international community for a swift green transition in the Asia-Pacific region."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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