The government has officially launched the "10 Million Climate Citizens Initiative" to promote climate action in daily life, but securing funding for incentives has emerged as a challenge. The initiative aims to engage 1 million participants by the end of this year, with point rewards being offered, yet the budget for next year's carbon neutrality points remains at the same level as this year.
While the government states it currently has the capacity to provide rewards, it plans to pursue additional funding to accommodate the expected increase in participation.
The Climate Energy Environment Ministry announced on September 9 that it will operate a unified platform called "Korea Climate Action" on its carbon neutrality points website starting September 10. This follows the official launch of "Korea Climate Action" in June, with the "10 Million Climate Citizens Initiative" as a concrete implementation measure.
The ministry has set a target of 1 million climate citizen participants by the end of this year. A ministry official stated, "We are aiming for around 1 million participants by the end of the year."
The current budget for carbon neutrality points is approximately 18 billion won, which has been maintained in next year's government budget proposal. If the number of climate citizen participants increases, additional funding for incentives will likely be necessary.
The ministry estimates that about 10 billion won of the carbon neutrality points budget can be allocated for climate citizen incentives. A ministry official noted, "We plan to discuss and explain this aspect during budget discussions in the National Assembly."
To lower the barriers for participation, the government will provide incentives until the end of this year. Participants who declare themselves as climate citizens on the unified platform will receive 1,000 points, and an additional 1,000 points will be awarded upon completing and certifying their first climate action.
If all 1 million participants declare and complete their first climate action by the end of the year, the total incentive required could reach up to 2 billion won. Additionally, climate citizens can earn extra incentives through everyday climate actions linked to the existing carbon neutrality points system. The annual payment limit per individual is set at 70,000 won, with the average actual amount received being around 7,000 won, according to the ministry.
The ministry also stated that it currently has the capacity to provide rewards, unlike in the past when the carbon neutrality points budget was quickly exhausted. This was largely due to the previous system of awarding 100 won per electronic receipt, which led to a surge in payouts as usage was automatically tracked through partner company systems. The ministry has since reduced the points for electronic receipts to one-tenth of the previous amount.
Each month, the ministry will select key climate actions and expand the linkage with existing carbon neutrality points. In October, it plans to promote cycling, followed by initiatives for installing solar panels on balconies and renting electric vehicles.
Climate Minister Kim Sung-hwan stated, "Addressing the climate crisis cannot be achieved solely by the government or specific sectors; it requires the collective actions of individuals in their daily lives to lead to societal change."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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