The 'Climate Crisis' Facing Humanity, From Eco-Friendly to Essential Environment Era... P4G Summit to Be Held in Seoul This June

Yoo Yeon-cheol, P4G Summit Preparation Planning Director, "Nuclear Scientists Equate Climate Change, Humanity's Greatest Threat, with Nuclear Weapons"
Post-Paris Agreement New Climate Regime Presents Milestones Such as Greenhouse Gas Reduction Targets and Sustainable Development Goals at the Summit

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] In January last year, nuclear scientists equated the two greatest threats facing humanity?nuclear weapons and climate change?and announced that the Doomsday Clock was set at its most critical time ever, two minutes to midnight. The World Economic Forum (WEF) warned that more than half of the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is exposed to the threats of the climate crisis.

The Australian wildfires that began in September last year have not been extinguished even after five months. Amid the worst wildfires in history, which have scorched the nation, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who had been criticized for inappropriate conduct, admitted on the 12th (local time) that there were problems with the government’s response. This marks the first time the development-oriented Australian Prime Minister acknowledged the connection between wildfire disasters and climate change.

Meanwhile, the United States announced its withdrawal from the Paris Agreement in June 2017 and officially notified the United Nations (UN) in writing of its intention to withdraw last November. The withdrawal will take effect from November this year, making the U.S. the first country to officially exit the Paris Agreement.

As the world remains on high alert regarding the impacts of climate change, South Korea will host the P4G Summit for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 in Seoul this coming June. P4G, which includes 12 member countries such as South Korea, Denmark, the Netherlands, Indonesia, Vietnam, Ethiopia, and South Africa, held its first meeting in 2018 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The summit is held every two years.

Yoo Yeon-cheol, Ambassador for Climate Change and head of the P4G Summit preparation planning team, told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Seoul on the 20th, “Since the Paris Agreement, new climate sanctions have firmly taken root, and now we have entered not just an eco-friendly era but a mandatory environmental era.” He emphasized, “Responding to climate change has become an irreversible, epochal task for the international community that requires a shift from awareness to action.”

He also predicted that hosting the P4G Summit in Seoul this year would elevate South Korea as a leading country on climate issues. Yoo stated, “President Moon Jae-in declared in his New Year’s address that South Korea will fulfill its responsibilities as a confident middle power in international cooperation for climate change response and sustainable development.” He added, “This summit will lead the global agenda, enhance South Korea’s status, establish a foundation for the overseas expansion of environmental industries, and contribute to raising public awareness about climate response and goal achievement.”

The summit held in South Korea aims to strengthen international solidarity for implementing the Paris Climate Agreement and discuss expanding support for developing countries through enhanced cooperation among P4G, the Green Climate Fund (GCF), and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI).

Yoo explained, “The P4G Summit will serve as a stepping stone for the 25th Conference of the Parties (COP25) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in the UK this November, and will present milestones for greenhouse gas reduction targets (NDCs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through 2030.”

Unlike other international organizations such as the GCF, P4G operates outside the UN system as a platform that implements green growth through public-private partnership projects, supports developing countries in responding to climate change, and aids in achieving sustainable development goals. It goes beyond reducing carbon emissions through national commitments by supporting developing countries to build sustainability.

Yoo emphasized, “It is especially necessary to respond to climate and environmental issues through Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies. As ‘carbon management’ as a public good will be a core task going forward, this is an era where timely investment in sustainable technologies that drastically reduce resource consumption and significantly improve energy efficiency is essential.”

The preparation planning team was formed by gathering 30 members from related ministries including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Ministry of SMEs and Startups, and Ministry of Environment. The summit will feature special sessions on future generations, green technology, oceans, and new cooperation, including responses to fine dust. The planning team will complete invitations, promotional activities, and special envoy dispatches by March, followed by practical event preparations until May.

Meanwhile, a special event commemorating the 10th anniversary of the founding of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) will be held alongside the P4G Summit. GGGI, chaired by former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as the chair of the General Assembly and Board of Directors, was established as a non-governmental organization (NGO) in South Korea and became an international organization in 2015. The number of member countries is expected to exceed 40 soon.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.