President Moon: "Carbon Neutrality in All Areas of Industry, Economy, and Society" (Comprehensive)

2050 Carbon Neutrality Vision Declaration, "Carbon Neutrality is an Opportunity for Leading Nation Leap"... "Fostering Three Major New Energy Industries: Renewable Energy, Hydrogen, and Energy IT"

[Asia Economy reporters Ryu Jeong-min and Son Seon-hee] "We will strongly promote 'carbon neutrality' in all areas of industry, economy, and society. We will shift the main energy supply to renewable energy and foster three major new energy industries: renewable energy, hydrogen, and energy IT."

President Moon Jae-in said this on the 10th during the '2050 Carbon Neutrality Vision Declaration' event held at the Blue House office. On President Moon's desk was a desk clock showing 9:47 PM, symbolizing the global environmental crisis. The event was broadcast live through six broadcasting stations. The speech was translated into English and aired overseas.

President Moon stated, "We possess excellent low-carbon technologies such as batteries and hydrogen, and we are ahead in digital technology and innovation capabilities. Compared to industrialization that started 200 years late, 'carbon neutrality,' which begins on a relatively equal footing, is an opportunity for our country to leap forward as a leading nation."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

'Carbon neutrality' refers to a state where greenhouse gas emissions from human activities such as fossil fuel use are minimized, and any unavoidable emissions are absorbed or removed through forests, wetlands, etc., resulting in net zero emissions.

According to the Blue House, the 2018 special report on global warming 1.5℃ by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) under the United Nations emphasized the need to reduce greenhouse gases by stating that to keep the Earth's temperature rise below the human survival limit of an average 1.5℃, carbon neutrality must be achieved by 2050.

The Blue House explained, "Major countries worldwide, including the European Union (EU), China, and Japan, have declared carbon neutrality. With President Moon's 'Republic of Korea Carbon Neutrality Vision Declaration,' our country is now proactively joining these international efforts as a leading participant."

This event was not a rigid ceremony like a speech announcement but was conducted with a concept that evokes empathy based on the common keyword 'time,' including an intro video, carbon neutrality declaration, and music video screening.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Blue House stated, "The pocket watch in the last scene of the intro video, the desk clock on the president's office desk, and the clock showing 9:47 PM in the music video were inspired by the 'environmental crisis clock,' which represents the degree of deterioration of the Earth's environment in terms of time," adding, "It conveys the seriousness of the crisis currently faced by the Earth's environment and human civilization."

The intro video, which began with narration by actress Ha Ji-won, an Eco Friends activist, and writer Noh Kyung-hee, known as the screenwriter of the documentary 'Tears of the Arctic,' contained a message reflecting on the past that caused the environmental crisis by rushing forward after industrialization and urging action for the environment before it is too late.

Meanwhile, due to the COVID-19 situation, the speech part of the Republic of Korea Carbon Neutrality Declaration, announced in the president's office rather than a large-scale event, was delivered to the public in black-and-white video to emphasize the importance and meaning of carbon neutrality.

The Blue House explained, "If the pre-industrial past allowed us to see natural colors, the present, with advanced technology development, ironically expresses our reality trapped under a gray sky caused by fine dust."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

President Moon pledged to strive to create a low-carbon industrial ecosystem. "We will support promising low-carbon new industry companies to capture the global market," he said, adding, "We will build a platform where large corporations and startups can collaborate to foster an innovation ecosystem."

Furthermore, President Moon said, "We will promote a fair transition so that no marginalized groups or regions are left behind. Through region-specific strategies and fostering region-led green industries, we will create jobs and income for local residents," and added, "The government will provide strong support so that our core technologies lead the world and become future growth engines."

The Blue House explained, "Immediately after the carbon neutrality declaration, a campaign music video rearranged from 'Before It’s Too Late,' written and composed by the late Shin Hae-chul in 1992, was shown, featuring singer Ha Hyun-woo, actor Lee Ki-woo, and the CBS Boys and Girls Choir."

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