[Full Text] President Moon's Keynote Speech at COP26 Summit

Honorable Prime Minister Boris Johnson,

Ms. Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change,

Distinguished leaders,

The oak forests of Glasgow

lead us into a mythical world where humans and flora and fauna coexist.

Nature has waited for us for a long time.

Now it is time for us to act and love nature.

COP26 will be the starting point.

We hope to stop further global warming,

and respond to the nature that has waited for us.

Today, I would like to make three promises and offer one proposal.

First, South Korea will raise its 2030 NDC

to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 40% compared to 2018.

This is a bold target, 14% higher than the previous goal, and a very challenging task requiring steep reductions in a short period.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

It is not an easy task, but

the people of South Korea have decided that now is the time to act.

South Korea has legislated carbon neutrality by 2050,

and announced a carbon neutrality scenario.

It also includes a plan to reduce methane emissions by 30% by 2030.

Methane has a much higher greenhouse effect than carbon dioxide,

making it a key to solving the climate crisis.

South Korea will join the ‘Global Methane Pledge’

and actively participate in methane reduction efforts.

Second, as the only country to have successfully reforested after World War II,

South Korea will take the lead in forest restoration cooperation.

Trees are living greenhouse gas absorbers.

Growing trees and restoring forests

are important solutions to the climate crisis.

They also help prevent desertification

and can promote peace in border areas.

We welcome the ‘Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use’

and will actively cooperate in forest restoration in developing countries.

Furthermore, through inter-Korean forest cooperation,

we will reduce greenhouse gases across the entire Korean Peninsula.

We ask for the support and cooperation of the international community

for the success of the ‘World Forestry Congress’ to be held in South Korea next May.

Third, we will join global efforts to reduce coal usage.

Since the government took office, eight coal-fired power plants have been closed early,

and two more will be closed by the end of this year.

All coal power plants will be phased out by 2050.

We have already stopped permitting new coal power plants domestically,

and in April, we also stopped public financial support for new overseas coal power plants.

South Korea will actively cooperate in the transition to low-carbon economies in developing countries, including renewable energy development.

We will also reduce carbon emissions from Korean companies overseas.

We will continue to provide climate finance through the Green Climate Fund and the Global Green Growth Institute,

and strengthen cooperation with developing countries in green technology through the ‘Climate Technology Centre and Network.’

Distinguished leaders,

My one proposal is

the regular hosting of the ‘Youth Climate Summit.’

Carbon neutrality cannot be achieved by the efforts of governments and companies alone.

It is a goal that requires the participation of all citizens.

If the future generation, who are the victims of the climate crisis,

and the older generation work together to find solutions to the climate crisis,

humanity’s steps toward a sustainable world will accelerate.

I ask for your great interest and support

for the regular hosting of the ‘Youth Climate Summit.’

Let us, for nature, first join hands person to person, country to country.

Let us not leave regrets for not acting sooner for the Earth.

Thank you.

November 1, 2021

Moon Jae-in, President of the Republic of Korea

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