Mayor Lee Jae-jun, "Joining Efforts for Carbon Neutrality and Climate Change Solutions"... Keynote Speech at 'COP26 Urban Session'

"Need for Climate Innovation Framework and System Transition UGIH Platform"

Goyang Mayor Lee Jae-jun is delivering the keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the city session of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties held in Glasgow, UK, on the 1st (local time). [Goyang City]

[Asia Economy Reporter La Youngcheol] On the 1st (local time), Lee Jaejun, mayor of Goyang City, who attended the opening ceremony of the city session at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) held in Glasgow, UK, appealed to join efforts for carbon neutrality and climate change solutions.

In his keynote speech titled "Climate Innovation Framework and System Transition for Cities," Mayor Lee emphasized, "The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) regards the role of cities as crucial in achieving carbon neutrality goals as a leader in carbon-neutral climate action."

He added, "I want to place great significance on establishing the UGIH (UN Global Innovation Hub), a framework where cities can play a key role."

'UGIH' is a platform for reducing greenhouse gases within cities by applying a greenhouse gas accounting system through a collaborative network among cities.

Mayor Lee also stressed, "Cities are both the main culprits of carbon emissions and the key to solving climate issues, so their role is important, and they must participate in new climate change solutions."

He continued, "Since it is difficult for each city to independently solve various problems, the UNFCCC's efforts to prepare a climate innovation framework and transition systems for cities worldwide are absolutely necessary."

He then proposed, "Now is the time to gather wisdom and take action in this era of great transformation caused by the climate crisis, and let us become reliable partners in the UGIH, a climate action platform for cities, to find solutions together."

In the afternoon session, Mayor Lee presented a case study titled "The Present of Cities, Goyang's Achievements and Future Vision."

Mayor Lee said, "Goyang City possesses abundant environmental resources but is also a rapidly growing city. It has grown into a metropolitan city with a population of 1.09 million, and large-scale urbanization is planned with five New Deal projects and a national-scale new town project scheduled."

He emphasized, "Nevertheless, Goyang prioritizes carbon neutrality and attempts an integrated approach, promoting carbon neutrality throughout the city through green space preservation, carbon-neutral-based urban planning and regeneration, education, and cooperation with citizens."

As specific policies, he introduced ▲setting a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 32.8% compared to the projected amount by 2030 and monitoring the implementation of 92 detailed carbon reduction projects through joining the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM) ▲operating a citizen climate environment school, forming a carbon neutrality action coalition, and committee activities.

He also explained detailed policy projects for a carbon-neutral society, including ▲preserving natural ecosystems such as Janghang Wetland registered as a Ramsar wetland, planting two rows of street trees and trees along 100-ri (approximately 39 km) of streams ▲replacing all village buses with electric buses by 2025, and establishing detailed design guidelines for green buildings.

Meanwhile, following his attendance at the city session opening ceremony on the 1st, on the 3rd, Mayor Lee will present Goyang's policy promotion cases for achieving carbon neutrality as a representative city of Asia at the Climate Action Cities Initiative, which UNFCCC launched by selecting and inviting one city from each continent.

On the 4th, he is scheduled to sign a letter of intent for the development and operation project of the greenhouse gas accounting system currently underway by UNFCCC and have a meeting with the UNFCCC Deputy Executive Secretary.

This speech at the COP26 city session opening ceremony was made upon invitation from the UNFCCC to the 26th Conference of the Parties, and it is the only one among Asian cities.

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