Gyeongbuk Province Appeals for Participation in Reducing Carbon Emissions by 30% by 2030

3-Day Event at Sangju Culture Center for the 27th Environment Day Ceremony

Held under the theme 'Only One Earth! Hana Ppunin Jigu!'

Gyeongbuk Provincial Government Office.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Gwiyeol] On the 3rd, Gyeongbuk Province held the 27th Environment Day commemorative event at Sangju Culture Hall, a key location known as the hometown of Sambaek and a transportation hub.

On this day, key figures including Governor Lee Cheol-woo, Gyeongbuk Provincial Council Chairman Ko Woo-hyun, Sangju Mayor Kang Young-seok, environmental organizations, and businesspeople attended.

This year’s Environment Day theme is ‘Only One Earth! Only One Earth!’

The theme shares the meaning of World Environment Day, emphasizing the necessity of living a sustainable life in harmony with nature through cleaner and more eco-friendly methods.

The commemorative ceremony began with a pre-performance by Sangju Gonggalmot Chaeryeonyo and the upcycling band ‘Hula,’ followed by awards for meritorious persons, commemorative speeches, congratulatory speeches, and a performance to save the Earth.

The performance vividly depicted the process of waste materials commonly called ‘trash’?such as end-of-life plastics, waste paper, and scrap metal?being reborn as clean T-shirts, toilet paper, automobile parts, and steel, showing that we now live in an era where waste transforms into recyclable resources.

Side events included an ESG forum, planting air-purifying plants to reduce fine dust, and an environmental photo exhibition, impressing upon participants the importance of environmental conservation.

The reality of the climate crisis is now undeniable. In fact, all four major climate change indicators in 2021 showed the worst levels.

Last year, glacier thickness decreased by an average of 33.5 meters compared to 1950, and greenhouse gases (419.05 ppm) increased by 151% compared to pre-industrial levels.

From 2013 to 2021, the average annual sea level rose by 4.5 mm, sea temperatures reached record highs, temperature increases were observed from the sea surface to a depth of 2 km, and ocean acidity?which absorbs 23% of carbon dioxide?also reached an all-time high.

In particular, disasters caused by abnormal weather have explosively increased recently.

In June last year, unprecedented heatwaves occurred in western North America and the Mediterranean region, with temperatures reaching 49.6˚C in Canada’s Lytton area, and in July, Western Europe suffered a once-in-a-century flood causing numerous casualties and property damage.

South Korea is no exception. Property damage from abnormal weather in 2020 increased to more than three times the average annual damage of the previous decade, and this year’s wildfire damage was so severe that words fall short.

In response, Gyeongbuk Province is tirelessly contemplating measures to address the only Earth and the climate crisis.

Following last year’s 2050 carbon neutrality declaration, this year the province designated and operates a Carbon Neutrality Support Center, established an integrated center for carbon neutrality technology development, and is creating testbeds.

Additionally, to achieve carbon neutrality within cities, dense forests are being created near industrial complexes and waste incineration plants to block fine dust and urban heat islands.

Plans include expanding support for electric and hydrogen vehicles, modernizing public recycling sorting facilities, and expanding recycling separation facilities in rural fishing and farming areas.

Governor Lee Cheol-woo stated, “The Earth’s temperature has risen 1.2˚C compared to pre-industrial times, and to limit the threshold of 1.5˚C, carbon emissions must be reduced by 40% by 2030,” adding, “Let us create a clean Gyeongbuk and a pristine Earth through policy efforts and daily practices for future generations.”

June 5 was designated as ‘World Environment Day’ at the 1972 UN General Assembly on the opening day of the UN Conference on the Human Environment, and South Korea has designated it as a legal commemorative day since 1996, holding annual commemorative events.

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