2050 Tannokwi Conference... Ban Ki-moon "Carbon Neutrality, Bipartisan Will to Depoliticize Is Important"

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, GGGI Secretary-General Frank Rijsberman Attend

[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Kim Hyewon] The 2050 Carbon Neutral Green Growth Committee (hereinafter referred to as the Carbon Neutral Committee), the Ministry of Environment, and the Korea Environment Institute jointly hosted the International Conference on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth on the 20th at the President Hotel in Seoul.

Attendees at the event included Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, Kim Sang-hyup, the private sector chairman of the Carbon Neutral Committee, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Lee Chang-hoon, president of the Korea Environment Institute, Heo Tak, chairman of the Korean Academy of Environmental Sciences, Hwang Ju-ho, president of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, and Song Doo-geun, vice president of Samsung Electronics. Distinguished international figures such as Frank Rijsberman, Secretary-General of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), Colin Crooks, British Ambassador to Korea, and Axel Timmermann, director of the IBS Climate Physics Research Group, also participated.

This conference served as an opportunity to share various policy visions related to carbon neutrality and green growth prior to the official launch of the 2nd Carbon Neutral Committee. Discussions on energy policies to achieve carbon neutrality, including the mix of nuclear power and renewable energy, were also held.

The theme was "Leap to a Carbon Neutral Global Pivotal State," with the subtitle "Responsible Practice, Orderly Transition, Innovation-driven Carbon Neutrality." The main session focused on "The Path Korea Must Take for Carbon Neutrality," while detailed sessions featured presentations and panel discussions by experts from industry, academia, research, and government on the topic "Coexistence of Nuclear Power and Renewable Energy."

In his keynote speech, former Secretary-General Ban emphasized that "to achieve 2050 carbon neutrality, the introduction of a new market economy system, development of innovative technologies, a harmonious energy mix, and above all, a depoliticized bipartisan will are most important." During the subsequent panel discussion, various policy visions for Korea's achievement of carbon neutrality were presented from diverse perspectives, including technology-based realization of carbon neutrality, international reduction implementation measures, creation of a private investment ecosystem, and support measures from the Global Green Growth Institute, followed by a free Q&A session with the audience.

In the detailed sessions, to find answers regarding the coexistence of nuclear power and renewable energy, which is a current global issue, domestic and international experts gave presentations, and panel debates on key issues were held under the chairmanship of Chairman Kim. Ali Izadi, head of Bloomberg NEF Asia-Pacific research, emphasized the necessity of securing renewable energy and stated that energy market reform, emission trading system restructuring, and research and development (R&D) support must be pursued simultaneously.

In his welcoming remarks, Prime Minister Han stated, "Our government will meticulously refine energy policy directions and greenhouse gas reduction plans and accelerate the implementation of industrial innovation strategies and technology development investments," expressing his commitment to achieving 2050 carbon neutrality. Chairman Kim, in his opening remarks, said, "The Carbon Neutral Committee, through public-private cooperation, will devote all efforts to developing green technologies with a super-gap comparable to semiconductors, and will scientifically and systematically realize carbon neutrality through orderly transition and innovative practice."

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