'Let's Achieve Carbon Neutrality by 2045'... Incheon 35 Institutions, Companies, and Academia Sign Win-Win Cooperation Agreement

A total of 35 public institutions, companies, organizations, and academic circles in the Incheon area signed a 'Carbon Neutrality Win-Win Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)'.

On the 17th, Incheon City announced that about 100 people, including Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok, Superintendent of Education Do Seong-hoon, Acting President of the Sudokwon Landfill Site Management Corporation Lee Gyu-seong, Chairman of the Incheon Chamber of Commerce and Industry Shim Jae-seon, Chairman of the Incheon Sustainable Development Council Shim Hyeong-jin, and representatives of 19 major greenhouse gas emitting businesses, gathered at Songdo Convensia to sign a win-win cooperation agreement to realize carbon neutrality.

This agreement was prepared with the purpose of preparing for the transition to a carbon economy in response to the new trade barrier posed by the 'Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism' to be implemented by the EU (European Union) from 2026, and to cooperate in voluntary reduction of greenhouse gases, spreading, educating, and promoting citizen-wide carbon neutrality practices, supporting carbon neutrality activities among participating organizations, and sharing information.

According to the agreement, Incheon City plans to focus administrative efforts on establishing a carbon neutrality roadmap, implementing related policies, providing carbon neutrality information and administrative support, and promoting education, publicity, and best practices.

Public institutions will focus on supporting carbon neutrality activities and information sharing, providing greenhouse gas diagnosis and consulting support, and practicing ESG (Environmental, Social Contribution, Governance improvement) and low-carbon management. Organizations and academia will induce participation in carbon neutrality education and activities for local companies, promote them, and expand citizen-wide carbon neutrality practice campaigns.

Major greenhouse gas emitting businesses have committed to preparing for the transition to a carbon economy, voluntarily reducing greenhouse gases, and practicing ESG and low-carbon management.

On the 17th, attendees including Mayor Yoo Jung-bok are taking a commemorative photo at the 'Public-Private-Industry-Academia Carbon Neutrality Win-Win Cooperation Agreement Ceremony' held at Songdo Convensia in Incheon.
[Photo by Incheon City]

Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok of Incheon said, "Carbon neutrality can only be achieved through the united cooperation of citizens, companies, academia, and public institutions, and today's agreement will be the first step." He added, "Let us create a carbon-neutral city of Incheon together through sectoral win-win cooperation."

Meanwhile, at the opening ceremony of the '2nd Low Carbon City International Forum' held in Incheon on December 6 last year, Mayor Yoo declared that Incheon would achieve '2045 Incheon Carbon Neutrality' five years ahead of the national greenhouse gas reduction target. Carbon neutrality is a state where carbon emissions and absorption are balanced, resulting in net zero emissions.

Incheon City also showed its commitment to carbon neutrality in response to the climate crisis by installing the 'Climate Crisis Clock' at the city hall on April 22 last month, the first among domestic public offices.

The Climate Crisis Clock is a clock that displays the remaining time until the global average temperature rises by 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to the pre-industrial period (1850?1900) due to worldwide carbon dioxide emissions. If temperature rise is reduced through carbon neutrality, the remaining time on the clock will increase.

To commemorate the 53rd Earth Day, a 'Climate Crisis Clock' was installed at Incheon City Hall. April 22, 2023 [Photo by Incheon City]

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