Changwon Special City to Lead Progressive Policies in Biodiversity Sector

The 1st ICLEI Korea Executive Committee Meeting Held

Representatives of the Korea Executive Committee Begin Full-Scale Activities

Changwon Special City in Gyeongnam is leading the promotion of pioneering policies in the field of biodiversity.

On the 31st at 10 a.m., the city held the 1st Korea Executive Committee video conference with the ICLEI Korea Office. As the representative of Korean member local governments, Changwon City plans to lead the promotion of pioneering local government policies in the field of biodiversity for the next two years.

Changwon Special City, Gyeongnam, held the 1st Korea Executive Committee video meeting with the ICLEI Korea Office at 10 a.m. on the 31st.

The Korea Executive Committee consists of six members in total, including Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon (representative of Korean members) and Park Yeon-hee, head of the ICLEI Korea Office, who participate ex officio. The representatives of member local governments are ▲Hong Nam-pyo, Mayor of Changwon Special City, and Noh Kwan-gyu, Mayor of Suncheon, representing the biodiversity sector ▲Park Seung-won, Mayor of Gwangmyeong, representing the climate and energy sector ▲Lee Jae-jun, Mayor of Suwon Special City, representing the eco-mobility sector.

At the meeting, new appointments to the ICLEI Korea Executive Committee were made, and reports on the activities and plans of the Korea Office were presented, followed by discussions on the activity direction of the 2023 Korea Executive Committee.

ICLEI (Local Governments for Sustainability), with the vision of "Realizing Sustainable Development through Creating Sustainable Cities," is a global network of local governments for sustainable development. It was officially launched in September 1990, following the "World Summit of Local Governments for a Sustainable Future" held at the UN Headquarters in August 1990.

As the world's largest "global local government network" cooperating internationally to overcome environmental crises and striving for a sustainable future, ICLEI has over 2,600 local government members from about 131 countries (9 regions). In South Korea, 56 local governments (14 metropolitan local governments and 42 basic local governments) are members. The global headquarters is located in Bonn, Germany.

ICLEI's main activities include ▲low-carbon cities ▲nature-based cities ▲resilient cities ▲circular resource cities ▲people-centered fair cities.

These are global sustainability policy issues where the role of local governments is required.

Since joining ICLEI in 2007, Changwon City has actively practiced sustainability as a local government in connection with UN policies, including hosting the Eco-Mobility World Festival in 2011, successfully serving as the chair city of the Eco-Mobility Alliance from 2012 to 2015, participating in the World Congress in 2018, engaging in the 1st Korea Executive Committee (biodiversity sector) activities in 2021, and holding a biodiversity forum in the same year.

At the meeting, Jo Myung-rae, the 2nd Vice Mayor, said, "Biodiversity loss, along with the climate crisis, is one of the most serious threats facing the world, and biodiversity is now a prerequisite for human survival." He added, "We will do our best to establish a cooperative system that can more effectively promote sustainable development policies and ensure that Changwon City becomes a responsible member of the international community."

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