Gwangmyeong City Announces "Climate Volunteer Corps" Surpasses 15,000 Participants

15,000 Join the "1.5℃ Climate Volunteer Corps"
Gwangmyeong Citizens Lead with 1.03 Million Actions and 206 Tons of Greenhouse Gas Reduction

'15,000 citizens, 1.03 million actions, and a reduction of 206 tons of greenhouse gases.' These are the results of Gwangmyeong citizens' efforts toward carbon neutrality over the past four years.

On August 21, the city of Gwangmyeong announced that participation in the "1.5℃ Climate Volunteer Corps," a citizen movement to address the climate crisis, has surpassed 15,000 people.

Seungwon Park, Mayor of Gwangmyeong (right), is presenting a commemorative plaque to the 15,000th citizen who joined the Climate Volunteer Corps in his 21st-floor city hall office. Provided by Gwangmyeong City

The Climate Volunteer Corps is a citizen action movement launched in September 2021 with the goal of "preventing a 1.5℃ rise in global temperature" in response to the threat of global warming. Membership, which stood at only 1,000 in March 2023, increased to 6,300 by January of last year. It exceeded 10,000 in September of that year, and just 11 months later, surpassed 15,000.

Members are actively engaged in climate action. As of the end of July, the cumulative number of actions taken reached 1.03 million. Through these efforts, the city estimates that approximately 206 tons of greenhouse gases have been reduced-an effect equivalent to planting 57,220 ten-year-old trees.

This success is attributed to the development of various programs that encourage citizen participation, such as the "Climate Volunteer Carbon Savings Bank," which rewards points for verified climate actions, rather than simply running a campaign.

Meanwhile, on August 21, Seungwon Park, mayor of Gwangmyeong, presented a commemorative plaque to Choi, the 15,000th person to join the Climate Volunteer Corps, at the mayor's office. Mayor Park stated, "Having more than 15,000 members in the Climate Volunteer Corps is a meaningful achievement that demonstrates the strong will of Gwangmyeong citizens to protect the planet," adding, "The passionate efforts of citizens to protect the Earth will become a powerful driving force in overcoming the climate crisis."

Last month, the city registered the names "Climate Volunteer Corps" and "1.5℃ Climate Volunteer Corps" as service marks with the Korean Intellectual Property Office, laying the foundation for consistent messaging in various climate policies, including carbon-neutral citizen education, public relations, and campaigns.

Anyone aged 14 or older who lives in Gwangmyeong or works at a company located in the city can participate in the Climate Volunteer Corps. There are a total of 19 action items, including separating recyclables, using stairs, and using reusable shopping bags. Participants can receive support of up to 100,000 won per year. For more information, contact the city's Carbon Neutrality Division.

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