The Ministry of Environment (Minister Kim Sunghwan) announced that, following the ation of the new government’s 123 national policy tasks at the Cabinet meeting on September 16, it will faithfully implement five climate and environment policy tasks, including achieving carbon neutrality and establishing a circular economy ecosystem.

The main details of the climate and environment policy tasks are as follows.

First, carbon neutrality will be achieved for a sustainable future.

An implementation strategy will be established to ensure the achievement of the 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), and within this year a more advanced 2035 NDC compared to the 2030 goal will also be set, along with a long-term  mitigation roadmap for carbon neutrality through 2050. In addition, the government will strengthen the carbon competitiveness of domestic industries through measures such as enacting the Carbon Neutral Industry Act and expanding green public procurement, while supporting the accelerated transition from internal combustion engine vehicles to electric vehicles. Public participation will be expanded through enhanced incentives under the Carbon Neutral Points System, and Korea’s global leadership in climate and environment will be reinforced by creating K-initiatives in the climate and environment field.

The second task is to establish a circular economy ecosystem.

Through a public deliberation process, a national roadmap for a plastic-free circular economy will be established within this year. Circular resource use will be enhanced by introducing sustainable product design such as Korean-style eco-design and building category-specific recycling systems for items such as waste batteries. In addition, the competitiveness of circular economy companies will be strengthened by supporting and encouraging participation of leading circular economy enterprises and industrial complexes, and by operating regulatory sandboxes for new technologies. Furthermore, leading circular economy projects will be expanded, including the heat link initiative that supplies waste incineration heat to industrial complexes.

The third task is to strengthen the nation’s climate adaptation capacity.

A command center for national climate response will be established by building an integrated platform for climate adaptation information and formulating the Fourth National Climate Change Adaptation Plan within this year. In addition, the climate risk resilience of national infrastructure will be enhanced based on advanced climate change monitoring and forecasting, as well as comprehensive socio-economic climate impact assessments. Climate response capacity will also be strengthened across all sectors of society and the economy through industry support and the protection of vulnerable groups.

The fourth task is to create a pleasant environment that everyone can enjoy.

Management of fine dust emission sources will be strengthened across all sectors including workplaces, transportation, and daily life. Harmful algal bloom damage will be prevented through stable water supply, the establishment of new toxin standards for algal blooms, improvement of response systems, and tighter management of pollution sources. In addition, safety management of hazardous chemicals and products will be reinforced, while the effectiveness of measures for preventing environmental damage and providing remedies will be enhanced to better protect public health.

The fifth task is to restore the natural state of the four major rivers and the biodiversity of the Korean Peninsula.

The weirs of the four major rivers will be opened according to the conditions of each facility, and improvement projects for water intake and pumping stations will be carried out promptly. In addition to creating healthy rivers, systematic conservation of the national territory and restoration of biodiversity will be promoted by designating 30 percent of the land as protected areas by 2030, restoring degraded ecosystems, and revitalizing eco-tourism, thereby enhancing the quality of ecosystem services enjoyed by the public.

Vice Minister of Environment Kum Hanseung stated, “In implementing the national policy tasks, we will strengthen public participation and communication in line with a people-centered government, and spare no effort in delivering results that the public can genuinely experience.”

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