The 「2050 Carbon Neutrality Commission」, exchanged views on the global climate crisis with Australia, the UK, France, and other leading nations at the UNFCCC COP26 and pledged to strengthen carbon neutrality cooperation

Yun Sun-Jin, Co-Chairperson of the 2050 Carbon Neutrality Commission, held a bilateral meeting at the 26th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change(COP26) (November 1-November12)

* The meetings were attended by the Environment Ambassador of the Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the UK climate change committee(CCC) chairpersons, and the French Ministry of Ecology and Conversion, etc.

- Co-Chairperson Yun Sun-Jin urged countries to strengthen carbon-neutrality cooperation to respond to the climate crisis
- Positive evaluation from Australia, England, France of the promotion of the ‘2050 Carbon Neutrality’of Korea, particularly on the process of collecting public opinions and consultations, including the △Citizens’ Council for Carbon Neutrality and △the operation of a Consultation Body

□ Yun Sun-Jin, Co-Chairperson of the 「2050 Carbon Neutrality Commission」, took the opportunity to attend the 26th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP26) held in Glasgow, UK (November 1~November 12)

ㅇ Met with ▵ Jamie Isbister, Environment Ambassador of the Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ▵ Lord Deben, Chair of the UK Climate Change Committee(CCC), and ▵ Laurent Michel, Director of Energy and Climate, Ministry of Ecology and Conversion, and urged the  strengthening of carbon-neutrality cooperation to respond to the climate crisis.

● Bilateral Meeting with the Environment Ambassador of the Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

□ Yun Sun-Jin, Co-Chairperson of the 2050 Carbon Neutrality Commission, held a bilateral meeting with the Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Environment Ambassador Jamie Isbister, on the morning of November 4 (Thursday).

ㅇ While Australia welcomed the recent declaration of the '2050 Carbon Neutrality' initiative in the Republic of Korea, Yun indicated that the ｢2050 Carbon Neutrality Commission｣has been launched (April 29, '21.5) with the '2050 Carbon Neutrality Scenarios' and has been reviewing the ‘Enhanced 2030 Nationally Determined Contributions ' (2030 NDC)'

ㅇ Co-Chairperson Yun said that Korea will continue to contribute to the realization of global carbon neutrality by faithfully implementing the ‘2030 Nationally Determined Contributions (2030 NDC)’, which is an intermediate goal up to 2050 carbon neutrality.

□ Australian Foreign Ministry Environment Ambassador Jamie Isbister said that the Korean government's announcement of the 'enhanced 2030 Nationally Determined Contributions (2030 NDC)' at COP26 is an indication of efforts to respond to the global climate crisis to achieve the 1.5°C target stipulated in the Paris Climate Change Agreement and he deemed Korea’s recent move as positive one, Ambbassador Isbister also hoped that the Korean government's 2050 carbon neutrality goal would be achieved smoothly. 

ㅇ Moreover, Ambassador Isbister said that the recently signed “Carbon Neutrality Technological Cooperation Partnership” between Korea and Australia is expected to promote green growth and carbon neutrality of the two countries, considering the two countries’ complementary economic structure in which Korea plays a central role as a manufacturing powerhouse, whereas Australia posesses abundant natural resources including lithium.

● Bilateral Meeting with the Co-Chairperson of the UK Climate Change Committee(CCC)

□ Next, Co-Chairperson Yun Sun-Jin, met with Lord Deben, Chairman of the UK Climate Change Committee (CCC) held on the afternoon of November 4 (Thursday).

ㅇ Co-Chairperson Yun stated that she highly appreciated the leadership that the UK showed in climate change cooperation at the COP26, and indicated that the UK CCC is a great example of climate change commission as the UK CCC is playing a crucial role in promoting climate change awareness, including publishing an evaluation report based on scientific evidence and providing independent policy advice to the government. Co-Chairperson Yun asked encouraged the continued cooperation between the 2050 Carbon Neutrality Commission and the UK CCC.

□ Lord Deben, Chairperson of the UK Climate Change Committee(CCC), expressed his gratitude to the “2050 Carbon Neutrality Commission” for joining the International Climate Councils Network (ICCN), and said that the “2050 Carbon Neutrality Commission” has played an active role, by reviewing the ‘2050 Carbon Neutrality Scenarios’ and the ‘2030 Nationally Determined Contributions(2030 NDC)’, and has set a good example for the operation of the national Climate Commission.

ㅇ Additionally, Lord Deben commended Asian countries including Korea and Japan for declaring 'carbon neutrality' goals and announcing their plans to become green economies, and said that he hoped that Asian countries, including Korea, would become leaders in promoting
global carbon neutrality.

ㅇ Particularly, Lord Deben praised that the 「2050 Carbon Neutrality Commission」for collecting public opinions from various sectors through ▵ the Citizens’ Council for Carbon Neutrality and ▵ Consultation Bodies for each sector to collect their opinions in the process of reviewing the '2050 Carbon Neutrality Scenarios' and '2030 Nationally Determined Contributions(2030 NDC)'. Lord Deben indicated that these efforts were exemplary, and that he highly appreciated the establishment of a public opinion collection mechanism within the framework of the 「2050 Carbon Neutrality Commission」.

● Bilateral Meeting with the head of energy and climate at the French Ministry of Ecology and Conversion

□ Co-Chairperson Yun Sun-Jin held a bilateral meeting with Laurent Michel, Head of Energy and Climate at the French Ministry of Ecology and Conversion, on the afternoon of November 4th (Thursday).

ㅇ Co-Chairperson Yun highlighted that France was the host country of the 21st Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change at the time of the signing of the 'Paris Agreement', and has played a pivotal role in promoting international cooperation in the fight against climate change, as well as providing a forum for dialogue, and further noted that she hopes that both nations will be able to expand cooperation in the future. 

□ Laurent Michel, Director of Energy and Climate at the French Ministry of Ecology and Conversion, said that France is making efforts to realize 'carbon neutrality' in various sectors such as developing carbon-neutrality technologies and promoting eco-friendly production and consumption. He further stressed his support for the 「2050 Carbon Neutrality Commission」. 

ㅇ Furthermore, Laurent Michel, Director of Energy and Climate at the French Ministry of Ecology and Conversion, mentioned that France has also temporarily collected public opinions from civil society, but that there is no regular public opinion collection mechanism similar to the ▵Citizens’ Council for Carbon Neutrality and ▵sectoral Consultation Bodies operated by the “2050 Carbon Neutrality Commission”. He then added that he would like Korea to actively share its experiences in this aspect in the future.

□ In the second week (November 8. ~ 12.) of the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Co-Chairperson Yun Sun-Jin, will deliver a presentation on ▵the preparation process and significance of Korea’s ‘2030 Nationally Determined Contributions(2030 NDC)’ at the UNFCCC side event, and will have bilateral meetings with ▵the European Union (EU); ▵Denmark, ▵Sweden, and ▵Germany. Co-Chairperson Yun Sun-Jin also plans to introduce Korea’s ‘2050 Carbon Neutrality’ goal, in addition to highlighting the willingness of the 2050  Carbon Neutrality Commission to expand cooperation with many other countries in the field of climate change.