The Ministry of Environment (Minister Kim Wansup) will hold a public forum for the ‘29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29*)’ on November 26 at Lotte Hotel (located in Jung-gu, Seoul).

* Held annually to implement the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change adopted in 1992 and the Paris Agreement adopted in 2015, approximately 50,000 participants, including representatives from 198 parties, are expected to attend (from November 11 to 22, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan).

This event has been organized to share the key outcomes of the COP29 with the public and to discuss South Korea’s greenhouse gas reduction strategies and the role of the international community based on those outcomes.

The event will be held under the theme “South Korea’s Role in Strengthening Global Climate Action,” with diverse participants from government, academia, industry, and youth engaging in meaningful discussions. In addition, it will be broadcast* live online from 1:30 p.m. on November 26 to encourage participation from all sectors of society.

* The event can be viewed by searching for ‘Ministry of Environment’ or ‘Public Forum’ on YouTube (youtube.com).

The event will be structured around three main topics: Key achievements and significance of the COP29, Progress of South Korea's implementation of the Paris Agreement, and Perspectives of youth on the COP29. Each topic will include presentations, discussions, and a Q&A session.

The first topic, “Key Achievements and Significance of the COP29,” will involve sharing major negotiation outcomes discussed at this conference, such as New Collective Quantified Goals (NCQG) and rules for the implementation of the international carbon market, and will analyze their significance in depth. 

In the subsequent discussion, representatives from relevant ministries and experts from academia will participate to discuss South Korea's role as a responsible key player and the direction of international cooperation. 

The second topic, “Progress of South Korea's Implementation of the Paris Agreement,” will introduce key strategies for our government's implementation of the Paris Agreement, including plans for submitting the biennial transparency report (BTR)*. The following discussion will involve stakeholders from relevant ministries, industry, and academia discussing tasks to strengthen South Korea's climate response capability.

* Under the Paris Agreement, parties must submit a report to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Secretariat every two years, containing a national inventory report (NIR) of greenhouse gas emissions and removals, as well as their progress towards NDCs.

The final topic, “Perspectives of youth on the COP29,” will feature two youth climate champions who participated in the conference. They will share the key outcomes of the COP29 from the perspective of the younger generation. Following this, there will be a discussion on the roles and expectations of future generations in addressing climate change issues. 

* The Ministry of Environment conducted a public recruitment in August this year targeting youth (ages 19 to 34), selecting two individuals to support their attendance at the 29th Conference of the Parties and official accompanying events.

Minister of Environment Kim Wansup stated, “This forum will be an opportunity to share the achievements of international cooperation in responding to climate change with the public and to expand the participation of future generations in climate action.” He added, “The Ministry will present South Korea’s exemplary cases in responding to the climate crisis to the international community and further emphasize the importance of climate action.”