Minister Kwak Kyul Ho is to participate at the 12th United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, which is taking place at UN Head Quarters New York, from 14-30 April. Minister Kwak will join the three-day High-level Segment starting on 27 April.

As the beginning of the first 2-year cycle, the CSD-12 Review Session focuses on the thematic cluster of water, sanitation and human settlements. The participants will tackle this agenda using a number of cross-cutting issues, such as poverty eradication, changing unsustainable patterns of production and consumption, and sustainable development in a globalizing world. The ‘Jeju Initiative’ concluded at the 8th Special Session of the Governing Council & Global Ministerial Meeting, and its 31 Action Plans will also be highlighted at the meeting.

Minister Kwak will give a keynote speech at the opening of the High-level Segment, introducing Korea’s innovative water policies including the Special Measures for Four Major Rivers, Total Water Pollution Load Management, and wastewater treatment efforts among many others.

In addition, through this occasion, Minister Kwak will meet with the head delegations of Japan and China to discuss environmental challenges that are facing the Asia-Pacific region, such as dust and sandstorms. The meetings with EIG (Environmental Integrity Group) member countries of the Climate Change Negotiation - Swiss, Mexico, Monaco, and Liechtenstein ？ will also take place.