Sejong, November 14 - The U.N. climate summit (COP27), attended by delegates from 198 countries, kicked off in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on Sunday, November 6. Environment Minister Han Wha-jin headed the South Korean delegation to COP27, composed of government officers from the concerned ministries and experts.  

Last year's COP26 resulted in the completion of the Paris rulebook, the guidelines for how the Paris Agreement is delivered. This year's COP27 will focus more on ensuring full implementation of the Paris Agreement, limiting global warming to 1.5 ℃. Egyp hosted the Sharm el-Sheikh Climate Implementation Summit from November 7 to 8 to bring together world leaders' commitment to implementing the Paris Agreement. World leaders from over 100 countries gathered at the climate implementation summit. From South Korea, Na Kyung-won, the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, joined the summit and expressed the country's willingness to join global efforts to respond to climate change.  

Agenda for Climate Talks 

Participants will discuss around ninety topics, including mitigation, adaptation, finance, and loss and damage, during COP27. Discussions will also include efforts so far in each area and plans for implementation. Regarding reducing greenhouse gases, the delegates will assess the progress of commitments made in the Glasgow Climate Pact. They will also discuss specific plans for the principles, scope, and process of the Mitigation Work Programme, a newly adopted meeting group. 

Moreover, concerning adaptation to climate change, the delegates intend to concretize the Global Goal on Adaptation to evaluate the progress and discuss the finance, capacity-building, and technical assistance for developing nations. They will also decide on financing for the "loss and damage" of developing countries particularly vulnerable to climate change's adverse effects. They will also discuss the operation of the Santiago Network, which aims to catalyze technical assistance between developing and developed countries. Developing technical guidelines, including a reporting system and process to assist the operation of the international carbon market, according to Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, will also be discussed. 

South Korean delegation will work with other parties and the Environmental Integrity Group to serve as a bridge between developed and developing countries in order to draw an agreement in major climate talks such as mitigation, adaptation, finance, and loss and damage.

Plans of the Head of Delegation 

Environment Minister Han Wha-jin will make a keynote speech at the ministerial meeting and hold bilateral meetings with key partners and international organizations. On November 16, she will outline South Korea's efforts in pursuing a carbon neutrality policy and ways of the country's contributions to the headway of global adaptation to climate change. The minister will also convey South Korea's willingness to implement the Paris Agreement. She will meet with the Australian and Mongolian delegations between November 15 and 18 to share Korea's experiences of implementing carbon neutrality policies. Discussions will also focus on official development assistance (ODA) and overseas reduction projects to strengthen cooperation to tackle climate change. 

The Ministry of Environment will organize the Korea Pavilion at the Sharm El-Sheikh International Convention Center from November 6 to 18. At the Korea Pavilion, forums highlighting the efforts of the Korean government and the private sector to achieve carbon neutrality and green growth will be held. In addition, 50 organizations will have 35 side events.

Han Wha-jin, Minister of Environment, said, "The remaining years until 2030 will be a critical decade to keep the temperature rise within 1.5 degrees Celsius." She added,  "The international community must muster the will to implement the Paris Agreement at the COP27, and South Korea, as a member of the community, will do its part through its domestic policies to achieve carbon neutrality and green growth."

Contact: Choi Hye-won, Deputy Director

Climate Change International Cooperation Team / +82-(0)44-201-6601

Foreign Media Contact: Chun Minjo(Rachel)

+82-(0)44-201-6055 / rachelmchun@korea.kr