The IUC Asia team participated in the 3rd GCoM coordination call. Dr. Sang In Kang presented the results of the IUC work in Korea during 2020, including the review papers in 4 Korean provinces. In 2020, the project deployed three local experts to carry out research and training with local officials:

• Dr. LEE from SHARI (SeoHaeAn Research Institute within the Chungnam Institute)
• Dr. YOO from KRIC (Korea Research Institute on Climate Change) in Gangwon Province
• Mr. SEO SEOUNG HO from ICEC (International Center for Environment and Climate)

Dr. Sang In Kang presented the results of the review process and made policy recommendations for future work. He emphasised the challenge of making CAP and local GHG inventory compatible with the national reporting system. The methodology used for national GHG emission estimation does not apply automatically to the very local emission sources. Most metropolitan cities and provinces have limited information on local emission breakdown from the national inventory, and the officers in charge of CAP have limited capacity to develop their own inventories. Dr. Kang recommended that the GCoM Korea needs to be connected the Local Government Council on Climate Emergency and Energy Transition newly launched in 2020, in addition to the ICLEI and CDP member networks. The council raises the GCoM visibility among 227 local governments at the municipality, county and district level, and promotes future works of GCoM with engaged partners. Dr. Kang also emphasised that future GCoM work in Korea needs to take into account the Korean Green New Deal programme and projects prepared by local governments in climate action and energy transition.

At the meeting, all partners reported their activities implemented during 2020. A draft work programme for 2021 was presented by the Secretariat.

Background

In October, the South Korean government declared that the country would achieve a net-zero of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. “Net-Zero Declaration 2050” of the Republic of Korea is the fruit of the bottom-up approach following the joint “Declaration of Climate Emergency” by 226 local governments of Korea in June and the launch of the “Net-Zero Coalition of Local Government Action” in July. The Korea’s Net-Zero 2050 has developed into a central government policy through the Ministry of Environment, which recognizes GCoM as a critical partner in leading local governments’ climate action. The GCoM Korea has signed MOUs with the Korea Environment Corporation (KeCO), an affiliate of the Ministry of Environment, formed a partnership with GCoM Korea to continue the follow-up measures of the “Net-Zero Coalition of Local Government Action.” The GCoM Korea will do its best to support leading cities in Korea’s climate and energy sectors so that national-level goals can be realized at the local level through its role as a communication channel between central and local governments.

Based on these circumstances in Korea, the GCoM Korean secretariat has been actively supporting communication and CDP registration of GCoM Korean cities and has some results from it. Also, we plan to promote GCoM through communication with the central government channel as well. In this context, the call this time will provide an opportunity to share the achievements and activities of GCoM Korea after the previous call and the situations and wrap-up of this year of IUC Asia and other stakeholders. Besides, we will draw out a rough plan for next year’s GCoM Korea and its stakeholders and will finalize the schedule of GCoM Korea at the call that runs early next year.

Agenda of call: