[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] On the 11th, President Moon Jae-in urged the next government to have a stronger commitment to carbon neutrality.
On that day, President Moon presided over a senior secretaries meeting at the Blue House in the afternoon on the theme of 'Achievements and Challenges of 5 Years of Carbon Neutrality,' saying, "Carbon neutrality is an unavoidable and necessary path to overcome the climate crisis."
President Moon emphasized, "The implementation of the 2050 carbon neutrality goal must continue to be pursued as a requirement from governments around the world and global companies," adding, "Carbon neutrality is not a choice but a necessity."
He continued, "The energy mix policy may change in the next government, but the foundation of the carbon neutrality policy must remain unchanged," and said, "Since the next government will operate the state affairs closer to 2030, it must have a stronger will, and not only the government but also the economic and industrial sectors should work together."
At the senior secretaries meeting that day, Lee Chang-hoon, President of the Korea Environment Institute, presented on the current status of the climate crisis, domestic and international conditions, the Moon Jae-in administration's carbon neutrality policies and major achievements, as well as future challenges and policy directions.
Yoon Soon-jin, Chairperson of the Carbon Neutrality Committee, stated, "Carbon neutrality is a new norm of the international community and must be taken seriously by the next government," emphasizing that the climate crisis is also an economic crisis, but it is important to turn this crisis into an opportunity and raise public awareness.
Kim Hee, Executive Director of POSCO, said, "The demand for carbon neutrality is stronger at the private sector level than from the government," noting that investors and corporate customers are demanding green production systems and products, making bold technological development very important.
He also mentioned that to secure competitiveness in response to export regulations such as the EU's introduction of the carbon border tax, POSCO is actively promoting the phased development of technologies like CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage) and hydrogen reduction steelmaking.
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