Goyang Mayor Donghwan Lee Participates in UN Climate Change Conference (COP27)
"Attracting Multinational Corporations to Economic Free Zones to Become a Leading Asian City"
[Asia Economy Reporter Ra Young-cheol] Goyang City in Gyeonggi Province has taken steps to respond to climate change, strengthen its position as a special city, and create momentum for the establishment of an economic free zone.
According to Goyang City on the 4th, Lee Dong-hwan, mayor of Goyang, has been officially invited by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and is scheduled to participate in the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP27) held on the 7th.
Goyang City's plan is to "correct the previous government's carbon neutrality policies such as nuclear phase-out and further attract multinational companies to the economic free zone to leap forward as a representative city of Asia."
Mayor Lee Dong-hwan will deliver the keynote speech at COP27 on the morning of the 7th local time under the theme "Transition to a Carbon-Neutral Society with Citizens."
In his keynote speech, Mayor Lee is expected to express his determination to lead carbon neutrality policies not only in Korea but also across Asia. He will also present the results of cooperative projects with the UNFCCC, the city's carbon neutrality policies, and future plans.
Before departure, Mayor Lee pointed out, "The previous government did not consider how to reduce energy production based on fossil fuels but simply promoted electric vehicle distribution, solar power facilities, and nuclear phase-out policies, receiving criticism for 'lack of results.'"
He emphasized, "There have been issues such as the management of copper, silicon, lead, and arsenic?components of the rapidly increased solar power generation modules?and concerns about forest loss. The nuclear phase-out policy has backfired, causing electricity rate hikes, loss of specialized personnel, and lowered expectations for nuclear power exports."
Following the COP27 event, Mayor Lee plans to hold consultations with related institutions in Israel and the United Arab Emirates until the 14th to promote the establishment of the economic free zone and attract companies.
In Israel, he will visit Innovation Authority, the cradle of over 350 multinational companies' global R&D centers, the world's number one startup ecosystem, and the third-largest Nasdaq-listed market, to discuss ways to foster the startup ecosystem.
Additionally, he will visit the Weizmann Institute and BioHouse, which generate annual technology transfer revenues of 42 trillion KRW, to discuss growth plans in the bio-medical sector, a policy pledge of the 8th local government administration.
In the UAE, through visits to economic free zones, he will seek to attract companies residing in free zones to ensure the success of the Goyang Economic Free Zone, the top priority pledge of the 8th local government administration.
The UAE operates 42 free zones themed by specific industries, with 80% concentrated in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
He will also visit Masdar City, the world's first carbon-zero city designated entirely as an economic free zone since 2008, to hold in-depth discussions on attracting eco-friendly resident companies and others.
The city expects that participation in the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP27) will solidify its position as a leading city in climate change response as a special city and simultaneously create momentum for advancing major projects such as the economic free zone.
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