"Demand for Concrete and Practical Climate Action"
Greenpeace: "The Height of Hypocrisy at the Davos Forum"
[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyun-woo] Climate activists from around the world are gathering in Davos, Switzerland, to protest ahead of the annual World Economic Forum (WEF), also known as the 'Davos Forum.' They argue that to effectively address climate change, the use of fossil fuels such as oil and gas must be stopped.
According to Euronews on the 15th (local time), about 100 climate activists gathered at Davos Square to protest ahead of the Davos Forum, which will be held from the 16th to the 20th. They demand a ban on the use of fossil fuels and the closure of North Sea oil and gas fields. They also criticized large energy companies for still earning significant profits from fossil fuel sales. They raised their voices, saying, "We demand concrete and practical climate action," urging countries to actively respond to the climate crisis.
Earlier, the international environmental organization Greenpeace issued a statement on the 13th, citing a study by the Dutch environmental research group CE Delft, which estimated that as many as 1,040 chartered planes landed at airports near the venue during last year's Davos Forum. They pointed out that this was "about 93% higher compared to the average of 540 flights taking off and landing around the Davos Forum period." They strongly criticized, "The Davos Forum, which claimed to be dedicated to combating global warming, has become the epitome of hypocrisy by triggering a 'charter flight boom.'"
Especially this winter, there has been almost no snow in the Alps region, where major Swiss winter ski resorts are concentrated along with Davos, and alpine areas recorded temperatures of 18 to 20 degrees Celsius, heightening concerns about the climate crisis caused by global warming.
The New York Times (NYT) reported, "Switzerland's ski industry, which generated about $5.5 billion (approximately 6.8 trillion KRW) annually, has been severely impacted by abnormal weather," adding, "Major ski resorts are worried that more than half of this year's revenue will decline due to lack of snow." The NYT also noted that significant changes are expected in the regional culture, which has developed around skiing and winter sports.
Meanwhile, this year's Davos Forum event, under the theme of 'Cooperation in a Fragmented World,' is expected to focus on the war in Ukraine and climate crisis response as major agenda items. The event will be attended by 52 world leaders, including President Yoon Suk-yeol, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and European Union (EU) Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Additionally, 39 representatives from international organizations such as United Nations Secretary-General Ant?nio Guterres, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are expected to participate.
Furthermore, it is reported that more than 600 CEOs of global companies, 19 central bank governors, 56 finance ministers, 35 foreign ministers, and 35 trade ministers, along with about 2,700 figures from politics, business, and academia, will attend.
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