Eunpyeong-gu, Study on Human Rights Protection for Climate Crisis Vulnerable Groups

Guaranteeing the Human Rights of Economically, Physically, Mentally, and Geographically Vulnerable Groups... Research to be Conducted Until November This Year

Examining Climate Policies and Seeking Development Directions... Experts in Human Rights and Climate Participating

Eunpyeong-gu (District Mayor Kim Mi-kyung) is conducting the "Eunpyeong-gu Climate Crisis and Human Rights Survey" research to guarantee and promote the human rights of groups vulnerable to the climate crisis, to be carried out until November this year.

The term "climate crisis vulnerable groups" refers to groups exposed to climate change due to economic, physical, mental, or geographical reasons, who are sensitive and have low adaptive capacity. As the climate crisis accelerates recently, active discussions are underway to guarantee their fundamental rights such as environmental rights, right to life, and right to health.

In this regard, the government has prepared protection measures for "climate crisis vulnerable groups" through the "National Climate Change Adaptation Measures (1st to 3rd)." The Korean Human Rights Cities Council also set "guaranteeing climate human rights" as a core task in this year's regular general meeting joint declaration. Currently, the council includes a total of 20 local governments such as Seoul Eunpyeong-gu, Gyeonggi Gwangmyeong-si, and Gwangju Dong-gu.

In accordance with the "2nd (2023?2027) Eunpyeong-gu Basic Plan for Guaranteeing and Promoting Human Rights" (hereinafter referred to as the Basic Human Rights Plan), Eunpyeong-gu will conduct the "Human Rights Survey" research until November this year.

Through the survey, various climate policies implemented by the government and local governments targeting climate crisis vulnerable groups will be examined. The limitations of climate policies established for vulnerable groups will be analyzed, and directions for the development of climate policies according to the Basic Human Rights Plan will be sought. Eunpyeong-gu plans to discover and propose its own unique climate policies to guarantee and promote the human rights of climate crisis vulnerable groups.

This research involves constitutional scholar Professor Emeritus Kim Sang-gyeom of Dongguk University and climate experts Dr. Kim Min-cheol and Dr. Kim Jong-woo.

Kim Mi-kyung, Mayor of Eunpyeong-gu, said, "I hope this will serve as an opportunity to play a leading role in sounding the alarm for the protection of climate crisis vulnerable groups."