Ban Ki-moon: "Everything Humanity Has Achieved Could Disappear Due to Climate Change"

Warning about the Severity of the Climate Crisis at a Special Lecture Hosted by Yongin City
"Nuclear Power, the Cleanest Energy if No Accidents Occur," Emphasized

"Everything humanity has achieved so far could disappear in an instant due to climate change. To ensure sustainable development for humanity, overcoming the climate crisis must come first."

Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is emphasizing the seriousness of the climate change crisis during a special lecture featuring distinguished guests held at Ace Hall, Yongin City Hall.
[Photo by Yongin City]

On the 5th, Ban Ki-moon, former UN Secretary-General, emphasized the importance of overcoming the climate crisis during the 2nd Carbon Neutrality Distinguished Guest Lecture held at the Ace Hall of Yongin City Hall. Former Secretary-General Ban served as Minister of Foreign Affairs, UN Secretary-General, and Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Climate and Environment. He is currently the Chairman of the Ban Ki-moon Foundation for a Better Future and Chair of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Ethics Commission.

At the lecture held to commemorate Yongin City's "Year of the Declaration of the 2050 Carbon Neutrality Vision," former Secretary-General Ban delivered a one-hour lecture on the theme of "Responding to the Climate Change Crisis in the Global Era and the Role of Local Governments."

In his lecture, he explained, "Responding to the climate crisis is the most important task for us now and is essential for the existence of all humanity and universal happiness. This is why 195 countries united in spirit to sign the Paris Agreement on climate change."

Former Secretary-General Ban warned, "The Industrial Revolution, which began in the 1850s, accelerated carbon dioxide emissions, leading not only to global warming but also to the emergence of the term 'Global Boiling.' Anthropologists predict that if we do not reduce the Earth's temperature by 1.5℃, there will be no hope for us."

He emphasized, "Now, companies, governments, and individuals must all take action and strive to overcome this. We must save even a single sheet of paper and a drop of tap water and shift to environmentally friendly lifestyles using clean energy."

He particularly expressed the view that "In this regard, nuclear power is the cleanest energy as long as safety accidents are carefully avoided."

Former Secretary-General Ban advised, "The climate crisis is more important for future generations than for the current one. Young students need to demand that companies, governments, and politicians make greater efforts to overcome the climate crisis."

Yongin Mayor Lee Sang-il said in his greeting, "Since I took office, Yongin City has been designated as an environmental education city, and next year, we plan to open a Carbon Neutrality Support Center. Together with our citizens, we will actively respond to the climate change crisis."

Professor Kwak Jae-sik of Soongsil Cyber University is explaining the economic impact of the climate crisis at a special lecture hosted by Yongin City.
[Photo by Yongin City]

Meanwhile, Professor Kwak Jae-sik of Soongsil Cyber University also gave a special lecture on the theme of "Climate Change and Industrial Change" during the event.

Professor Kwak argued that the sector most sensitive to climate change is the "economy."

He explained that if policies promote the use of electric vehicles and renewable energy to achieve carbon neutrality, companies producing internal combustion engine parts or those related to fossil fuel energy will close within a few years.

He emphasized that climate change should be approached not simply as a vague issue of protecting the environment and the Earth but as a practical problem to prepare for the future.

In particular, since climate change cannot be solved by the efforts of any single country alone, it is crucial to keenly understand how the global economic industry is changing and to jointly solve problems by appealing our strengths and circumstances.

Professor Kwak stated, "Electric vehicles have the problem of generating carbon during the charging process, but hydrogen does not have such a problem. South Korea has the best technology in hydrogen fuel cells, but there are clear limitations, so we must seek wisdom to overcome them."