"Reducing Greenhouse Gases" ... Changwon Special City Successfully Concludes Citizen Public Hearing on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth

Targeting a 40% Reduction in Greenhouse Gases by 2030 in the Basic Plan
Actively Gathering Citizen Opinions

Changwon Special City in Gyeongnam held a 'Changwon City Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth Basic Plan (Draft) Public Hearing' on the 6th at the City Hall Citizen Hall.

Jo Myung-rae, the 2nd Deputy Mayor, is giving a greeting at the public hearing.

This public hearing was organized to gather opinions from various stakeholders including citizens, experts, and related departments ahead of establishing the 1st Changwon City Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth Basic Plan. The event proceeded in the order of ▲presentation of the basic plan (draft) ▲expert discussion ▲Q&A session.

The presentation of the basic plan (draft) was given by Seo Ae-sook, Director of the Changwon City Carbon Neutrality Support Center. Director Seo proposed mid- to long-term greenhouse gas targets and sector- and year-specific implementation measures reflecting the linkage with higher-level plans such as national and Gyeongnam Province plans and the characteristics of Changwon City.

Public hearing scene.

In particular, among the greenhouse gas emission sectors under local government management authority, a target was set to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% (a reduction of 2.33 million tons) by 2030 compared to 2018 for buildings, road transportation, agriculture and livestock, circular economy, and carbon sinks. To achieve this, 19 core tasks and 93 detailed project plans were prepared.

In the subsequent discussion, Professor Park Kyung-hoon of Changwon National University served as the chair, with participants including Park Jin-ho, Head of the Climate and Environmental Policy Team at Gyeongnam Research Institute; Jung Byung-soo, Vice Chairman of the Changwon Small and Medium Enterprise Council; Kim Young-rok, City Council Member; and Seo Ae-sook, Director of the Changwon City Carbon Neutrality Support Center. They exchanged opinions on the direction of the basic plan establishment and engaged in a Q&A session.

Jo Myung-rae, the 2nd Deputy Mayor, stated, “In order to respond to the rapidly changing climate crisis and transition to a carbon-neutral society, the interest and participation of citizens are essential,” and urged, “Please provide diverse opinions so that the Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth Basic Plan can be established more firmly and effectively.”