Gyeonggi Province has established a foundation to support vulnerable groups affected by the climate crisis.
On June 27, Gyeonggi Province announced that the "Basic Ordinance on Bridging the Climate Divide," which provides a legal basis for addressing economic, environmental, and social inequalities caused by the climate crisis and for protecting vulnerable groups, was passed at the plenary session of the regular meeting of the Gyeonggi Provincial Council.
The term "climate divide" refers to the phenomenon where climate change intensifies social and economic polarization.
Kim Dongyeon, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, first introduced the concept of the climate divide at the Davos Forum in January 2024, stating, "Depending on the ability to respond to climate change, a climate divide appears among companies, individuals, and countries." Gyeonggi Province is the first in the country to enact an ordinance on the climate divide.
The main content of the ordinance includes definitions of terms such as climate divide and requires the establishment of a basic plan to bridge the climate divide every five years, with annual reviews of implementation results.
To efficiently establish the basic plan, the ordinance also mandates regular surveys on the climate crisis awareness and response capabilities of vulnerable groups and businesses, thereby laying the groundwork for effective policy-making.
Furthermore, the ordinance specifically stipulates support for strengthening the climate crisis response capabilities of small and medium-sized enterprises, small business owners, and workers; support for energy, health, housing, and transportation to realize climate welfare for low-income groups; support for preventing climate change damage in rural, fishing, and mountain villages and for bridging the climate divide among farmers and fishers; and support for improving access to climate education for all residents of the province.
Gyeonggi Province expects that, once the ordinance is implemented, it will take the lead in locally tailored support projects led by local governments, such as conducting surveys on vulnerable groups and preparing support plans. This is expected to reduce the burden on vulnerable groups during the process of achieving carbon neutrality and ensure that new opportunities and benefits are distributed fairly among all residents.
Cha Seongsu, Director of the Climate, Environment, and Energy Bureau of Gyeonggi Province, said, "With the enactment of this ordinance, Gyeonggi Province has laid the foundation for an inclusive climate policy based on 'common but differentiated principles.' In a situation where extreme climate disasters are frequent, this is significant in terms of expanding the social safety net for groups vulnerable to climate change."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
