안영집 대사, 2021 P4G 서울 정상회의 관련 The Straits Times 기고
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- 주 싱가포르 대사관
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- 2021-05-20
The Straits Times 5.19(수)자는 "Seoul summit to foster partnerships for a green recovery" 제하, 5.30-31 화상회의로 개최 예정인 2021 P4G 서울 정상회의 관련 안영집 대사의 기고문을 게재하였습니다. 기고문 전문은 아래와 같습니다 :
Seoul summit to foster partnerships for a green recovery
The P4G Summit will be a multilateral global platform for governments, businesses and civil society to offer solutions on climate change
Ahn Youngjip
PUBLISHED MAY 19, 2021
Global discourse on climate change is constantly evolving with the introduction of new key players and new environmental challenges.
The World Health Organisation, in its publication of COP26 Key Messages on Climate Change and Health, highlighted the links between climate change, the pressure of human society on the natural environment and the emergence of new infectious diseases.
International cooperation on climate change issues is more imperative than ever, even as we continue to fight the Covid-19 challenges. With the United States back in the Paris Agreement, 2021 will mark the first year where the international community as a whole can begin to implement the agreement.
The Republic of Korea and Singapore are among the countries at the forefront of the movement leading the transition towards sustainable development.
Singapore launched its Green Plan 2030 this year, a 10-year sustainable development masterplan, in line with the country's commitments under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 2015 Paris Agreement, to achieve net carbon emissions as soon as possible.
At the virtual Leaders Summit on Climate hosted by the Biden administration held on April 23, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong further emphasised the need for innovation and extensive use of technology for Singapore to overcome its land scarcity and lack of natural resources to tap into renewable energy sources.
Its most recent renewable energy project, a floating solar farm - one of the world's largest - installed in the Strait of Johor, north of Woodlands, is a testament to the impressive and endless capabilities of innovation. It will set an important precedent for other resource-scarce and densely populated countries to follow in Singapore's footsteps.
The Republic of Korea too has laid out ambitious plans to achieve its target of carbon neutrality by 2050. Through the Green New Deal announced by President Moon Jae-in last year, the Korean government plans to invest US$62 billion in short- and long-term projects to help the economy recover from the fallout brought on by Covid-19.
Some of its plans include pivoting the country's largely carbon-reliant industrial sector towards low-carbon energy sources and promoting the use of non-fossil fuel energy sources, such as wind and hydrogen.
Against this backdrop, the country will be hosting the second P4G Summit virtually on May 30 and 31, with the theme "Inclusive Green Recovery towards Carbon Neutrality."
P4G, which stands for Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030, is a global initiative launched in 2017 in response to climate change that aims to achieve the UN SDGs.
With a strong emphasis on public-private partnership, P4G serves as a multilateral platform for governments, businesses and civil society to offer innovative solutions for climate change.
The P4G Seoul Summit will build up momentum on discussions of key issues ahead of the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), which will be held in the city of Glasgow from Nov 1-12 this year.
The summit will include the Leaders' Dialogue, which will feature live discussions among leaders, and the Leaders' Session, where pre-recorded video messages of the leaders will be presented. As of May 17, some 60 Heads of State and leaders of international organisations, as well as two ministers, have confirmed their participation.
Singapore will be represented by Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu at the upcoming summit and present her message at the Leaders' Session.
The Session, as well as the Leaders' Dialogue, will be made available to the public at the 2021 P4G Seoul Summit Virtual Venue.
We hope that by engaging both the public and private sector in investing in transformative solutions, the P4G Summit will provide a vital global platform for all key players to catalyse the collective action needed to overcome the climate crisis.
Ahn Youngjip is the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Singapore.
