Gyeonggi Province Carbon-Neutral Industrial Complex and 120 Billion Won Carbon-Neutral Fund

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hun] Gyeonggi Province is promoting a 'Gyeonggi Province Carbon-Neutral Leading Project' to proactively respond to the climate crisis by creating five or more Gyeonggi Province-style carbon-neutral industrial complexes by 2030 and operating a carbon-neutral fund valued at 120 billion won.

Co-Chairs Jo Myung-rae, former Minister of Environment, and Kang Geum-sil, President of Earth and People, along with Park Sung-nam, Provincial Environmental Bureau Director, and Jeong Do-young, Economic Planning Officer, held a joint press conference at Gyeonggi Province Hall on the 22nd to announce the 'Gyeonggi Province Carbon-Neutral Leading Project' containing these details.

The special committee, composed of experts from various fields including climate, energy, environment, and economy and industry, was launched in June and plays a role in developing Gyeonggi Province's vision for the transition to a carbon-zero society and climate crisis response strategies.

Co-Chair Kang Geum-sil stated, "Since President Moon Jae-in declared 'carbon neutrality' in October of last year, significant changes have occurred, including the government's '2050 Carbon-Neutral Scenario' being prepared and the National Assembly enacting the 'Basic Law on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth for Addressing Climate Crisis,'" and added, "In this era of transformation, we have proactively prepared the 'Gyeonggi Province Carbon-Neutral Leading Project' to present new hope."

The main details show that the province will promote 13 detailed strategic tasks centered on two priority tasks: industrial green transition and expansion of renewable energy based on citizen participation, under the vision of 'transition to a fair green economy for carbon neutrality.'

Regarding the first priority task of industrial green transition and support, the province has decided to create five or more Gyeonggi Province-style carbon-neutral industrial complexes by 2030.

This is a signature specialized project of Gyeonggi Province that provides support for low-carbon process improvements through the distribution of eco-friendly facilities and technology, giving meaning to decarbonization transformation in the paradigm of development, operation, and management of industrial complexes, which are major corporate concentration sites.

To this end, the province will begin pilot projects to develop a Gyeonggi Province-style carbon-neutral industrial complex model, targeting approximately one newly planned industrial complex of about 60,000 square meters and an existing industrial complex of 600,000 square meters.

The province is currently consulting on advance preparation procedures, including the conclusion of business agreements with relevant cities and counties, public institutions, and companies.

Additionally, the province will establish and operate a carbon-neutral fund valued at 120 billion won in total over the next five years starting from 2022.

Based on this, the province plans to proactively discover and actively invest in carbon-neutral companies within the province, initially forming 300 billion won—consisting of a 60 billion won provincial contribution and 240 billion won from private investment—and gradually expanding the scale.

Besides this, the province will implement a 'Low-Power Semiconductor Design Talent Development Project' aimed at reducing carbon emissions and creating jobs in connection with Gyeonggi Province's representative semiconductor industry, as well as 'Establishing a Waste Plastic Resource Circulation Economy' through public-private cooperation and coexistence between large enterprises and small and medium-sized companies.

For the second priority task of changing resident awareness and expanding profit-sharing renewable energy, the province will promote a public land-based solar power generation project and an RE100 (a campaign to supply 100% of used electricity with renewable energy) 100,000 household movement to guarantee basic renewable energy rights.

First, the province will establish a new 1GW (gigawatt) scale renewable energy production base by 2030 through the RE100 100,000 household project, which supports installation costs for energy combination solar power generation and single-family residential solar power facilities.

These projects expand businesses that the province has previously promoted as part of its Green New Deal policy, and the electricity generated through 1GW of power generation facilities can be consumed by approximately 320,000 households annually, based on households using 300kWh per month.

Along with this, Gyeonggi Province will also make a public commitment to the RE100 practice declaration for 72 public institutions directly managed by the province, providing 100% of their electricity consumption from renewable energy.

Additionally, the province will promote relay 'Gyeonggi Forest' creation projects in which residents directly plant and manage trees donated by companies to create forests on provincial idle sites; early installation of the Gyeonggi Carbon Neutrality Support Center; greenhouse gas emission mapping and inventory establishment projects; establishment of renewable energy resource maps and investment brokerage office operations to promote private investment; Gyeonggi Province-municipal renewable energy target agreements to discover customized renewable energy supply models for 31 cities and counties; and establishment of a one-stop renewable energy service support system to enhance community acceptance of renewable energy.

Gyeonggi Province also announced the province's future policy direction and plans to realize 2050 carbon neutrality alongside the announcement of the 'Gyeonggi Province Carbon-Neutral Leading Project' on this day.

The province plans to establish a close cooperation system with the central government for effective implementation of the government's '2050 Carbon-Neutral Scenario' confirmed on October 27 and the 2030 national greenhouse gas reduction target, and to establish a '(Provisional Name) 2050 Gyeonggi Province Carbon-Neutral Master Plan' by 2022 to link it with government policies.

In addition, the province will organize a local committee in accordance with the Carbon Neutrality Basic Law to reflect private carbon neutrality capacity in actual policies, supplementing substantive authority and policy functions for deliberation, resolution, and implementation inspection, and announced that it will enact a '(Provisional Name) Gyeonggi Province Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth Basic Ordinance' by the first quarter of next year to provide institutional support.

Co-Chair Jo Myung-rae emphasized, "The Gyeonggi Province Carbon-Neutral Leading Project is significant in that it strengthens the determination to promote carbon neutrality even within the limited circumstances and conditions of local governments, and establishes a foundation for leading preemptive and active responses," and stated, "Gyeonggi Province and the Climate Response Industrial Transition Special Committee will make utmost efforts to lead the advance toward a carbon-neutral society, which is a task of our time."