Kim Dong-yeon: "Gyeonggi Province will lead the nation's environmental policy like California"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hun] Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon pledged that the province will lead the central government's environmental policy, similar to California in the United States.

Governor Kim Dong-yeon shared news of meeting with Professor John Byrne, a leading scholar in energy and climate policy, through SNS, and disclosed their conversation in which he cited the example of California.

Governor Kim stated, "Addressing the climate crisis is an issue that concerns not only Gyeonggi residents but the future of the planet," and vowed that "like California in the United States, Gyeonggi Province will become a local government that leads the central government's environmental policy."

Below is the full text of Governor Kim Dong-yeon's SNS post.

<Gyeonggi Province will lead the Republic of Korea's energy and climate policy>

Professor John Byrne is a world-renowned scholar in the field of energy and climate policy. In 2007, he served as an author of the IPCC report that received the Nobel Peace Prize. He is currently a distinguished professor of energy and climate policy at the University of Delaware in the United States, and also serves as director of the Energy and Environment Policy Institute at the Biden School of Public Policy and Administration.

Today, I met with Professor John Byrne, who visited the Gyeonggi Province Government Office, and had various conversations about revitalizing the renewable energy sector.

Professor John Byrne agreed with concerns about the government's disappointing carbon neutrality and green growth basic plan. He urged the central government to adopt forward-looking policies, saying, "It's like driving while looking only in the rear-view mirror when you should be looking ahead."

He also cited the example of California, which leads the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), emphasizing that "if Gyeonggi Province takes the lead, it can actually drive change in the central government."

He praised the inclusion of "citizens" in Gyeonggi Province's four RE100 fields as very innovative and emphasized the importance of community participation. He also expressed strong agreement, saying "I'm very pleased to hear that you've declared yourself a climate governor."

Addressing the climate crisis is an issue concerning not only Gyeonggi residents but the future of the planet. Like California in the United States, Gyeonggi Province will become a local government that leads the central government's environmental policy.