Sejong, November 21 - The Ministry of Environment (ME, Minister Han Wha-jin) presented the progress report on implementing the national and local climate change adaptation plans to the Presidential Commission on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth (co-chaired by Prime Minister Duck-soo Han and Professor Sang-hyup Kim). On November 11, the Commission deliberated and resolved the progress report. Under the Framework Act on Carbon Neutrality And Green Growth For Coping With Climate Crisis, the Ministry of Environment should monitor the progress of implementing the national and local climate change adaptation plans. The Presidential Commission on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth should deliberate and resolve the progress report and make it public.  

The ministry's monitoring of the progress of implementing the climate change adaptation plan found that all 259 projects of the national adaptation plan acquired above-average grades. The ministry evaluated those projects as having operated according to the plan, satisfying 35 of 36 indicators of achievement. For the local climate change adaptation plan, out of a total of 9,326 related projects, 95% of the metropolitan governments' projects and 80% of projects of the lower-level local governments were rated above average. Among the local governments, the city of Daegu and Gyeyang-gu of Incheon rated the highest. 

A group of experts and citizens selected eleven cases as the best practices of the national climate change adaptation plan. An example of the best practice is an "AI and ICT-based real-time automatic water supply management system." The Ministry of Environment established a smart waterworks management system to supply safe and clean tap water by managing the entire water supply process more systemically. Another example of the best practice is Daegu's application called "Be safe, Daegu." The government of Daegu provides processed and customized information on disaster response to its citizens through the smartphone application. As a result, supporting rapid response through communication between disaster prevention agencies has increased adaptability to climate disasters. 

The Presidential Commission on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth appreciated the achievement made in 2021, such as building infrastructure for water management and implementing climate change adaptation projects customized to the regional situation. However, the Commission suggested that the government improve the climate change adaptation plan for better implementation, considering that limitations and room for improvement were found and damages were caused by heavy rains this year.

The Ministry of Environment will establish the 3rd climate change adaptation plan by reflecting on the results of the 2021 progress report and jointly establishing a plan to strengthen climate change adaptation with the concerned authorities. The ministry will report the improved climate change adaptation plan focusing on the action plan to the Presidential Commission on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth.

Kim Sang-hyeop, the Presidential Commission on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth co-chairperson, said, "Responding to the climate crisis is a must, not an option as seen from the recent disaster." He added, "We will preemptively respond to climate change, such as heat waves and heavy rains, by investing in the disaster preparedness infrastructure and making technological advancements."

[Source: Press Release (me.go.kr)]