- Declaring the vision for “Yeosu, a zero-carbon city that private, public, industry, and academia can create together”
- Aiming to achieve a 30.7% reduction by 2030 and zero ('0') net carbon emissions by 2050

Yeosu City (Mayor Kwon O-bong) declared that it would take the lead in realizing carbon neutrality as the key host city of COP28 through the declaration of “Yeosu City Carbon Neutrality in 2050” by private, public, industry, and academia at Yeosu Cultural Center, marking the 51st anniversary of Earth Day on April 22.

The ceremony was attended by Mayor Kwon O-bong, Jo Hyeon-seo, Co-Chairman of Yeosu Sustainable Development Council, Jeon Chang-gon, Chairman of Yeosu City Council, provincial and municipal council members, industrial complex companies, COP28 Hosting Committee, and more than 90 persons representing the private, public, industry, and academia such as civil organizations.

The event was broadcast live through Youtube, making wish for the hosting of COP28 and the realization of a leading carbon-neutral city through various performances.

With the vision of 'Yeosu, a zero-carbon city that private, public, industry, and academia can create together' that charts the three directions, the city will reduce its carbon emissions by 30.7% (11.69 million tons) by 2030 from 38.12 million tons as of 2017 with the aim of achieving zero ('0') net emissions.

In order to be carbon neutral in 2050, the city has set a low-carbon urban structure, conversion to eco-friendly industry and energy, and conversion to a carbon-neutral society as the three pillars, establishing the nine initiatives in eight areas including buildings and transportation.

The main initiatives are buildings' conversion to zero-energy, the construction of an eco-friendly transportation system such as electric and hydrogen vehicles, the construction of a city with resource circulation, leading the sustainable hydrogen industry as its central city, the expansion of carbon sequestration such as planting 1,000 ha of trees, and the spread of the private-public-industry-academia action campaign.

In order for Yeosu National Industrial Complex to switch and leap forward to an eco-friendly, low-carbon industrial structure, the city will focus on fostering and supporting the future new growth engine industries such as the creation of a smart green industrial complex, hydrogen economy, high value-added CO2 commercialization, and waste plastics to resources.

The city aims to take one step closer to realizing carbon neutrality by establishing a “Yeosu City's Comprehensive Plan for Climate Change Response” that takes into account the characteristics of the region by the end of this year in order to materialize actionable tasks.

Mayor Kwon O-bong stated in the declaration that “Yeosu City will lead carbon neutrality in buildings, transportation, carbon sequestration, and citizens' action campaign," adding, "As the energy and industry sectors move in line with the national energy conversion policy, the industry has voluntarily implemented GHG reduction. In order to realize the 'Yeosu-style carbon neutrality' in which private, public, industry, and academia harmoniously cooperate, all of us will add all our strength to it”.

In particular, the mayor said, “We will do our best to achieve carbon neutrality in 2050, so that Yeosu, a leading city for climate protection, will succeed in hosting COP28 in the south central South Coast.”

Meanwhile, the city started the nation’s first “Climate Protection Week” in 2008 and has been holding the event for 14 years this year.