Korea signs global pact to slash methane emissions
President Moon Jae-in attends an event about the "Global Methane Pledge" at the COP26 U.N. Climate Summit, Nov. 2, in Glasgow, Scotland. AP-Yonhap
South Korea on Tuesday signed a global pact to cut releases of methane 30 percent by 2030, with President Moon Jae-in attending a ceremony for the global pledge with other world leaders.
As a signatory for the Global Methane Pledge, South Korea will persuade more countries to join the pact and share the nation's experience of cutting emissions with other developing nations, Moon said.
Methane, the primary contributor to air pollution and greenhouse gas, was one of top priorities at the U.N. climate summit, known as COP26 talks, in Scotland.
Reducing methane emissions could have a quicker impact in combating global warming because it remains in the atmosphere for a shorter period of time than carbon dioxide, scientists said.
At the U.N. climate summit earlier in the day, Moon officially declared South Korea's commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent from 2018 levels by 2030.
Moon also said South Korea will try to bring carbon emissions down on the entire Korean Peninsula by pushing for tree planting campaigns in North Korea during a keynote speech at the COP26 talks in Glasgow.
South Korea's reduction target represents a sharp raise from its previous goal of 26.3 percent.
"This is a bold objective that was raised by about 14 percent from the previous target," Moon told the climate summit that brought together more than 100 heads of state, including U.S. President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
"This is a very challenging task of having to reduce greenhouse gases steeply in a short period of time," Moon told the world leaders. "It is not an easy task, but South Korea has decided now is the time to act." (Yonhap)