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Governor of South Gyeongsang Province
As Governor of South Gyeongsang Province, I am very privileged to host the 10th Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Convention on Wetlands in our province and welcome every one of you together with the 3.2 million people here.
For the last three years our province, along with the Ministry of Environment, has done its best for the preparation of the best physical and logistical conditions so that you can fully engage in your deliberation.
In the process, we developed and implemented many policies for wetland conservation, set up the ``Ramsar Environment Foundation,'' and offered a variety of outreach programs aiming at residents' awareness on environment. I am confident that all these efforts will lead the province into the very center of environment in Korea.
Of those, with the President's support, the restoration project of the Crested Ibis, which is believed to be extinct in the nation, is successfully underway in Upo Wetland.
In preparation for the post-Ramsar, we have drawn up a blueprint so that all these experiences and outcomes we have experienced as hosts of the conference will be succeeded by the continued implementation and expansion of green policies.
For the last century, we have accomplished quite remarkable economic development thanks to rapid industrial progress.
In the process, mountains and fields have been reclaimed, wetlands degraded or lost, and water and air polluted.
Birds abandoned the area with contaminated water and air, where humans also can't make a healthy living.
Even so, many of us disregarded the importance of harmonious coexistence of people, air, water, wetlands and birds and so on.
As a result, many species have become extinct and even now a lot of wildlife is listed as threatened or critically endangered.
Ironically, we humans have earned ourselves an unprecedented crisis from our own history.
The reason why many countries give high priority to sustainable development and wise of use of environment and natural resources vividly shows that nations, businesses and people all depend on environment for their continued prosperity.
Today we are all here because we equally share concern about the environment.
It is time for us to engage in discussions and come out with ways on how to tackle those environmental challenges for harmonious co-existence of humans and nature.
Other than deliberations in meeting rooms, I wish you would have a moment to enjoy the clear sky, crispy air and beautiful autumn foliage, the very signature of the season in Korea.
Lastly, I hope that you may have the chance to get to know South Gyeongsang Province and make friends with us. Thank you very much.
