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| President Yoon Suk Yeol attends the opening ceremony of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre in the capital of the United Arab Emirates, Jan. 16. Yonhap |
President Yoon Suk Yeol said Monday that Korea and the United Arab Emirates should work together to achieve carbon neutrality and develop clean energy.
Yoon issued the call during a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, a global platform where world leaders develop strategies to tackle climate change.
"If the special strategic partnership between Korea and the UAE further extends to cooperation in achieving carbon neutrality, our two countries will be able to enhance our leadership in the international community and create more opportunities for economic cooperation," Yoon said, noting that the UAE was the first country in the Middle East to declare a carbon neutrality goal in 2021.
"If our two countries join efforts in clean energy development ranging from renewable energy, hydrogen, to carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), in addition to our existing cooperation area of nuclear power, which is symbolic of our friendship, it will not only enhance our two countries' energy security but also contribute to improving the global energy market's stability," he added.
Yoon cited smart city construction as another area where the two countries can create synergy by working together.
"By tapping into Korea's world-class IT and infrastructure technologies and the UAE's experience of building and operating 'Masdar,' our two countries can bring a sustainable future to many cities around the world," he said. Masdar City is a planned low-carbon urban community in Abu Dhabi.
Yoon introduced some of Korea's efforts to become carbon neutral by 2050, including rapidly restoring the nuclear power system and boosting the supply of clean energy, such as renewable energy and hydrogen energy.
"We are sparing no support in empowering businesses in Korea to pioneer new business areas related to carbon neutrality through technological innovations," he said. "Also, cities in Korea aim to transform into smart cities by converging low-carbon energy and mobility technologies."
Yoon said Korea plans to establish the National Master Plan for Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth this year, which will include specific ways to mitigate greenhouse gas by sector and year.
"Guided by the Master Plan, Korea will deliver on our pledge to achieve carbon neutrality in a more systematic manner," he said. (Yonhap)
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