S. Korean president urges action to combat climate change

(ATTN: UPDATES with additional details, more remarks)
By Byun Duk-kun
L'AQUILA, Italy, July 9 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak Thursday
called on world leaders to take immediate action on global climate change and
vowed to spearhead the efforts through what he called "early action."

The call came as South Korea was named lead country in the development and
promotion of an energy-efficient "smart grid" at the Major Economies Forum on
Energy and Climate (MEF) in the central Italian city of L'Aquila.
"I believe the leaders' agreement on a global partnership to develop and promote
transformational technology represents meaningful progress," the South Korean
president said in his remarks at the climate summit.
Leaders at the summit agreed to develop new green technologies in seven areas,
including energy efficiency, solar and bio energy and clean vehicles, that can
help to make countries more environmentally friendly.
Lee said South Korea will offer a detailed plan to develop and promote the new
technology before the end of November.
"The move will be in line with President Lee's call for swift action," a South
Korean official accompanying Lee told reporters, asking not to be identified.
Initiated by the United States last year, the MEF consists of the world's 16
major economies, which account for more than 80 percent of greenhouse gas
emissions.
The leaders earlier sought to agree on a 50-percent reduction of greenhouse gas
emissions by 2050, but they failed to do so due to opposition from emerging
economies, such as China and India.
But they said in a joint declaration that "the increase in global average
temperature above pre-industrial levels ought not to exceed 2 degrees Celsius."
A South Korean official here said the clause was practically the same as saying
they have agreed to reduce emissions by 50 percent by the target year.
Also taking up a proposal by the South Korean president, the leaders agreed to
soon begin a working-level dialogue between their finance ministers on ways to
fund the reduction projects that could cost billions of dollars for years to
come, according to Lee's spokeswoman Kim Eun-hye.
Seoul has worked to remain an early mover on the climate issue, promoting
low-carbon, green growth as a national campaign from the beginning of the year.
The South Korean president said his country will declare green growth as an
official policy goal next month when the country marks the 60th anniversary.
"At the Toyako meeting held in July last year, I promised that South Korea will
do its best with its available resources to help promote international efforts on
reducing greenhouse gas emission. I put that promise into action by suggesting
low-carbon, green growth as a new national vision about one month after that
meeting," the president said during the summit, also attended by the Group of
Eight developed nations and five emerging economies.
Seoul on Monday announced a five-year-plan on green growth, during which it will
spend 107 trillion won (US$84.5 billion) to develop related technologies.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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