South Korea reaches consensus on 2035 greenhouse gas reduction at 53-61%

SEOUL: The government and the ruling Democratic Party (DP) on Sunday reached a consensus on setting the nation's greenhouse gas emission reduction goal for 2035 at between 53 per cent and 61 percent.  "The two sides reached a general agreement on the national target for greenhouse gas emission reduction, taking into account opinions from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the Constitutional Court' ruling, potential burdens on future generations and industrial conditions," DP spokesperson Park Soo-hyun said. Their agreed target is slightly higher than the climate ministry's two earlier proposals -- one between 50 and 60 percent, and another between 53 and 60 per cent, reports Yonhap news agency. "We need to proclaim our audacious reduction goal and commitment to the world," he said. "The numbers are decided in a way to show the government's strong will and direction."  Instead, the government and the ruling party agreed to come up with supportive measures for the industrial sector, considering the nation's industrial structure centered on high-carbon manufacturing, the feasibility of reduction technologies and global competitiveness. (IANS)

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