U.S. Leaders Summit on Climate in April followed by 2021 P4G Seoul Summit, to be hosted by the Republic of Korea, in May

"Resuming Global Cooperation to Counter Climate Change!"
- 40 world leaders participate in virtual climate summit hosted by U.S. on April 23
- 2021 P4G Seoul Summit will be held in May to spur action for green recovery, carbon neutrality 

SEOUL, South Korea, April 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- With the COVID-19 pandemic drawing more attention than ever to the importance of global solidarity and cooperation on climate change, crucial international summits are being held this and next month to discuss efforts to take on the challenge. 2021 is the first year of the implementation of the Paris Agreement signed in 2015 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions under the leadership of then U.S. President Barack Obama.

From April 22 to 23, U.S. President Joe Biden hosted the Leaders Summit on Climate to mark Earth Day. The virtual summit is the first international conference hosted by President Biden since the U.S. returned to the Paris Agreement. 40 leaders joined the summit including Korean President Moon Jae-in, Chinese President Xi Jinping, French President Emmanuel Macron and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

The summit is an occasion to proclaim the United States' return to the global fight against climate change after the Trump administration withdrew from the Paris Agreement and eliminated domestic environmental regulations. The event also drew attention because it set the stage for the first official meeting between President Biden and President Xi.

"The U.S. will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by half the current level by 2030," President Biden said in his speech at the Leaders Summit on Climate on April 22. He expressed his resolve to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and announced that the U.S. will reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 compared with 2005 levels.

Environmental groups and companies have urged Biden to target at least a 50 percent cut in emissions by 2030, which marks double the previous commitment by the U.S. and is widely expected to buttress global efforts to limit Earth's average temperature increase to less than 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times.

Following the Leaders Summit, the Republic of Korea will host the 2021 P4G Seoul Summit from May 30 to 31 under the theme of "Inclusive Green Recovery Towards Carbon Neutrality." The summit aims to strengthen momentum and solidarity in the international community to respond to climate change, promote inclusive growth and reach the sustainable development goals (SDGs) in the post-pandemic era. The summit also seeks to help expand support for developing countries through cooperation with existing environmental initiatives including the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF).

In addition to P4G's five major SDG areas (Food & Agriculture, Clean Water, Clean Energy, Sustainable Cities, and Circular Economy), the 2021 P4G Seoul Summit is planning to hold special sessions devoted to new areas of interest, including the participation of future generations. The special sessions will be carried out in a format that will allow stakeholders, such as public institutions, private companies, NGOs and academia, to participate.

Whereas President Biden presented a broad blueprint at the Leaders Summit on Climate, the 2021 P4G Seoul Summit will aim to find more practical and concrete solutions through the participation of the leaders of 12 member countries and companies, civil societies, international organizations, and corporations around the world, especially focusing on offering practical support for developing countries for their climate change response and sustainable development.

The U.S.-hosted Leaders Summit and the 2021 P4G Seoul Summit are expected to create mutual synergy and provide momentum for the 26th U.N. Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) to be held in Glasgow, United Kingdom, from Nov. 1 to 12, to achieve concrete results in responding to climate change.

• 2021 P4G Seoul Summit (https://2021p4g-seoulsummit.kr/)

The P4G Summit was launched in September 2017, led by Denmark, as a global initiative to accelerate the response to climate change and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) based on public-private partnerships. Of the 17 SDGs, set out by the United Nations and the global community in 2015 with an aim of achievement by 2030, P4G specifically targets five objectives related to climate change responses (Food and Agriculture, Clean Water, Clean Energy, Sustainable Cities, Circular Economy). Twelve member countries – Bangladesh, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, the Netherlands, the Republic of Korea, South Africa, and Vietnam – and international organizations (including the World Economic Forum and the Global Green Growth Institute) and private companies participate in the summit.

P4G:

• A consultative body participated in by governments, companies, and civil societies
• Puts an emphasis on action-oriented public-private cooperation
• Composed of countries playing the role of a bridge between developing and developed countries
• Seeks to build a sustainable business model (a bridge between development and investment)

SOURCE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Korea