Global cities vow stronger, larger roles on climate change

(ATTN: RECASTS lead; UPDATES paras 8-9 with details; TRIMS)
By Shin Hae-in
SEOUL, May 21 (Yonhap) -- Global city leaders wound up a three-day conference on
climate change in Seoul Thursday, pledging greater efforts to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions and increase their voice in fighting global warming.
The Seoul Declaration inked at the end of the C40 Large Cities Climate Summit
calls on major cities around the world to turn themselves into "low-carbon
cities" as part of a concerted campaign against climate change.
The summit, the third of its kind since its creation in 2005, was attended by
leaders of some 80 largest cities, which produce more than two thirds of the
earth's harmful greenhouse gases.
The Seoul C40 summit comes at an important moment, just ahead of the 2009 Climate
Conference slated in December in Copenhagen in which parties to the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change will meet for the last time on a
government level before the climate agreement comes up for renewal. The Kyoto
Protocol on climate change and global warming expires in 2012.
"C40 cities set a goal of transforming themselves into low-carbon cities, by
cutting greenhouse gas emissions to the largest extent possible and by enhancing
cities' capacity for remediation," Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon announced Thursday.
"The declaration urges that the leading role of cities be recognized at the
Copenhagen conference in December," Oh said, adding the Seoul summit has helped
not only in emphasizing the cities' role, but the importance of the "distribution
of resources" which will top the agenda in the Copenhagen gathering.
"We hope the Seoul Declaration will add momentum to the promotion of cities'
roles in addressing climate change."
Attendants at the third meeting of the biennial C40 summit included the mayors of
Paris, London, Toronto, Moscow, Sydney and Tokyo, as well as former U.S.
President Bill Clinton and Anna Tibaijuka, the under-secretary-general and
executive director of the United Nations Human Settlements Program.
More than 100 city leaders and experts had gathered in the center of the city,
discussing ways of refurbishing buildings to promote more environment-friendly
structures, and developing renewable energy technologies and electric
transportation.
C40 Chairman and Toronto Mayor David Miller also emphasized the increasing role
of cities in dealing with global warming.
"Cities are most responsible for areas where greenhouse gas emissions can occur.
Therefore, if countries wish to succeed, they have to include cities," he said.
"You must engage cities, work with us and empower us. That's what we will be
saying in Copenhagen."
Miller also expressed gratitude to Seoul for being a "great host" and for
"leading the way to the goal of creating future jobs through green growth."
Under President Lee Myung-bak's low carbon, green growth plan, South Korea is
seeking to introduce a carbon tax beginning in 2010, allocating an estimated 11
trillion won (about US$10 billion) annually for the scheme. South Korea may be
required to join a worldwide greenhouse gas reduction plan in 2013, after the
Kyoto Protocol expires.
The fourth C40 summit will be held at Sao Paulo, Brazil in 2011, followed by the
first in London and the second in New York.
hayney@yna.co.kr
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