Yoon Seok-yeol, at G20 India, ‘Damage of freedom due to climate crisis, nuclear power plant construction’, joint statement on ‘renewable energy’
At the G20 climate conference in India, President Yoon Seok-yeol gave a speech saying, “The climate crisis undermines freedom and can be resolved through nuclear power,” and the joint statement was adopted as “Expansion of renewable energy.”
President Yoon said in his 'One Earth' speech on the first day of Session 1 of India's G20 "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" (The World is One Family) summit, "Natural disasters caused by climate change will affect the safety and freedom of citizens all over the world. He said, “We hope to actively cooperate with nuclear power plants with countries that want to strengthen energy security while reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” and said, “Construction of nuclear power plants as a climate solution.”
In the ‘Climate Change’ section, the G20 joint statement said, “Efforts must be accelerated to gradually reduce coal power generation that has not been reduced depending on national circumstances. “We will work to promote low-cost financing for developing countries to support their transition to low carbon/emissions,” he said. “By 2030, we will pursue efforts to increase renewable energy capacity globally through existing targets and policies, depending on country circumstances. He rejected nuclear power plants by saying, “We will encourage it.”
In his climate resolution speech that day, President Yoon said, "The Republic of Korea, which possesses the world's highest level of nuclear power technology, is also accelerating the development of small modular nuclear power plants (SMRs), the next generation nuclear power plant. Natural disasters caused by climate change threaten the safety of citizens around the world." “This crisis requires strong solidarity and cooperation from the entire international community,” he said, calling for “solidarity” against the “threat to freedom.”
Reuters reported that at India's G20, G20 leaders put their heads together on climate change, clean energy, and environmental issues, and that during India's one-year term this year, they will expand loans from multilateral organizations to developing countries, reform the international debt structure, regulate cryptocurrency, etc. Discussions on the day focused on issues such as the impact of geopolitics on food and energy security, it said.
The G20, which was created by the world's 20 largest countries as a tool for 'better international economic cooperation' to resolve crises that spread across borders after the 1999 Asian financial crisis, started as an economic group and currently accounts for 80% of the world's gross domestic product (GDP) and international trade. It accounts for 75%.
This year, India is the chair country, and 20 other countries include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, the UK, Canada, China, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the US and the European Union. India included the African Union in this meeting.
“In relation to the war in Ukraine, all States must act in a manner consistent with the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter,” the joint statement led by India decided.
The G20 ‘joint statement’ stated, “The use or threat of use of nuclear weapons in the war in Ukraine is unacceptable,” and labeled it the Ukraine crisis, adding, “Opinions and assessments of the situation differed.”
The G20 joint statement specifically states that “peaceful resolution of conflicts, crisis resolution efforts, diplomacy and dialogue are important,” and that, under the “importance of maintaining food and energy security,” it “stops military destruction or other attacks on relevant infrastructure.” The decision was made to urge “something to be done.”
In the joint statement excerpted by Reuters, the ‘climate change’ section reads, “Efforts must be accelerated to phase out unabated coal power generation in accordance with national circumstances,” and “low-cost measures to support developing countries in their transition to low-carbon/emissions.” He stated, “We will make efforts to promote financing,” and is fundamentally different from President Yoon’s “damage to freedom” and “nuclear power plant construction.”
The joint statement continued, “By 2030, we will pursue and encourage efforts to increase renewable energy capacity globally through existing targets and policies, depending on national circumstances,” and reiterated “our commitment to action to expand sustainable finance.” Nuclear power plants were completely excluded from the main energy structure.
The joint statement on climate “recognizes the need for increased global investment to achieve the climate goals of the Paris Agreement,” and specified that “developing countries, particularly the five-year pre-cap period, will need to implement their emissions targets.”
“We are working jointly to support sustainable energy in the Mekong River Basin and promote water security and climate resilience,” said the “Camp David Spirit” of the three leaders of the United States and Japan, signed by President Yoon. omitted) The three countries are cooperating in clean energy and energy security, biotechnology, key minerals, pharmaceuticals, artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, and scientific research. (omitted) We will continue to advance the Resilient and Inclusive Supply Chain Strengthening Partnership (RISE) to enable developing countries to play a greater role in the supply chain of clean energy products.”
On this day, President Yoon met with President Biden in the waiting room of the G20 Summit Hall in India and said, "I am grateful for the hospitality at Camp David. We are talking through various occasions about the fact that the trilateral cooperation between Korea, the United States, and Japan will contribute to freedom, peace, and prosperity around the world." He said.
The Camp David Principles state: “Our partnership is based on a foundation of shared values, mutual respect, and a united commitment to advance prosperity in our three countries, region, and world. As we move forward, we want to ensure that our partnership is guided by the principles below. There is no ‘free contribution’ as it is stated that “as Indo-Pacific countries, Korea, the United States, and Japan will continue to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific based on respect for international law, common norms, and common values.”
The ‘Camp David Spirit’ stated, “We express our support for the goal of the Republic of Korea’s bold plan and support a free and peaceful unified Korean Peninsula,” but President Yoon said at the National Democratic Council on the 29th of last month, “At Camp David, we support liberal democracy.” He changed it to “support the United States and Japan for unification based on the foundation”,
The ‘Camp David Commitment’ states, “A pledge to ensure that governments consult with each other promptly at the tripartite level to coordinate our governments’ responses to regional challenges, provocations, and threats that affect our common interests and security.” “Through consultations, we seek to share information, synchronize messages, and coordinate response measures,” he said.