[Latest Updates] 24th Climate Change Leadership Academy
본문
The Journey of Leaders Toward a Net-Zero Society
■ “The climate crisis is also an opportunity.”
On June 10, the graduation ceremony for the 24th Climate Change Leadership Academy—the nation’s first premier education program on climate change response—was held successfully at Novotel Ambassador Gangnam in Seoul. Under the theme "Innovation Toward Carbon Neutrality and Strategies for Sustainable Success," the ceremony marked the conclusion of a 10-week journey for leaders from various sectors, including business, academia, media, and law. A total of 41 opinion leaders participated in the program. In-depth lectures on timely topics such as climate tech, biodiversity, ESG disclosure mandates, and plastic pollution enhanced participants' understanding of major policy and industry issues.
Notably, the overseas field trip to Taiwan—including visits to the Ministry of Environment, TSMC, and the Changbin Green Energy Park—provided a valuable opportunity to explore potential climate and energy policy cooperation between Korea and Taiwan. Taiwanese Minister of Environment Peng Chi-Ming emphasized, “Korea and Taiwan, with similar industrial structures, can build a strong climate partnership.”
■ Intergenerational Leadership for a Sustainable Tomorrow: Collaboration with Youth
The program further expanded its leadership vision through intergenerational cooperation, with 26 university student climate activists from the Climate Change Center’s “U-SAVERS” 18th cohort participating both online and offline. A meaningful dialogue was fostered as young people—the future generation—shared their vision and discussed actionable strategies with climate leaders.
■ Putting Carbon Neutrality into Practice
The entire program operated as a carbon-neutral event using the Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM). Greenhouse gas emissions generated during the course were quantitatively calculated, including:
– Carbon emissions from participant transportation
– Electricity usage at the lecture venue
– Food carbon footprint from catering and dinners
– Emissions from flights and accommodations during the overseas trip
A total of 34,601 kgCO₂eq of emissions was recorded. With adjustments for unmeasured factors, the final offset amount was set at 40 tons. The Climate Change Center plans to offset this amount via the voluntary carbon market platform aora. Through such measures, the Leadership Academy is establishing itself not only as an educational platform but also as a model for practical climate action.
■ Message from the Climate Change Center
“Amid the climate crisis, from each of our places, together.”
Chairperson Choi Jae-chul of the Climate Change Center encouraged participants at the graduation, saying, “In the face of this critical climate crisis, I hope each of you will become a frontrunner in driving the net-zero transition from where you stand.” He added, “The network of 1,106 graduates built through this academy is a powerful connection and collaborative base for realizing a carbon-neutral society.”
■ When is the Next Academy?
The Climate Change Center will continue to support leaders from various sectors through this program, helping them lead the transition to a sustainable society with professional knowledge and networks. The 25th Climate Change Leadership Academy is scheduled to begin in the first half of 2026.
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[공고] 제15회 기후변화 그랜드 리더스 어워드 수상자 추천 공모(~8/29(금)까지)
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[주요소식] 기후변화 리더십 아카데미 24기 수료식 : 탄소중립 혁신과 지속가능한 성장 전략을 모색한 10주간의 여정 마무리
