The Yoon administration is setting out to leap forward as a carbon-neutral global hub nation through the promotion of private-sector and local-led policies.

The Presidential Committee on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth 2050 (co-chairs: Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and KAIST Vice President Kim Sang-hyup) announced on the 26th that it has newly appointed 32 private sector members and launched.

With the enactment and implementation of the Framework Act on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth last March, the government announced that it has integrated the former 'Carbon Neutrality Committee' (Presidential Decree) and the 'Green Growth Committee' (Framework Act on Green Growth) into a single '2050 Carbon Neutrality Green Growth Committee' (hereinafter the Carbon-Green Committee).

The newly launched committee held its first plenary meeting to announce the 'Carbon Neutral Green Growth Promotion Strategy' and the 'Carbon Neutral Green Growth Technology Innovation Strategy,' and will also formulate detailed plans based on these.

The 'Carbon Neutral Green Growth Promotion Strategy' focuses on establishing effective plans to enhance feasibility through communication with stakeholders, and is based on public-private cooperation with the private sectorIt is said that carbon neutrality will be implemented under local leadership.

The key points are responsible practice, an orderly transition, and innovation-driven carbon neutrality and green growth.

To this end, the government aims to reduce greenhouse gases concretely and efficiently, foster technological innovation and industrial growth led by the private sector, and pursue a direction that garners the consensus of all members of society. Furthermore, by examining global trends, we will leap forward as a leading nation equipped with an active carbon neutrality system in the international community.

The 'Carbon Neutral Green Growth Technology Innovation Strategy' focuses on establishing a 'Carbon Neutral R&D Full-Cycle System' involving both the public and private sectors to accurately identify core carbon neutrality technologies and apply them in the field.

The goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 is set forth with key directions, including: establishing a private-sector-led, mission-oriented technology innovation system through roadmap setting and public-private collaboration system operation; making rapid and flexible investments focused on core carbon-neutral technologies, such as shortening the preliminary feasibility study period from the existing 7 months to 4.5 months; and providing preemptive institutional support to create a foundation for technology innovation, such as joint research between industry, academia, and research institutes and strengthening the inter-ministerial R&D promotion system.

■ 100 Key Carbon Neutrality Technologies Tailored to Domestic Conditions

Science and technology are expected to be important in Korea due to conditions such as a high proportion of energy-intensive manufacturing industries, an unfavorable renewable energy infrastructure, and a tighter carbon neutrality deadline compared to developed countries.

In the 'energy transition' sector among key technologies, technologies such as solar power and SMR, which have diverse applications, are selected and intensively fostered in accordance with conditions such as limited land area and energy security.

In the 'Industry' sector, technologies such as eco-friendly fuel and raw material substitution methods, and CCUS are explored to suit Korea's industrial structure centered on high-carbon manufacturing.

In terms of 'buildings and the environment,' we are focusing on improving building energy efficiency and developing waste reduction materials to suit the reality of a high number of high-rise buildings and difficulties in waste disposal.

In addition, in the 'transportation' sector, internal combustion engine-based automobiles and ships are major players.Our country selects and innovates technologies such as next-generation batteries and actuator efficiency.

In addition, fields such as wind power (ultra-large wind turbine technology, etc.), power storage (ESS technology), power grids (intelligent transmission and distribution systems), carbon-free ships, steel, petrochemicals, and cement were presented.