Press Release

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The 25th World Environment Day for a green transition towards a brand-new future

Date:
2020-06-03
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▷ World Environment Day ceremony took place on June 4th at National Institute of Biological Resources in Incheon

▷ Governmental Commendations including Orders of Merit and Medals of Honor for 38 people with environmental contributions 

▷ Commemorative events held nationwide including cleaning-up and releasing endangered fish stocks, etc.


The Ministry of Environment (Minister Cho Myung-rae) celebrates the 25th Anniversary of the World Environment Day at the National Institute of Biological Resources in Incheon City on June 4th at 10 in the morning.


This event takes place outdoor and keeps its audience to minimum of 70 people including Environment Minister Cho Myung-rae, leaders of academia and civil society, and government commendation awardees, in compliance with the government instructions to prevent the spread of COVID-19.


The awardees for this year are 38 people from diverse backgrounds who are acknowledged for their contributions to environmental conservation; they are 4 Orders of Merit, 4 Medals of Honor, 15 Presidential Citations, and 15 Prime Minister's Citations.


Order of Service Merit in Red Stripes is granted to Professor Kwon Ho-jang at Dankook University and Professor Lee Young-hee at Hanseo University, and Order of Civil Merit with Dongbaek Medal goes to Min Man-ki, Co-representative to Green Transport Movement.


The World Environment Day has been celebrated since the United Nations designated it on June 5th 1972; Korea has held the World Environment Day ceremony since 1996 when the day was given legal commemorative status.


As the 21st National Assembly opens on June 5th this year, the World Environment Day is commemorated a day earlier on June 4th.


The theme for this year is Green Transition, which means a fundamental paradigm shift that internalizes environmental values in all areas of economy, society and culture.


'Green Transition' implies the changes from carbon-intensive society to carbon-free society, and from industrialized society to eco-friendly society; for example, it can be accelerated by realizing low-carbon circular economy, increasing investment on green industry, expanding green jobs, and enhancing the health and resilience of the land.


On the World Environment Day, the Ministry of Environment delivers the message that for a sustainable future and a more liveable Korea, we should all work together.


As part of its efforts to promote the World Environment Day, the Ministry also organizes an online event from May 27th to June 12th to encourages practicing a green life.


Anyone can participate in the online event by taking still-cut photos or videos of ① wearing something green including shoes, bags, clothes, or even a handkerchief, ② carrying reusable cups (travel mug) or reusable shopping bag, or ③ coloring June 5th on a calendar green.


The photos or videos should be uploaded on a personal social network service account (Instagram, Facebook) with hashtagging (#) 'World Environment Day' and 'Green Transition', and then put the feed on the event page (https://forms.gle/4KJ5dykfszVuC29BA). There will be lucky draw with some prizes. 


In addition, 'Turning Green Light On' event *(Environment Signal with Green Light) continues until June 5th where major landmarks in cities such as Namsan Seoul N Tower in Seoul and Gwangan Bridge in Busan are lighted green.


※ Seoul (Namsan N Tower), Busan (Gwangan Bridge, Busan International Film Festival Square),  Incheon (Incheon Bridge), Yeosu, South Jella Province (Dolsan Bridge, Hamel Lighthouse), Sejong (Haknarae Bridge), Samcheok, Gangwon Province (Galnam port Lighthouse), etc.


This is to switch on the green light of the designated buildings or landmarks, when the sun begins setting, to signal that the green transition begins.


A number of other events are held nationwide to commemorate the World Environment Day, including commemorative ceremony, environmental field visit/education program, environmental painting, and environmental clean-up event, depending on the city/province/host organization.


For instance, Geum-Basin Environmental Office, affiliated with the Environment Ministry, releases Pseudopungtungia nigra on the morning of June 5th at Suryeon Bridge, Daejeon City, with 50 local residents. Pseudopungtungia nigra Mori of Cyprinidae, a classⅠ endangered species, is endemic to Korea that inhabits South Chungcheong Province, mainly the Geum River.


Meanwhile, in the morning of the same day, Minister Cho visits environment industrial research complex in Incheon City where he sits with the representatives of green industries, such as SuperBin Co, Ltd., to support them and listen to their business-related hardships.


※ SuperBin Co, Ltd. develops resource collector robots that operate based on AI. It automatically selects, presses, separates and stores PET, refunding cash equivalent to the resource value back to the user.


Minister Cho Myung-rae said that "the green transition needs to begin immediately to protect the health and happiness of people, and with that, a future would open up where we can live in harmony with all of the living fauna and flora. As this is the World Environment Day, I hope all of you would join in our efforts to realize the green transition."