The 11th Climate Change Week opened at Ichon Hangang Park in central Seoul on Friday afternoon. The event hosted by the Ministry of Environment will continue through Thursday on the occasion of the 49th Earth Day. Around 500 distinguished guests and participants joined the opening ceremony. Attendees included Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, Environmental Minister Cho Myung-rae and Standing Representative Lee Eun-hee of Korea Climate & Environment Network, 19 ambassadors to Korea such as Japanese Ambassador to South Korea Yasumasa Nagamine and British Ambassador Simon Smith.
Minister Cho stressed in his speech that what matters is to protect the planet by using mass transport, saving power and refraining from using disposable items. Following his address, participants planted 505 elms, Asian fringe trees and others. The figure symbolizes this year’s slogan translated as “SOS, Save my planet.”
A variety of sub-events are to attract visitors throughout the event. Korean retail chain E-Mart’s branches across the country provide souvenirs made out of used plastic to customers if they bring plastic to them, as part of efforts to retrieve plastic. Fourteen airports in Korea promotes low carbon pro-environmental behaviors among travelers. Lights go off for 10 minutes at 8:00 p.m. on Earth Day, April 22, to give some break to Earth. Blackout event will be joined by major buildings across the country, including government offices and N Seoul tower.
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