[Activity] Chairman Jai-chul Choi Highlights the Need for Citizen-Deliberation-Based Climate Governance at National Assembly Forum on the Climate Citizens’ Assembly > 게시글

On January 28, Chairman Jai-chul Choi participated as a discussion panelist at the forum titled “Exploring Public Participation through the Climate Citizens’ Assembly,” held at the National Assembly Members’ Office Building. During the session, he underscored the importance of citizen-deliberation-based climate governance for the effective implementation of Korea’s 2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).

He noted that discussions surrounding the 2035 NDC are no longer confined to the level of ambition of emission reduction targets, but have shifted toward the question of how these goals can be implemented across society. In this context, he emphasized that creating a structure for social consensus is just as important as the speed of policy implementation.

Chairman Choi further observed that climate policy inevitably spans industry, energy, and daily life, making conflicts of interest unavoidable. He stressed that standing deliberative bodies such as the Climate Citizens’ Assembly can play a critical role in mitigating such conflicts in advance and enhancing public acceptance of climate policies. Referring to examples from Europe, he explained that responding to the climate crisis is increasingly connected not only to technology and finance, but also to the functioning of democratic processes. He added that the implementation of the NDC cannot rely solely on government planning, but requires pathways that citizens understand and support.

The forum was convened to discuss the structure and operational framework of the Climate Citizens’ Assembly, which is scheduled to be formally launched in 2026. The session introduced plans to establish a Korean-style public deliberation platform where citizens will be able to propose policy agendas and formulate recommendations on climate policy. The Climate Change Center will continue to advance research and dialogue on citizen participation mechanisms and climate governance models that can enhance policy acceptance in the process of implementing the 2035 NDC.