People For Earth

Declaration of Lawyers Calling for the Government

to Recognize Reality and Take Action on the Climate Crisis

We are living in an age that has gone beyond climate change, namely the Age of Climate Crisis. It is now not just an empty warning but rather an undeniable reality that we humans are addicted to the reckless use of fossil fuels and uncontrolled development, and are facing a self-caused extinction of not only ourselves but of all creatures on this planet.

We, members of the legal profession, with the weighty mission of advocating for human rights and realizing social justice, recognize that human rights and justice are inseparable from global climate and environmental issues. Although we human beings are closely connected to the environment as part of the global ecosystem, we have neglected this obvious truth and pursued greed instead. As a result, the foundation of life itself is falling apart.

Last year, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) revealed that if we continue to emit greenhouse gas following the current trend, by 2040 the global average temperature will rise by 1.5°C compared to that before the age of industrialization, resulting in catastrophic changes in the global environment that will be beyond recovery. Others argue further that, to avoid great catastrophes, we must take concrete and specific actions aiming for “carbon neutrality” which keeps the actual carbon dioxide emissions at net zero by balancing out emissions and absorption.

Greta Thunberg, a Swedish teenage environmental activist, sharply criticized world leaders at the UN Climate Summit on September 23, saying, “You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words.” The fear of the climate crisis and the criticism of the older generations for their inaction are spreading across the borders and generations. Korea is no exception. On September 21, 330 groups from all walks of life held the “September 21 Climate Crisis Emergency Action” rally in Seoul as part of the “Global Strike” which was joined by people from 139 countries. Also, on September 27, teenagers who share concerns about the climate crisis are planning to refuse to attend school and hold an “School Strike for Climate” in Gwanghwamun, Seoul.

As members of the older generation, we humbly accept the criticism from these young people. In particular, as members of the legal profession, we deeply regret our failure to play a role in promoting the happiness and sustainable lives of our communities and their members. Now, in response to the climate crisis, all members of society must put our heads together, formulate concrete strategies, and execute them thoroughly. To this end, the government's role is crucial in drawing a social consensus and setting policy measures.

However, our government is still not squarely facing up to the reality of the climate crisis. Rather, it is taking a lukewarm stance, compromising the future of our young generation. The growth rate of CO2 emissions in Korea is the highest among the OECD nations, and its greenhouse gas emission is the seventh highest in the world. In order for the world to achieve its “1.5℃ target”, we need to reduce 45% of the greenhouse gases by 2030 from the 2010 level. The Korean government stated that it would reduce its emissions by 37% from the business-as-usual level by 2030. However, in actuality, this plan will stop at reducing the emissions by only 15% from the 2010 level. The Korean government's level of awareness and its response to the climate crisis fail to meet the domestic and international expectations and demands.

The crisis is clearly and presently progressing. According to the Global Climate Report by the World Meteorological Organization, over the last five years the global average temperature has risen by 0.2 degrees Celsius, the hottest period in history has been recorded, and the average sea level has risen by an average of 5mm a year, the highest in the past 20 years. The pace of climate change in Korea has exceeded the global average. The crisis is not just expressed in the form of numbers and statistics. Throughout all regions of the world, including Korea, all living beings and Earth are suffering from abnormal weather events, heat waves, pest outbreaks, and biodiversity loss. In particular, the problem of environmental injustice is becoming more severe among the socially vulnerable class, harmed more gravely by the climate crisis. 

We urge the Korean government to accept the reality of the climate crisis as it is and to come up with more effective and concrete action plans. The government must make every effort to prepare for the transition to, and achieve a social consensus for, an ecological civilization, as well as make the climate crisis a priority policy issue and fundamentally reexamine the energy and industrial policies from an ecological perspective. To this end, we urge the Korean government to immediately legislate proper laws and reorganize its systems so that action can be taken as quickly as possible.

Signed by: Lawyers calling for the government to recognize reality and take action on the climate crisis