People For Earth

On February 27, 2025, a seminar titled "Constitutional Amendment Directions and Tasks for a Climate-Ecological Constitution in the Era of Carbon Neutrality" was held at the National Assembly Members' Office Building. Co-hosted by the National Assembly's Climate Crisis and Decarbonization Economic Forum, the Korean Environmental Law Association, and the People and Earth Foundation, and organized by National Assembly Research Officer Park Ji-hye, the seminar aimed to discuss the restructuring of the constitutional system to address the climate and ecological crisis and explore specific legislative tasks.

In her keynote speech, Gyeonggi Province Climate Ambassador Kumsil Kang emphasized the need to supplement the '87 Constitution,' which did not foresee climate issues, with a 'Climate Constitution' to address these issues at the constitutional level and establish a new paradigm, encompassing ecological and other aspects.

The first presenter, Professor Taehyun Park of Kangwon National University Law School, presented a report titled "A Study on the Climate-Ecological Constitution," proposing the concept of an 'ecological state' and arguing that the principles of such a state should be embedded throughout the constitution. In his report, Professor Park defined an 'ecological state' as a nation that respects the intrinsic value and rights of nature and pursues the development of a human society in harmony with nature. He proposed incorporating the phrase, "by respecting nature and all living beings, pursuing sustainable development in harmony with nature, and ensuring the preservation and inheritance of the Earth's environment, biodiversity, and climate," into the preamble of the constitution. Additionally, he suggested adding a provision to Article 10, stating, "The state shall preserve and sustainably utilize the natural environment with responsibility for the Earth's environment and future generations."

Following this, Professor Jaehong Lee of Ewha Womans University Law School delivered a presentation on "Climate Change and the Fundamental Rights of Future Generations," which resonated with attendees by emphasizing the necessity of constitutional discussions to guarantee the rights of future generations. Professor Lee proposed including the phrase, "by recognizing the responsibility of care for future citizens of the Republic of Korea, we pledge that the safety, freedom, and happiness of ourselves and future citizens of the Republic of Korea will be eternally sustainable on a healthy environment and a prosperous economic foundation," in the constitution's preamble. He also suggested adding the phrase "present and future" to Articles 10 and 11 to consider future generations.

National Assembly Research Officer Jihye Park, who organized the seminar, stated that addressing environmental issues is no longer optional, and that clean air, a stable climate, and a sustainable natural environment are fundamental rights that everyone should enjoy and are essential conditions for passing on a complete living environment to future generations.

This seminar provided a meaningful opportunity to suggest the direction our constitution should take in the era of the climate crisis and to discuss specific constitutional amendment tasks.