By Lee Kap-soo

Korea and Canada concluded the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea and the Department of the Environment of Canada concerning Cooperation on Climate Change, signed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Jin and Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada Steven Guilbeault on December 3, 2023 on the occasion of the 28th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP28, Nov. 30-Dec. 12, Dubai) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

This MOU has been concluded, as President Yoon Suk-yeol and Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau agreed to strengthen cooperation in resolving the triple planetary crises (climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution) in their summit in May 2023, and Korea and Canada are working more closely together in responding to climate change, as exemplified by Korea’s dispatch of the Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT) to support the suppression of wildfires in Canada (in July 2023).

In order to facilitate policy exchanges between the two countries for the implementation of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement, the MOU mainly covers strengthening cooperation in exchanging information and technology regarding climate change response, organizing workshops and other meetings, promoting people-to-people exchanges including between experts, and implementing joint research and cooperation projects. 

Under the MOU, the two countries will also seek to hold the Republic of Korea-Canada Climate Change Dialogue, co-chaired by their respective Ambassadors for Climate Change, every year to enhance policy exchanges and cooperation and review the progress in bilateral cooperation.

The conclusion of the MOU is expected to help further increase cooperation between Korea and Canada in responding to climate change.