Seoul's Dobong-gu has established and begun implementing a comprehensive carbon neutrality plan under the ninth elected administration, titled "Building a Carbon-Neutral City for Climate Justice," aimed at proactively addressing the climate crisis and achieving carbon neutrality ahead of schedule.
The plan places particular emphasis on closing the "climate inequality" gap — the reality that a worsening climate crisis inflicts disproportionate harm on vulnerable groups such as the elderly and low-income residents.
The district has set its vision as "a carbon-neutral Dobong where everyone is safe and treated equitably in the face of the climate crisis," and will pursue 17 projects under five core strategies.
The five strategies are: implementing climate crisis mitigation and adaptation measures; spreading a carbon-neutrality culture together with residents; upgrading existing Dobong-led initiatives such as the "Carbon Empathy Mileage" program; strengthening domestic and international cooperation on climate action; and building a policy foundation in line with the Framework Act on Carbon Neutrality.
The district will significantly expand hands-on programs designed to encourage residents to voluntarily reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
As a first step, it will further promote participation in the "Carbon Empathy Mileage" system, under which residents earn incentives for taking part in carbon-neutrality activities to help avert the climate crisis.
The district also plans to train 1,000 "Dobong Zero-C" community activists per year — residents who lead carbon-reduction efforts in everyday life with the goal of zero carbon emissions.
In addition, it aims to draw 10,000 residents annually into the "Dobong Residents' Pledge to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 4 Tons Per Person" campaign.
The district will also reinforce the administrative and international cooperation frameworks needed to underpin effective policy implementation.
It plans to actively engage with domestic networks such as the Carbon Neutrality Local Government Practice Alliance, as well as international bodies including the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM), to strengthen its policy capacity and raise its profile.
Alongside this, the district will designate a "Dobong-gu Carbon Neutrality Support Center" and introduce a "Carbon Neutrality Implementation Officer" to establish a solid institutional and policy foundation.
Dobong-gu earlier received a gold award in the local government carbon reduction category at the 2026 Green World Awards, earning international recognition for its carbon neutrality efforts.
"The climate crisis is a critical issue that threatens the safety and lives of our residents," district mayor Kim Dong-wook said. "By faithfully carrying out this plan through collaboration across all departments, we will achieve climate justice and carbon neutrality ahead of schedule."
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