Nowon-gu to Host '2026 Nowon Carbon Neutrality Citizens' Declaration' Event

Seoul's Nowon-gu will host the "2026 Nowon Carbon Neutrality Citizens' Declaration" on Sept. 5, bringing together about 800 residents to affirm their commitment to addressing the climate crisis and advancing carbon neutrality.

The event's theme is "From Climate Crisis to Climate Justice." It will run from the KB Kookmin Bank intersection near Nowon Station to the Nowon-gu district office. The Nowon Carbon Neutrality Citizens' Council and the Nowon Environment Foundation are co-hosting and organizing the event, with participation from 33 organizations — including local youth centers, welfare centers and civic groups — as well as 19 residents' autonomous councils.

Pre-event activities begin at 9:30 a.m., during which participants will make their own carbon neutrality declaration placards, take part in a policy vote and perform a carbon neutrality group dance.

The main program kicks off at 10 a.m., with participants chanting the 10 carbon neutrality agendas as they march from the Nowon Station intersection to the district office. After the march, residents will take turns at a podium to declare the agendas in a relay format. District Mayor Seo Jun-o will then respond, outlining Nowon's carbon neutrality vision and action plan for the ninth elected-term administration.

The 10 carbon neutrality agendas include expanded climate policy participation for future generations such as youth and young adults; guaranteed rights for workers to stop and rest during heat waves; support for urban solar power; expanded use of reusable containers and eco-friendly stores; carbon neutrality budget allocations for Nowon-gu festivals; waste-free elections and the spread of a carbon-neutral political culture; and completing Nowon's status as a carbon neutrality model city through resident participation.

The Nowon Environment Foundation and the Nowon Carbon Neutrality Citizens' Council said the declaration "is not merely a policy proposal but a pledge by residents themselves to practice carbon neutrality in their daily lives," adding that they hope "residents' voices will serve as a catalyst for translating local carbon neutrality commitments into concrete policy and action."

Nowon-gu is the only district in the Greater Seoul metropolitan area designated as a carbon neutrality model city by the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in 2024. The district is pursuing carbon neutrality policies across all urban sectors, including construction, energy, transportation and resource recycling. It has also earned international recognition for its implementation record, receiving the highest local-government rating of "Compliance Badge" and the top borough-level "Leadership (A-)" rating in the Global Covenant of Mayors climate action assessment.

The district has identified the building sector — which accounts for about 75 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions — as its core reduction target, with a goal of cutting 350,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions by 2034. To that end, it is pursuing a building-level greenhouse gas cap system, zero-energy building certification for apartment complexes and green remodeling of public buildings.

Alongside this, the district is expanding everyday carbon neutrality initiatives, including promoting bicycle use, installing building-integrated photovoltaics on the district office, and planting 1 million trees by 2029.

"This citizens' declaration is meaningful because residents are directly proposing the direction of carbon neutrality and pledging to put it into practice together with the administration," District Mayor Seo said. "We will work with residents across all urban sectors — construction, energy, transportation and resource recycling — to create real change and build Nowon into a carbon neutrality model city that represents the nation."