The Archdiocese of Seoul will cut energy use and expand renewable energy across Church facilities under a new partnership with South Korea’s Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment ahead of the 2027 World Youth Day.
The archdiocese and the ministry signed an agreement Sept. 8 covering energy efficiency, solar installations, waste reduction, climate education, and measures to make the international Catholic gathering in Seoul environmentally friendly and safe.
Under the agreement, the archdiocese will assess energy use in Church facilities and pursue upgrades including LED lighting, high-efficiency heating and cooling systems, improved insulation, and better windows.
It also plans to install solar panels on unused spaces such as church rooftops and parking areas, expand the use of reusable containers and establish recycling systems for used batteries and milk cartons.
Other measures include plogging and litter-picking activities, encouraging stair use and introducing paperless meetings.
The ministry will provide energy assessments, technical advice, and support for the use of relevant policies and programs.
Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taick of Seoul said the climate crisis requires action from both government and faith communities.
“The climate crisis is no longer a problem of the future but a problem of the present in which we live,” Chung said, adding that its impact “does not stop with our generation but extends to future generations.”
“The Earth is our common home, where all generations live together, and preserving the order of creation is both a practice of faith and a responsibility of the community,” the prelate said.
“I hope that today’s agreement will enable the government’s policy efforts and the Church’s faith-based and community practices to come together so that climate action can spread as part of our everyday culture,” Chung added.
He said the archdiocese and its parishes would take the lead in energy conservation, expanding renewable energy, ecological education and climate action.
The archdiocese is also seeking climate-action declarations from 100,000 Catholics through a climate citizen declaration platform and the issuance of Climate Citizen Cards.
The agreement includes cooperation on preparations for the 2027 World Youth Day in Seoul.
The archdiocese and the ministry plan to work with the organizing committee, local governments and relevant agencies on stable electricity and drinking water supplies and on plans for collecting and processing waste generated by the large-scale event.
They also plan to hold a climate-action forum where young people from around the world can discuss responses to the climate crisis.
Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment Kim Sung-hwan cited a recent disaster in Nepal in describing the global consequences of fossil fuel use.
“There was a major disaster in Nepal recently. “People in Nepal, who have nothing to do with the excessive use of fossil fuels across the world, are suffering the consequences caused by the rise in global temperatures,” he said.
“Now, efforts by many people are needed to solve this global problem at the global level,” he added.
Kim said he hoped the partnership would encourage other dioceses and religious groups to join climate efforts.
“I hope that, beginning with the Archdiocese of Seoul today, other dioceses, as well as Buddhist and other Christian religious organizations and many other groups, will take part in climate action, creating an opportunity for the Republic of Korea to play an exemplary role in responding to the climate crisis,” he said.
