South Korea accused of paying lip service to climate action after deadly floods

illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece here in The Guardian or enjoy below

🗞️ Driving the news: Recently, South Korea suffered a major climate disaster involving flash floods and landslides, resulting in 46 deaths and four missing
• This has sparked discussions on disaster responsibility and response, with President Yoon Suk Yeol citing poor preparation for extreme weather as the cause

🔭 The context: This disaster comes amid rising climate activism in South Korea
• Youth 4 Climate Action group and other activists have been questioning the government's commitment to tackling climate change

🌎 Why it matters for the planet: The rising frequency of extreme weather incidents, as witnessed in South Korea, underscore the escalating impacts of climate change and highlight the pressing need for immediate climate action

⏭️ What's next: In response to the disaster, President Yoon declared 13 municipalities as special disaster areas and recognized the increasing frequency of extreme weather events
• However, he has not yet presented a concrete plan for comprehensive climate action

💬 One quote: "Is it normal for a society where survival itself is determined by luck if we don’t make efforts to become safe?” (Kim Seo-gyeong, member of the Youth 4 Climate Action group)

📈 One stat: In 2022, wind and solar power in South Korea accounted for just 5.4% of the country's electricity production, much lower than the global average of 12%

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