Former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said, "During the first term of President Donald Trump, the share of energy generated from renewable sources was 75%, but it has now increased to 90%," adding that "the energy transition has reached an irreversible point."
Kerry noted during a press briefing at the 10th Our Ocean Conference (OOC) held in Busan on the 29th, "While the decarbonization trend may slow down due to President Trump's administration, the entire world has already chosen the energy transition."
President Trump continues his anti-environmental actions in his second term, following his withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, the dismantling of environmental regulations, and the revival of the oil and coal industries. Earlier this month, Trump issued an executive order to revitalize the domestic coal industry and imposed tariffs of up to 3,500% on solar products that China was rerouting through Southeast Asia.
In response, Kerry said, "The change in presidents does not mean that auto manufacturers like GM and Mercedes-Benz will produce more gasoline vehicles or that the world will increase its reliance on oil," adding, "I remain optimistic that green technologies are developing rapidly."
He emphasized, "Whether we can transition to low carbon within the timeline set by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is crucial." The IPCC has reported that if global temperatures rise by 1.5 degrees by 2040, we will reach a 'tipping point' where global warming becomes irreversible.
Peter Thomson, the United Nations (UN) special envoy for the oceans, who also attended the press briefing, raised his voice on the need for the world to continue the decarbonization trend, regardless of President Trump's policy direction.
Thomson stated, "194 countries must continue to act correctly based on international norms such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)," adding, "Global warming is a crisis for all humanity, and the international community must come together to move forward."