Suwon, Republic of Korea

Suwon is a city located in south central region of Gyeonggi-do, with 40km away from Seoul, the capital of Republic of Korea. It was the first planned city created during the Choseon Dynasty with Mt. Paldal as the center and it boasts the Hwaseong Fortress which was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1997. But, situated in a basin with high in northeast and low in southwest, the city suffers from air pollution due to sudden urbanization and heavy traffic passing through the metropolitan areas. In response, Suwon is deploying various policies to create a low-carbon and green city with a goal to become an environmental capital. In cooperation with ICLEI, the city is also committed to responding climate change and realizing a sustainable city such as an eco-mobile city and a biodiverse city.