November 20, 2025 | 03:49 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - During the second week of the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) in Belem, Brazil, climate activism by K-pop fans, including fan bases in Indonesia, became the center of attention. Dayeon Lee, the campaign manager of KPOP4PLANET, spoke at a panel discussion at COP30 in the Entertainment and Culture Pavilion in the Blue Zone on Tuesday, November 18, 2025.
Hosted by the Korea Cultural Center Brazil, the session focused on the theme "K-Pop Fans for Climate Action." The panel discussion was attended and supported by South Korean Minister of Climate, Energy, and Environment Kim Sung-hwan and Vinicius Gurtler from the Brazilian Ministry of Culture, the Joint Chair of the Friends of Culture-Based Climate Action (GFCBCA) group, a culture-based climate action coalition formed by UN member states.
In her presentation, Dayeon emphasized that K-pop fans have taken climate action and created change together. She mentioned the K-pop fans in Indonesia who donated Rp1.4 billion for natural disaster victims in South Kalimantan and West Sulawesi in 2021 as a tangible example.
Dayeon also shared the KPOP4PLANET campaign, which advocates for a transition to renewable energy for global companies, such as Hyundai Motor Company and Kering. "K-pop fans are the sensitive generation for justice in the future. Their outstanding solidarity and unique perseverance have made them strong climate activists," Dayeon stated in a press release on Thursday, November 20, 2025.
Marliana Faciroli, Co-Director and Representative of ARMY Help The Planet, the first and largest environmental movement by BTS fans, based in Brazil, outlined some of the actions they have taken. One example is the "ARMY for the Amazon" initiative, through which they donated to the 2019 Amazon forest fires. "We are inspired by BTS's active participation in important issues and taking action," she said.
Professor Gyutag Lee further reinforced the panel's perspectives from George Mason University Korea and Director Cheulhong Kim from the Korea Cultural Centre Brazil, who emphasized that the global success of K-pop has driven increased fandom activism, aiming to provide a positive influence. Thalia Silva, a member of the Presidential COP30 Youth Climate Champion Advisory Committee, also participated in the session.
Concluding the presentation session, Dayeon shared the "K-Pop Carbon Hunters" campaign from KPOP4PLANET, inspired by the popular Korean series, K-Pop Demon Hunters. She stressed that over 4,000 fans are currently pushing the K-pop industry to align its global influence with tangible actions through the implementation of low-carbon K-pop concerts and achieving measurable emission reductions.
COP30 in Brazil marks ten years since the Paris Agreement was ratified in 2016. This is why, according to Dayeon, at COP30, stakeholders in the K-pop industry are urged to demonstrate more ambitious and collaborative climate commitments to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius.
"As COP30 is ongoing now, we need the support of all parties, including governments, industries, and consumers, to take bolder actions and not just empty promises," Dayeon stated. "Decarbonization in the cultural sector, such as low-carbon K-Pop concerts, supports carbon emission reductions and has a strong cultural impact."
Editor's Choice: Turkey to Host COP31 After Australia Concedes
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
Environment Watchdog Cast Doubts in Indonesia's Second Climate NDC
13 menit lalu
Pantau Gambut is pessimistic about the simultaneous optimization of emission reduction, economic growth, and social improvement.
Turkey to Host COP31 After Australia Concedes
4 jam lalu
Next year's COP climate conference will be held under an unusual setup: Turkey will be the host the talks, but Australia will steer the negotiations.
Momentum Grows for Global Roadmap to Phase Out Fossil Fuels
23 jam lalu
Small island states and major economies are urging a fair fossil-fuel phase-out as climate negotiations enter a critical juncture.
Civil Society Coalition Names Indonesia as 'Fossil of the Day' at COP30
1 hari lalu
Global civil society coalition assesses Indonesia as the worst example of a developing country mimicking the behavior of developed countries at COP.
How This New Air Filter Innovation Captures CO2
1 hari lalu
Researchers at the University of Chicago designed an air filter that could transform any building into a carbon capture machine.
Indonesia's Carbon Sales at COP30 Near Rp7 Trillion out of Rp16 Trillion Goal
1 hari lalu
The Indonesian government is intensifying efforts to boost carbon trading over the next week through the ambitious carbon collection to climate action.
Government: Carbon Tax Not a Priority in Indonesia's 2026 State Budget
1 hari lalu
The Ministry of Finance states that implementing a carbon tax will not be a priority next year.
So Many Climate Numbers. What Do They All Mean?
2 hari lalu
Even "numbers people" can be confused by the array of digits used to describe climate progress and failings. Here's what they really mean.
Diving into Samba in Centro
2 hari lalu
Discovering a city not through sights, but through its musical rhythm of Samba.
Why 1,900 NGOs Are Rejecting Brazil's Biofuel Expansion
2 hari lalu
The Beem 4x Pledge aims to increase the production of sustainable fuels, including biofuels, fourfold by 2035.
