The presidential office, the government and the ruling Democratic Party(DP) have agreed to set the nation’s 2035 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target at 53 percent to 61 percent of 2018 levels.

DP spokesperson Park Soo-hyun said in a briefing at the National Assembly Press Center on Sunday that the ruling bloc had held a policy consultation meeting at the prime minister’s residence and reached a general agreement on its 2035 nationally determined contribution target.

Park said the ruling bloc had reached the agreement after taking into account opinions from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the Constitutional Court’s ruling, potential burdens on future generations and industrial conditions.

Last week, the government unveiled two nationally determined contribution proposals. The first aimed to cut emissions by 50–60 percent from 2018 levels by 2035, and the second targeted a 53–60 percent reduction.

Park said the ruling bloc had raised the upper limit to 61 percent to demonstrate its firm commitment to emissions reduction on the global stage.

He added that some participants in public hearings had called for even higher goals and that the increase would signal the government’s resolve and direction.

The final proposal will be reviewed and approved this week by a presidential committee and the Cabinet before being submitted to the United Nations next week.