A war on deforestation has been declared by the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who promises "to turn all mountains into golden forests," the country’s foreign minister announced at the Paris Climate Summit. North Korea is pledging for nations to “actively engage” in global environment efforts to fight climate change.

North Korea is among the 195 nations meeting in Paris to agree on a global deal to reduce carbon emissions. North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Su-yong told delegates that the country plans to complete a large-scale tree-planting initiative over the next decade, reports the Guardian.

The initiative aims to help the “national effort to mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.” Ri said North Korea primarily aims to reduce its total amount of carbon emissions by 37.4 percent compared with the levels of the 1990s.

North Korea is considered the world's 14th largest producer of coal, with its fossil fuel emissions record dominated by coal burning, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Its carbon emissions decreased in the 1990s as its economy collapsed; however, it eventually increased in recent years.

Meanwhile, Ri said that the government “will continue to faithfully discharge its responsibilities as a party to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and actively engage itself in international efforts to protect the global environment.”

The UNFCCC was established as the main international arena to address global warming and its effects.

Contact the writer at feedback@ibtimes.com.au or tell us what you think below.

RELATED STORIES