Dr. Kisoo Ahn carries out research on improving administrative structures and legal frameworks to promote sustainable development and community continuity in island regions. He undertakes legal and policy research on energy-independent and carbon-neutral islands as part of efforts to mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis.

- Management Strategy Office Principal Researcher/Affiliated Research Institute Deputy Director, Space & Bean.

- Academic Research Team Leader, Korea Administration Development Institute.

- Visiting Scholar, Virginia Tech Landscape Architecture.

- Ocean Policy Research Institute Researcher, Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology.

- Bachelor of Law, Master & Doctor of Public Administration Law in the Department of Law from Korea University

Institutional Responses to Climate Change in Island Areas: Legal Framework Reforms to Promote Carbon‑Neutral Islands

Climate change has moved beyond the confines of scientific inquiry and policy design to become a pressing legal question concerning states’ obligations and liabilities. In July 2025, the International Court of Justice issued a landmark Advisory Opinion on states’ obligations in the context of climate change, clarifying international legal norms governing greenhouse-gas mitigation and climate‑response measures. Taking the Opinion as a point of departure, this presentation develops an implementation agenda for climate responsibility in Korea’s island regions and proposes reforms to the domestic legal framework to support that agenda.

The presentation first analyzes the Opinion’s legal architecture and the ways in which customary international law, the law of the sea, and international human rights law intersect within it, with particular attention to the nature and scope of state duties to reduce emissions and to adapt to climate impacts. It then examines the distinctive climate vulnerability of island regions and evaluates the “Carbon- Neutral Islands” model as a strategy for localized climate action. Through comparative case studies from Scotland, Denmark, and Japan and domestic examples from Jeju Island and Jukdo, the presentation maps the multi‑level configuration of law, policy, finance, and governance that shapes climate action in island areas and identifies limitations of the Republic of Korea’s existing island‑related legal regime. On this basis, it argues for the adoption of a comprehensive Framework Act on Islands to provide an overarching statutory foundation for climate responses in island regions. The presentation outlines core components of such legislation—including definitions, national and regional master planning, institutional and participatory governance mechanisms, residents’ rights and remedies, financing instruments, and monitoring and evaluation.

By addressing the structural vulnerabilities of island communities and advancing climate justice for island residents, the proposed framework seeks to position islands as leading hubs for the implementation of Korea’s national carbon‑neutrality objectives.

Institutional Responses to Climate Change in Island Areas: Legal Framework Reforms to Promote Carbon‑Neutral Islands

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