[Column] Korea cannot wait any longer on greenhouse gases

An Jun-gwan, Korean Federation for the Environmental Movement

On November 21, Environment Minister Lee Chi-beom said that Korea needs to establish specific greenhouse gas reduction goals to be in step with international plans on climate change that take effect in 2008. His comments are very meaningful, and in a global context, as volunteer and proactive work by Korea to reduce greenhouse gasses could add very important momentum to the same effort at the UN, which is not getting anywhere because of the United States' lack of cooperation. The Korean Federation for the Environmental Movement (Hwan'gyeong Undong Yeonhap) believes that the Ministry of the Environment's new position on this will bring real progress to the issue of Korean climate changes and that this kind of environmental diplomacy is wise in that it will benefit the interests of both Korea and the globe.

Korea ranks ninth in greenhouse gas emissions and 10 in energy consumption. Greenhouse emissions have continued to rise as the country's energy consumption increases. Emissions have gone up an average 5.4 percent yearly since 1990, and if the trend continues, Korea will surpass Canada and the United Kingdom by 2010 to rank seventh globally. By 2013 we will be emitting more greenhouse gasses than any other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member nation as far as our ratio of emissions compared to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is concerned. This is why fully industrialized nations are pressuring Korea to join in the international effort at reduction.

The only countries that are OECD member states and are not obligated by international agreement to reduce gas emissions are Korea and Mexico. However, per capita emissions in Mexico is one third of the OECD average, so relatively low that Korea just does not compare. Korea was in the middle of the financial crisis of 1997 when the Kyoto Protocol was signed in December of that year. Korean per capital income fell to below US$10,000 and was in the middle of a serious economic crisis, and that is why Korea was given an exemption from compulsory reduction.

The next stage of required reductions begins in 2013, and since the Korean economy has recovered, it should be plenty clear that it is going to have to participate. An OECD report formally suggests Korea establish clear goals and plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and include it in national strategy for dealing with climate change. For far too long since it signed the Kyoty Protocol, Korea has said - and only said - that it will do something about climatic change without ever establishing any goals. At UN meetings, the country has made "silence" its negotiation strategy and carefully tried to avoid upsetting either developed or developing nations.

Recently, the legislature of the U.S. state of California passed a bill to make reducing emission levels in 2020 to what they were in 1990 an official goal of the state government. The U.S. federal government is not even part of Kyoto, but a state government is taking the initiative. National governments and even cities are establishing and implementing concrete programs to do something about the program.

Reportedly, the cement industry and others that produce a high level of greenhouse gases are already upset about Lee's comments. The Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Energy opposes establishing reduction goals because, as it has said in the past, it would be "premature" to do so. However, even from within these industries you see a voice of introspection saying that merely emphasizing the need for companies to volunteer to do something about the problem, and without establishing any goals, will not be enough to keep industries competitive. Even the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade says Korea needs to have emission reduction goals, and Korea should not make the mistake of missing an opportunity because the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Energy and certain industries want to close the country's door to the world.

Humanity shares the unavoidable task of implementing the international agreement on climate change. The U.S. is the biggest problem on this issue, but it, too, is preparing to return to the reduction regime. Korea still has time, though not much. It can still contribute to the international reduction of climate change if it establishes goals and if government, citizens, and business work together. It could also be an opportunity, instead of a crisis, for improving business productivity.

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