environmental issues and sustainable development in northeast asia dr. kim myung ja member of the...
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Environmental Issues and Environmental Issues and Sustainable Sustainable
Development in Northeast AsiaDevelopment in Northeast Asia
DR. KIM Myung Ja
Member of the Korean National Assembly
Former Minister of Environment (1999-2003)
CONTENTSCONTENTS
1. Global Environmental Issues
2. Northeast Asian Environmental Issues
3. Global Efforts to Resolve Environmental Issues
5. Future Policy Directions for Sustainable Development
4. Korea’s Sustainable Development Efforts
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1. Global Environmental Issues1. Global Environmental Issues
Environmental issues are growing in complexity
expanding beyond national boundaries
requiring collective action
Present
Impact from environmental pollution was limited to local areas
In the Past
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Environmental concerns intricately linked to social arena, including economy and trade
Present
Environment emerged as a top agenda item for the
international community, exerting substantial
influence on government decision-making
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Global Environmental IssuesGlobal Environmental Issues
Excessive use of fossil fuels like coal and petroleum
increase in the level of carbon dioxide CO2 in the
atmosphere (early industrialization period: 280ppm → 1990: 363ppm)
aggravating climate change
A. Global Warming and extreme weather patternsA. Global Warming and extreme weather patterns
Submersion of low-elevation areas and extreme weather patterns such as flood, drought, and heavy snowstorms are occurring with frequency.
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Due to ozone-depleting substances like CFCs, more than
half of the ozone layer above the South Pole
(320 times the size of the Republic of Korea) has been destroyed
in the last 10 years
- Increased amount of ultraviolet radiation reaches earth’s surface,
leading to higher instances of skin cancer, eye ailments,
weakening of the human immune system.
B. Destruction of ozone layer B. Destruction of ozone layer
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! risk of extinction !
14% of existing plant species (242,000 in total)
33% of existing fish species (24,000 in total)
11% of existing bird species (9,600 in total)
14% of mammalian species (4,400 in total)
Ecosystem balance and the capacity for natural purification are
lost, along with the potential benefits of biological resources.
C. Biodiversity loss C. Biodiversity loss
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Dangers arising from the increased use of various chemical
substances on human health and biological organisms
Increasing endocrine disruptors (environmental hormones),
disturb regular hormonal activities in human body
D. Exposure to harmful chemical substances D. Exposure to harmful chemical substances
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2. Northeast Asian Environmental Issues2. Northeast Asian Environmental Issues
One of the most economically vibrant regions in the world - Expansion of economic activities - Environmental problems (air pollution, poor water quality, marine pollution, destruction of the natural environment)
Rapid desertification and dust and sandstorms from Inner Mongolia and the western part of China (phenomena closely linked to global warming) require extensive remediation and prevention efforts
Northeast Asia
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Rapid economic growth since the 1960s
- Substantial air and water pollution
Social overhead capital (SOC) construction projects such as large-scale housing, industrial zone developments,
roads and dams
- Destruction and loss of natural ecosystems
Republic of Korea
Similar problems are now seen in China and other countries in Northeast Asia, which are currently
undertaking intensive industrialization
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Small landmass, high population density, and scarce
water resources
Highest level of environmental pressures per unit
area among OECD member countries
To ensure environmental sustainability,
Sound national policies for efficient use of land, energy, and
other natural resources are necessary
Republic of Korea
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Environmental problems: closely linked to land use and land
management measures
Vicious cycle
Reckless development that ignores the values of the
natural environment
natural ecosystem degradation
deterioration of the living environment
increased cost to society
Republic of Korea
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65.4% of national territory consists of forests
outstanding natural ecosystems but limited land for urban
settlement
Supply-oriented land development policies
Severe damage of natural ecosystems such as Baek-du
mountain range (ecological backbone of the Korea)
Republic of Korea
Between 1992 and 2001, approximately 1.32billion square meters had been developed, while 1.88
billion square meters of forests, farmland and tidal flats had disappeared.
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3. Global Environmental Protection 3. Global Environmental Protection EffortsEfforts
o Environmental preservation activities began in the 1970s.
- UN Conference on the Human Environment (1972) & establishment
of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
- “Sustainable Development" (1987): Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
- UN Conference on Environment and Development (1992)
- World Summit on Sustainable Development (2002)
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Environmental cooperation through such mechanisms as the annual Tripartite Environment Ministers Meeting
(TEMM) has been initiated.
Asia-Pacific Forum on Environment & Development (APFED)
- August 23-24, Adelaide, Australia
Regionally,
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In February 2003, the project to tackle dust and sandstorms began among Korea, China, Japan, and Mongolia as well as
international agencies like UNEP, ADB and GEF.
The Northeast Asia Environmental Cooperation Mid- to Long-Term Roadmap: Tumen River Basin Environmental
Preservation Project
Northeast Asian Sub-regional Programme of Environmental Cooperation (NEASPEC)
Environment Congress for Asia and the Pacific (ECO-ASIA)
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Regional Environment Efforts
Korea’s Master Plan for Environmental Policy in 2004
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• Special measures to improve air quality in capital region
• Protection of human health from hazardous substances
• Total water pollution load management
• Strengthening waste resource management
Harmonization of Env’t & Economy
Global Env’t Preservation
Creation of Pleasant Env’t
• Development of sustainable technologies for 21st C
• Promotion of green corporate management
• Establishment of eco-friendly land use system
• Protection of ecosystem in Korean peninsula
• Active participation in global env’t effort
• 2004 UNEP Meeting
Establishment of Eco-Network
Urban Air Quality Improvement Urban Air Quality Improvement
Special Act on Air Quality Improvement in Capital Region Special Act on Air Quality Improvement in Capital Region
Before After
Target
PolicyTools
Estimated Budget
Among the Lowest in
OECD (NO2 in Seoul : 36ppb)
OECD Average
(NO2 in Seoul : 22ppb)
Concentration Control for Each Pollution Medium
Support for Diffusion of Low-emission Vehicles
Allocated Budget for 2003: 85.8 Billion Won
Total Local Emissions Load Management
Emissions Trading Permit in Industrial Plants
Obligatory Use of Low- Emission Vehicles
Plan to Invest 6 Trillion Won in Next 10 Years
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Precautionary Watershed Management SystemPrecautionary Watershed Management System
Special Acts on Water Management of 4 RiversSpecial Acts on Water Management of 4 Rivers
Water Source Quality Improvement and Demand-Side Management Water Source Quality Improvement and Demand-Side Management
Integrated Management of 4 Major Domestic Rivers Integrated Management of 4 Major Domestic Rivers
• Han River (1999.8)
• Nakdong, Geum & Yeongsan Rivers (2002.7)
Riparian buffer zones, industrial location restriction Land purchase Total water pollution load management
Water Pollution PreventionWater Pollution PreventionWater Pollution PreventionWater Pollution Prevention
420 discussions Collaboration btw. local residents and government Water User Fee imposition in lower stream region, support to upstream region
Non-point pollution source management 24-hour monitoring network & scientific water quality modeling River ecosystem restoration
Spirit of Mutual Prosperity Spirit of Mutual Prosperity Spirit of Mutual Prosperity Spirit of Mutual Prosperity Non-point Pollution Non-point Pollution Source ManagementSource ManagementNon-point Pollution Non-point Pollution Source ManagementSource Management
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<Expected Effects>
394 billion won annually
Resource-Circulating Waste Management Resource-Circulating Waste Management
Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) System Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) System
Objective : Reduce waste & facilitate recycling by producers
Date of Enforcement : 2003. 1
Producers Responsibility : Soundly dispose of mandatorywaste recycling volume either directly or through commission (impose charges in case of non-compliance)
Reduction in waste
treatment fees :
332 billion won
Business cost reduction : 62 billion won
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Use of special garbage bags
Charge collection fees
based on the volume of
waste disposed
Volume-Based Waste Fee System
Promote recycling Reduce the volume of waste through economic incentives
- 45% in waste generation
- 115% in recycling
- $ 4 billion in socio-economic
benefits
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Harmony btw. Development & Preservation- Preventing Reckless Land Development
Consolidating National Land Protection Measures
Consolidating National Land Protection Measures
Preservation of natural sc
eneries, prior review
National land env’t evaluati
on map
Strategic Env’t AssessmentReinforcement of Env’t Impact Assessment
Prior Env’t Performance Assessment
Prior Env’t Performance Assessment
Natural Environment Preservation Natural Environment Preservation
Precautionary National Land PreservationPrecautionary National Land Preservation
Greening the New Administrative Capital
Greening the New Administrative Capital
Comprehensive Plan onNational Land Management
Comprehensive Plan onNational Land Management
Set Priority Targets on National Land Management Initiate Full-Scale Survey of the National Land Environment
Green space, env’t friendly transportation systemEnergy & resources saving
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ㅇ Working to designate the
Demilitarized Zone as a UNESCO
Biosphere Reserve
ㅇ Creation of a nationwide ecological
network by enacting Baek-du Mountain
Range Preservation Act (Dec ’03)
ㅇ Enactment of “Act on the Protection
of Wild Fauna and Flora” (Dec ’03)
Establishment of Ecological Network
Protection of ecosystem in the Korean peninsula
rural area
rivers
urban areas
urban areas
Small islandsSmall islands
The DMZ
Baek-du Mountain RangeBaek-du Mountain Range
FOREST DESTRUCTION
- Japanese occupation and Korean War
- excessive logging, forest reclamation
o “Tree Planting Campaign” (1973)
By 2000, 2 million hectares (31%) of the total mountain surface into economically valuable forest tracts.
o “Nature Recess Program” (1991)
Rehabilitate their ecosystems by limiting public entrance for a specified period of time.
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To promote voluntary environmental improvement
activities in the industrial sector:
- “Environmentally Friendly Enterprise Designation System”
(as of end of 2002, 133 enterprises have been designated)
- “Voluntary Environmental Agreement System”(as of end
of 2002, 351 enterprises have signed the agreement)
- Enterprise Environment Report, Environmental Cost Accounting, Environmental Performance Evaluation Index and other such guidelines on a trial basis
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Promotion of Green Corporate Management
5. 5. Future Policy Directions for Sustainable DevelopmentFuture Policy Directions for Sustainable Development
Industrialization era: focus on material fulfillment
21st century: era for eco-civilization based on sustainable development
- Create a win-win era for the entire ecological community where humanity and nature, environment and economy coexist
Current culture of excessive consumerism
- Sustainable culture based on responsibility and efficiency
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Government: integrate one-sided SOC expansion policies that are development-centered with policies aimed at sustainability
and eco-efficiency
Business sector: clean production and environmental
management system.
Industries, companies, governments, and the public:
Collective quest for sustainable development
Continuous dialogue and cooperation
Symbiotic relationship through reliable administrative and
institutional support
For the achievement of establishing a sustainable cultureFor the achievement of establishing a sustainable culture
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Thank You !
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