Korea Practices Climate Awareness

written by 10421 Lim Hyun Seo

The climate crisis is no longer the future’s story. The disasters and damages caused by the abnormal climate from a few years ago reveal the climate crisis has hit right in front of us. Heat waves and long rainy seasons show climate crises not only in the Arctic or some countries in Africa but also in the Republic of Korea.

As the seriousness of the climate crisis grows, the urgency of its response is also becoming clear. The concept of carbon neutrality has emerged, and it has become an international norm in societies. Carbon neutrality is now an irresistible and secure goal for mankind to achieve.

The Paris Agreement suggests we should keep the global average temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius compared to the time before industrialization. In order to participate in the international community’s efforts to prepare for climate change, Korea has established a LEDS (long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategy) and will move toward carbon neutrality in 2050. LEDS includes ways to increase industrial competitiveness with low carbon and reduce carbon. It is a slow, long-term strategy for the next 30 years. 

To this end, Korea will strive for carbon neutrality by adding digital technologies with the Korean New Deal to create synergy, investment and support for climate technology innovation. Efforts and participation in Korea are crucial to respond to the climate crisis. Korea will play a leading role in helping the international community make shared efforts for carbon neutrality in 2050 is the core content of the 2050 Korean vision.

Meanwhile, as the issue of the climate crisis is drawing the attention of many people, more and more people are interested in the subjects dealing with the problem. Especially to respond to the climate crisis smoothly, not only the efforts of the government and large companies but also the roles of subjects such as citizens and non-profit organizations are required. 

The executive director of Green Asia cited “citizen initiative as a way to succeed in responding to the climate crisis.”

He divided the climate crisis response into “capital” and “citizens”. Although “capital” commercialized solutions to the climate crisis by offering it, it is difficult to respond to the climate when citizens maintain a similar lifestyle. 

The head of the Justice Policy Institute said, “To cope with the climate crisis, it is necessary for local communities, civil society, and social economy sectors to participate in the policy implementation process of local governments.”

Citizens should not only participate in the process of policy consultation but also show their own practices. How should citizens respond to the climate crisis and make efforts to practice carbon neutrality?

Using public transportation, such as taking buses or metros instead of individual cars and riding a bike, is a way to practice carbon neutrality. We can also maintain carbon neutrality by ensuring the correct disposal of recyclables and using air conditioners efficiently. Green walls and rooftops can mitigate climate change by reducing heat islands, lowering energy usage, and sequestering carbon. These ways are not that hard to achieve. In other words, we can simply maintain carbon neutrality in our daily lives.

Thus, as abnormal climate change continues around the world, including Korea, we should immediately be acquainted with the policies as to climate change and try to respond to the climate crisis in our daily lives and maintain carbon neutrality. We have to practice maintaining carbon neutrality every time in our lives and continue to pay attention to the current status of the carbon neutralization policy.