Environmental Issues and Sustainable Development in Northeast Asia DR. KIM Myung Ja Member of the...

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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