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German Ambassador to Korea Michael Reiffenstuel delivers a welcoming speech at the Korean-German Climate & Environment Conference at Conrad Seoul Hotel, Tuesday. Courtesy of Korean-German Chamber of Commerce |
By Kwon Mee-yoo
With increased interest in a circular economy, as discussed at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), the German Embassy in Korea and the Korean-German Chamber of Commerce (KGCCI) held a conference discussing policies, strategies and practices for a circular economy in Germany and Korea.
A circular economy is a sustainable production and consumption model which offers a way to fight global climate change and reduce carbon emissions.
Michael Reiffenstuel, German ambassador to Korea, emphasized the importance of a circular economy as a way to sustainable management of resources, in the opening remarks.
"Managing waste is not just about waste disposal. Waste is a valuable resource which can be used effectively to conserve natural resources, protect our environment and our climate," Reiffenstuel said, mentioning there are 832 different types of waste, from paper and electrical equipment to construction and plant waste.
"Korea and Germany share many similarities: we both are highly industrialized, export-oriented nations with a focus on manufacturing; we both have an interest in sustainable and affordable supply of natural resources; and we are both strongly committed to climate protection. Korean and German expertise and spirit of innovation complement each other. This conference provides a valuable opportunity for both countries to share their experiences and discuss strategies on circular economy."
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German Ambassador to Korea Michael Reiffenstuel, fourth from left, and Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry President & CEO Martin Henkelmann, third from right, pose during the Korean-German Climate & Environment Conference at Conrad Seoul Hotel, Tuesday. Courtesy of Korean-German Chamber of Commerce |
KGCCI President & CEO Martin Henkelmann noted that this is the perfect time to discuss the circular economy in Germany and Korea, as usage and disposal of plastic has increased significantly in recent years.
"Korea and Germany face similar challenges and have many opportunities for cooperation in the field of recycling and reusing valuable resources while reducing their consumption," Henkelmann said.
"As highly developed countries with state-of-the-art waste collection and processing possibilities, they are already on a steady path to strengthening the circular economy. Perfecting these systems through joint investment as well as through bilateral research and development is pivotal to overcome the challenges."
Hanyang University chemical engineering professor Sang Byoung-in moderated the event, discussing regulatory frameworks and strategies of the circular economy as well as implementation and successful practices.
Alexander Maak, managing director of ALBA Services which provides a "zero waste solution," delivered a keynote speech on sustainability.
"A circular economy leads to an endless system of sustainability if companies make active use of the intersection between economic, feasible and scalable business models," Maak said.
Maak also provided examples of circular economy business models, such as identifying the right sources of materials and logistics as well as recycling to achieve zero waste.
In the first session, Yoo Yong-ho, deputy director of Resources Circulation Policy Division from the Korean Ministry of Environment, explained Korea's circular economy plan, which aims to ensure quality of life while pursuing sustainable economic growth through improvement of resource efficiency.
Andreas Jaron, head of the Circular Economy Division at Germany's Federal Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, gave a briefing on German waste management. Jaron noted that a circular economy has the goal of using resources as efficiently as possible.
"In the past, circular economy was waste management more or less with implications to the whole economy, but now it's the efficient use of resources at each stage of the economy. Circular economy is not one policy, but an umbrella over various areas ― it can be resource policy, product design, production, logistics, digitalization, consumption, waste management and probably other policy areas. But the principle is to use less resources," Jaron said.
Hong Soo-yeol, the director of the Resource Circulation Society Economic Research Institute and a member of the 2050 Carbon Neutrality Commission, addressed opportunities and challenges of a circular economy in Korea.
In the second session, circular economy examples were presented from the private and public sectors, including German company Sesotec, Korean company Machine & Technology and Korea's Ansan City in Gyeonggi Province.