By Kim Hyun-cheol
Staff Reporter
President Lee Myung-bak faces a bumpy road in his move to transform South Korea into a ``Low Carbon, Green Growth'' country, as suspicion is mounting over the feasibility of his administration's roadmap.
The ambitious plan was announced during his speech for the nation's 63rd Liberation Day last Friday.
``The government will make all-out efforts to increase the use of new and renewable energy from the current 2 percent to more than 11 percent by 2030 and, ultimately, to more than 20 percent by 2050,'' Lee said.
``Investment in eco-friendly technology will be increased more than two fold in a scheme to make Korea a powerhouse in the emerging business,'' he added.
However, the plan has faced a strong backlash from several civic groups.
On the same day the speech was delivered, the Korean Federation for Environmental Movement (KFEM), one of the nation's biggest non-governmental organizations, said that the plan was lacking in feasibility and detailed action plans.
```Green Growth' means a transformation of paradigm as a growth based on fostering qualities of life. For the president's vision to have authenticity, it will first take some serious introspection on the anachronistic stance he has been pursuing since inauguration," the KFEM claimed.
The group also pointed out most of the details mentioned in the speech are a mere repetition of the already released energy plan draft, which has already been criticized for its lack of reality recognition and low goals.
``We don't see any determination and strategy on how to narrow the gap between advanced countries, which have pursued energy revolution by boosting the use of alternative energy a decade ago. The projected level of new and renewable energy is even lower than China," it said.
China plans to expand the use of new and renewable energy to 30 percent by 2030, compared to Korea's 11 percent.
Some people even suspect the former construction CEO might try to link the slammed canal project to the scheme in the pretext of the sustainable development of land.
Lee Han-koo, a former policy committee chairman of the ruling Grand National Party, said Monday on a radio show that the 747 plan and the grand carnal project might sound contrary to sustainable development, but that they have eco-friendly facets, such as the redevelopment of rivers and streams.
``The term 'Green Growth' is still so vague, so anything can be added to it. It is also possible the government can try to put forward the canal project with reasons like flood control or water shortage,'' KFEM representative Yoon Joon-ha said.
Actuality of the scheme is also the target of criticism.
``It is surely hard to make issue with the government carrying out a long-term eco-friendly program. But it needs to specify how it will finance the grand plan without burdening the country's economy,'' Prof. Kim Gwang-doo of Sogang University said.
During the speech, President Lee also pledged full support to nurturing eco-friendly and highly efficient green cars as a new growth engine.
"During my term in office, I will help empower Korea to emerge as one of the top four green car producing nations in the world,'' Lee said.
The address is in correspondence with his earlier comments at last month's G-8 summit in Toyako, Japan. Lee said South Korea will halve its carbon emissions by 2050 and also swore to launch a full-scale campaign to foster a low emission society.
The CEO-turned head of state also proposed a new regional organization of South Korea and its neighboring countries to jointly address the issue of global climate change.
Even though it is regarded a correct approach on the whole, several measures of late are actually heading counter to what he says. The skepticism comes basically from the fact Lee has constantly been in favor of quantitative growth, as implied in policies like ``747 growth plan'' and the grand canal project.
Recently, the Korea Energy Economics Institute predicted the whole energy consumption in 2030 will jump by 47 percent from now in a draft for a national energy plan, also raised the projected share of nuclear power to 41 percent, 15 percentage points up from now.