By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter
The pace of climate change has been faster in Korea than the rest of the world over the last decade, a state-run observatory said Thursday.
The Korea Global Atmosphere Watch Center (KGAWC), the nation's only climate change watchdog, said the density of carbon dioxide and other major greenhouse gases was higher here than elsewhere between 1999 and 2008.
``Rising greenhouse gases emitted at industrial complexes here and on the east coast of China are the main factors behind the increase,'' KGAWC Director Park Jeong-gyoo told The Korea Times. ``The situation is likely to worsen as more greenhouse gases would be generated not only internally but, from neighboring countries.''
Its forecast was based on a chronological analysis of seven major greenhouse gases affecting weather conditions, including CO2 and Methane (CH4) and CFCs.
According to the agency, the carbon dioxide density around the peninsula last year stood at 391.4 parts per million (ppm), compared with 370.7 ppm in 1999. But the global average has increased from 367.6 ppm in 1999 to 384.9 ppm in 2008. Korea outpaced the other countries in the emission growth of Methane and CFCs, a refrigerant widely used in many industries.
``CFCs are to be banned from 2010 in accordance with an international pact designed to prevent global warming,'' Park said. ``Therefore, we should map out concrete measures.''
According to the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), an international decision-making body established to provide information about climate change, should the current pace persist, the world's average temperature will increase by 6.4 degree Celsius by 2090, lifting sea level up 59 centimeters.
``If so, more than 300 million people around the country living alongside the seaside are expected to lose their homes due to rising sea levels and more than 10 percent of all species now existing will become extinct,'' the expert warned. ``We can avoid the man-made catastrophe if we cope with climate change in a wise and scientific way.''