By Kwon Mee-yoo
Staff Reporter

Gwangyang in South Jeolla Province emitted the highest amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) among local entities excluding five "special or large" cities and provinces. Gwangyang is home to POSCO, the world's fourth largest steelmaker.

The National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER) measured CO2 of local entities, with Gwangyang topping the list of 248 areas studied with 36.5 million tons of CO2 released in 2006. Industrial emissions in Gwangyang took up 97 percent of the total.

Pohang, home to POSCO's main plant, was second with 33.3 million tons.

The sum of the emission amounts of the two cities exceeds that of Seoul and makes up 12 percent of the nation's total.

The Gwangyang branch of Korea Headquarters of Environmental Movement (KHEM) said POSCO consumes a great deal of coal, which is to blame for the high concentration of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere.

"Reducing CO2 emissions by turning to low-carbon energy sources is now a necessity, not an option," said a representative of KHEM. "The POSCO plant in Gwangyang has emitted greenhouse gas and other air-polluting materials for some 20 years - it has not fulfilled its environmental responsibility."

The non-government organization demanded POSCO show how hard it has tried to reduce CO2 emissions, if it has done so at all.

Lee Yoo-Jin, an activist of the non-profit environmental civic group Green Korea United, criticized the government for turning a blind eye to its responsibility in CO2 reduction, fearing adverse effects on industry.

"This is unethical and violates the U.N. Principles of Climate Justice which states the responsibility is in proportion to the amount of greenhouse gas emissions," Lee said.

The government plans to cut greenhouse gas by 4 percent by 2020 from 2005 levels.

The Ministry of Environment estimated greenhouse gas emissions by region and industrial field as preliminary data to establish reduction plans.

The move comes ahead of UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark from Dec. 7 to 18, which has the goal of preparing a framework to replace Kyoto Protocol for a sounder environment.

meeyoo@koreatimes.co.kr