By Jung Min-ho
Greenpeace challenged a common perception among Koreans that most air pollution comes from China, Wednesday, claiming that Korea is responsible for more than half of its particle-laden smog.
"Despite what is widely reported through the Korean media, from 50 to 70 percent of particle-laden smog, which is also known as PM2.5, is generated within the country," the environmental group said at a press conference in Seoul.
"Yet the Korean government irresponsibly passes the blame on to China without having any strategies to tackle the problem itself."
Greenpeace claim that the government has little understanding of PM2.5, which results in policies that will continue to increase pollution.
Greenpeace said that among all sources of air pollution, the nation's 53 coal power plants should be identified for action
"But the government plans to build 13 more coal plants by 2021, while 11 are under construction," Greenpeace said. "We wonder why the government remains passive in developing renewable energy sources."
Greenpeace states that Korea relies on coal plants for 39 percent of its energy production and is the fourth biggest coal importer in the world.
In cooperation with a research team of chemistry and environmental engineering at Harvard University, the NGO recently found that up to 1,600 Koreans die from health problems caused by coal plants annually.
The number is expected to reach 32,000 if all coal plants, including those planned for construction, are used for their full lifespan, Greenpeace noted.
Coal plants are known as one of the top sources of carbon dioxide emissions, the primary cause of global warming. Burning coal is also a leading cause of smog and acid rain.
As the general public increasingly realizes the environmental effects of coal plants, many developed countries are making efforts to reduce their number.
The United States proposed a rule last year to cut carbon dioxide emissions from existing coal plants by as much as 30 percent by 2030, compared with 2005 levels. In the European Union, up to one third of coal-fired capacity will be retired over the next 10 years.
"Given that the world is trying to reduce the number of coal plants, the situation in Korea is almost an anachronism," Son Min-woo, campaigner against climate change, said. "Solar energy generation is possible in most of Korea. The Korean government should be more active in developing renewable energy sources."
Lauri Myllyvirta, a Greenpeace official, added the country has "lots to do" to keep up with global trends.
"Korea stands out as the developed country with the biggest plans for new coal," he said. "Investment conditions for renewable energy are relatively poor."
The PM2.5 concentration in the air in Seoul is 25.5 g/m3, higher than other major cities abroad, including New York (13.9 g/m3), Paris (15 g/m3) and London (16 g/m3). It is also higher than the World Health Organization's quality guideline: 10 g/m3.
Yet Greenpeace did not deny that China is to blame for part (at least 30 percent) of the PM2.5-polluted air in Korea.
While Korea and Japan have claimed to suffer from pollutants from China's industrial centers, China has not admitted any responsibility.
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