Often found at theaters and museums, Kwon Mee-yoo has covered a wide range of cultural fields from K-pop and dramas to theater and fine art for over a decade. Now as K-Culture Desk editor, she tries to connect Korean culture with global readers through fresh perspectives.
Denmark to cooperate with three Gyeonggi cities on circular transition
From left, ICLEI Korea director Park Yeon-hee, Hanam Mayor Kim Sang-ho, Gwangmyeong Mayor Park Seung-won, Hwaseong Mayor Seo Cheol-mo, Danish Ambassador to Korea Einar Jensen, Global Knowledge Exchange and Development Center (GKEDC) head Oh Cheol-se and IKEA Korea market manager Martin Albrecht pose for a photo during the Circular City International Conference hosted by the Embassy of Denmark in Korea at GKEDC in Seoul, Jan. 24. Courtesy of the Embassy of Denmark in Korea
By Kwon Mee-yoo
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Denmark is a leading country in the circular economy concept, which refers to extending the life cycle of materials and products to achieve sustainability.
The Embassy of Denmark in Korea co-hosted a Circular City International Conference with three cities in Gyeonggi Province ― Gwangmyeong, Hanam and Hwaseong ― at the Global Knowledge Exchange and Development Center in Dongdaemun District, Seoul, Jan. 24, to seek and share innovative solutions for climate change crisis.
"It's an excellent starting point for the cities in Korea to take action on the circular transition and explore how this can lead to job creation and new waste reductions in the city," Jensen said during a meeting with Gwangmyeong Mayor Park Seung-won, Hanam Mayor Kim Sang-ho and Hwaseong Mayor Seo Cheol-mo ahead of the conference.
In Korea, 70 percent of population live in urban areas and over 80 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) is generated in cities. At the same time, cities are also aggregators of pollutants, taking up 50 percent of global waste production and 80 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. The ambassador emphasized the role of cities in circular transition.
"Cities, which are often major population centers, are also often the major polluters. That's why you can be key actors in the circular economy and transition... Cities in Denmark recognize the importance and potential of the circular economy. It's not just to save the environment. Research so far suggest that a circular economy can lead to the creation of new jobs, more entrepreneurial activities in areas such as remanufacturing, repair, logistics and services," Jensen said.
Danish Ambassador to Korea Einar Jensen, center, explains Denmark's circular economy strategies during a meeting with the mayors of Gwangmyeong, Hanam and Hwaseong ahead of the Circular City International Conference hosted by the Embassy of Denmark in Korea at the Global Knowledge Exchange and Development Center in Seoul, Jan. 24. Courtesy of Embassy of Denmark in Korea
Denmark launched the National Strategy for circular economy in 2018, which contains six main pillars ― design, consumption patterns, recycling of waste, secondary materials, biomass, and construction materials ― of circular economy transition.
"Denmark is taking a holistic approach. We're not just looking at how companies and industries can be cleaner in their manufacturing, but also how people's consumption patterns are formed and how it can be changed on a daily basis. We're looking at how cities and infrastructure can be better designed, where waste ends up and how it can be reduced and reused as a resource in our community,” the ambassador explained.
"Especially for Denmark, many companies strongly believe that going green is good business. If you go green and develop new solutions before other developers, you are out in the market, you create jobs and have a sustainable product. Starting early gives you a cutting edge and opportunity for the future. And Korea can do the same."
The conference was opened by the three mayors signing the Circular City Declaration, vowing to become a circular city network and cooperate internationally to achieve the goal.
In the first session, the cities of Copenhagen, Gwangmyeong, Hanam, and Hwaseong introduced their circular economy policies. Nanna Westerby from Copenhagen Municipality introduced the city's 29 circular principles and how they are implemented in construction and waste management.
Gwangmyeong City showcased its Gwangmyeong Upcycle Art Center as an example of recycling through cultural projects. The Hanam Climate Emergency Action Committee introduced civil society's effort in response to climate change in cooperation with the municipal government, while a Hwaseong City representative presented the city's circular economy model.
The second session centered on Korean and international circular economy cases. Park Yeon-hee, director of the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) ― Local Governments for Sustainability Korea, shared how local governments' networks cooperate on circular development.
Kim Hjerrild, head of Circular Economy at Denmark's Lifestyle & Design Cluster, presented Danish companies efforts to achieve a circular economy by re-using and recycling materials and products, while IKEA Korea market manager Martin Albrecht explained the furniture company's circular economy cases.
Danish Business Authority special advisor on circular economy Markus Bjerre introduced the Circular Innovation City Challenge, a global collaborative project among five cities ― New York City, Toronto, Amsterdam, Glasgow and Copenhagen ― to nurture circular economy startups with digital technologies.
“We hope this Circular City International Conference will play an important starting role in promoting public-private cooperation and a seeing shift in our collective socioeconomic behavior to help realize a climate neutral, flexible, and prosperous society,” said a representative from the Innovation Center at the Danish Embassy in Korea, which organized the conference.