Climate change is omnipresent: Nobody is safe from climate crisis

The Han River Park near Cheonho Bridge in Seoul is submerged due to heavy rain in this Aug. 6, 2020 photo. South Korea suffered from torrential rains in its capital and central regions at the time, with the first flood alert in nine years issued for areas near the river. Korea Times photo by Hong In-ki

This article is the last in a series on various environment problems, government countermeasures and expert opinions on how to solve them. ― ED.

Korea still left behind in efforts to slow down global warming

By Jun Ji-hye

An increasing number of people around the world have been suffering damage from abnormal weather conditions caused by climate change in recent years, such as torrential rain, scorching heat and droughts.

This summer, deadly floods devastated several European countries, including Germany, causing more than 200 deaths and widespread damage, while hundreds of people in the U.S.'s Pacific Northwest died due to unprecedented high temperatures.

In September, the remnants of Hurricane Ida caused flash flooding and a number of deaths in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut in the United States, leaving more than 150,000 homes without power.

Citing a research paper published Oct. 11 in the journal "Nature Climate Change," The Washington Post reported that at least 85 percent of the global population has experienced a variety of abnormal weather caused by changes in the climate.

"We have a huge evidence base now that documents how climate change is affecting our societies and our ecosystems," lead author Max Callaghan, a researcher at the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change in Germany, was quoted as saying. "Climate change is visible and noticeable almost everywhere in the world."

This graph from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change shows that the global surface temperature in 2020 has risen by more than 1 degree Celsius compared to the pre-industrialization period. However, it could have remained relatively unchanged if only natural factors had been applied without human intervention. Courtesy of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

In August, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warned that under all scenarios examined, the earth's temperature is likely to rise by 1.5 degrees Celsius within 20 years, compared to the pre-industrialization period (1850-1900).

The IPCC noted that the Earth has already seen a temperature rise of 1.09 degrees Celsius between 2011 and 2020 from pre-industrial levels.

Nearly 14,000 scientists also warned, at the end of July, against "untold suffering" facing humanity, if effective measures to tackle global warming are not taken immediately, jointly signing a new climate emergency paper published July 28 in the journal "BioScience."

In the paper, the authors suggested three policies: implementing a global carbon price to reduce emissions, banning fossil fuels, and protecting carbon-rich ecosystems such as forests.

South Korea has been no exception in experiencing abnormal climatic changes as the country suffered from heavy rain in the capital and central regions in summer last year, which caused a number of casualties and property damage, and scorching heat this summer.

On Oct. 16, unseasonable cold wave alerts were issued for most of the country, including Seoul, marking the first time in 17 years that such an alert has been issued for the capital in that month.

Rail officials spray water on railroads near Jochiwon Station in South Chungcheong Province, July 23, to prevent the track from buckling and warping amid the scorching heat. Korea Times photo by Bae Woo-han

Despite growing concerns over climate change both inside and outside the country, South Korea has ranked low in its response, according to an annual report ― the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) ― released by three international environmental research institutes: Germanwatch, the NewClimate Institute and the Climate Action Network.

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In the CCPI 2021 released Dec. 7, South Korea was still among the lowest-performing countries, ranking 53rd out of 61 countries, although it had climbed five positions from a year earlier.

"The country drops from a medium to a low rating in the renewable energy category, reflecting a very low current share of such energy," the report stated. "In line with the CCPI target analysis' findings, experts assessed the long-term renewable energy targets of a 20-percent share of the total energy mix by 2030 and 30 percent to 35 percent by 2040 as too unambitious."

In a bid to join international efforts to slow down climate change, President Moon Jae-in last year declared the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

Toward that end, the presidential committee on carbon neutrality finalized a decision, Oct. 18, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, or the country's nationally determined contribution (NDC), by 40 percent from 2018 levels by 2030.

The target of reducing carbon emissions was raised from the 26.3 percent set in 2020 and from 35 percent stated in a relevant bill passed at the National Assembly in August.

"The goal of reducing carbon emissions by 40 percent is a very challenging target and the maximum the country can do, which shows our strong willingness for carbon neutrality to the international community," Moon said during the committee meeting he presided over.

President Moon Jae-in speaks at a meeting of the presidential committee on carbon neutrality held on Nodeul Island, central Seoul, Oct. 18. Yonhap

The President will announce the country's upgraded NDC target at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26, which is taking place in Glasgow, Scotland, through Nov. 12.

The decision, however, has invited criticism from environmental organizations that claim the target is insufficient, considering international standards.

"The target decided by the government is very disappointing. To prevent the worst degree of climate change, we should immediately start reducing greenhouse gas emissions to significant levels and achieve at least a 50 percent reduction in 2030 from 2018 levels," said Jeong Sang-hoon, a climate and energy campaigner at Greenpeace Korea.

"If the government announces this target at COP26, it will face a cold reaction from international citizens. International investment institutions and global companies, which place importance on responses to climate change in their investment decisions, will also have doubts on the future of South Korea's economy."

For its part, the Korean Federation for Environmental Movements issued a statement, claiming the presidential committee made a too hasty decision in a bid to meet the COP26 schedule.

"The hasty decision will only result in damage for future generations. The government needs to reset the target and produce a detailed plan," it said.

A man looks at a car in flood waters, Sept. 2, after Hurricane Ida brought drenching rain, flash floods and tornadoes to parts of the U.S. Northeast in Mamaroneck, New York. Reuters-Yonhap

Activists and experts also stressed the need to enhance environment-related education at middle and high schools nationwide and to increase the number of teachers specializing in the environment, in a bid to help younger generations see the truth about the climate crisis.

The National Assembly passed a revision to the Fundamentals of Education Act, Aug. 31, establishing a new clause calling on central and local governments to draw up measures to offer climate and environmental education to all people. But the country still has a long way to go, they said.

Lee Jae-young, a professor at the Department of Environmental Education at Kongju National University, said environmental education has become a right to life for younger generations, as the climate crisis and environmental disasters have become reality.

"In a bid to create an environmentally sustainable society, we need to nurture a new type of citizen that has the willingness and ability to live with nature," Lee said.

He noted that multiple measures should be implemented simultaneously to resolve the shortage in environmental education, saying that placing an environmental studies teacher at each school should be prioritized.

"That measure will not be done in a short period of time, as the number of environmental studies teachers is far from sufficient at the moment. Thus, other measures should be implemented as well, including enhancing environmental training for all incumbent teachers as well as teacher aspirants at colleges of education," he said.

"Last but not least, a new curriculum encompassing science and the environment should be created with enhanced cooperation between science and environmental studies teachers."