Specter of climate suicide

Time for Korea to become climate champion

By Kim Won-soo

Climate change is no longer the right nomenclature. Now a seemingly irreversible climate crisis is unfolding globally. Everywhere across the planet, we are witnessing increasingly ominous signs of the very crisis we created.

On July 3, the daily global average temperature reached 17.1 degrees Celsius, making it the hottest day on Earth in about 125,000 years. This also means we passed the 1.5-degree threshold for the first time since the pre-industrial age. Scientists have long considered it the tipping point for the onset of irreversible climate catastrophes. Since July 3, the daily average temperature crossed the 1.5-degree threshold three times and the month of July was recorded as the hottest ever. Once El Nino arrives in the Pacific, the Earth will become even hotter in the months and years that follow. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently insisted the term "global warming" should now be replaced with "global boiling."

Global boiling will cause unpredictable ripple effects that will spread exponentially on multiple fronts, creating a vicious cycle of mutually reinforcing disasters. A recent study by the Earth Commission shows that seven out of eight key indicators of climate change have already moved into the danger zone.

One of the most devastating consequences of global boiling would be the collapse of Atlantic Ocean currents. A study by a Copenhagen University research team found that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) could collapse around the middle of the 21st century, even as early as 2025. If this happens, Europe and North America will be frozen as depicted bleakly in the movie "The Day After Tomorrow" (2004). Scientists still disagree on the exact timing of the tipping point, but they agree that the study warns of a dangerous trend and warrants further research.

Melting glaciers in Greenland and Antarctica also mean rising sea levels. Many island countries in the South Pacific and the Indian Ocean as well as major coastal cities across the globe remain vulnerable to the dangers of serious flooding and eventual erasure from the map.

These threats are vivid reminders to world leaders of the need to take worldwide joint action here and now. Time is running out. But unfortunately, the Paris Climate Agreement of 2015 fell short of bringing forth real action from the international community on curbing greenhouse gas emissions. Implementation of climate pledges is left entirely up to national decision-makers without any credible monitoring or enforcement mechanisms. Furthermore, no country has shown the leadership necessary to pool resources and propel action on a global scale. Any further delay in global action will likely lead to a form of collective suicide by the whole of humanity.

The unfortunate disparities between the spiking climate risks and the action needed to mitigate them are caused by two structural injustices inherent in the national policy debate. The first is the injustice existing between those responsible for and those vulnerable to climate risks. Historically speaking, advanced countries must take responsibility for most of the greenhouse gases produced as poor island countries end up experiencing the brunt of climate disasters.

Even at national or local levels, the poor have emitted far less than the rich while suffering much more from the consequences. The second injustice is inter-generational. Younger generations have far greater stakes in the sustainable future of our natural ecosystem than older ones whereas their relative political power is seriously constrained. Most countries do not allow those under 18 to vote, let alone those not yet born. This inter-generational injustice is prevalent in democracies as well as authoritarian countries. Few political leaders in democracies care about what may happen after they leave office. They tend to make policy decisions that they have no intention of implementing other than paying lip service. Difficult tasks are left for future generations to carry out.

Regrettably, Korea is no exception to these twin climate injustices. Past Korean presidents made lofty pledges to curb emissions, but in the end, they all turned out to be empty words, with some making the situation even worse. As a result, Korea is now the fourth worst emitter among the sixty countries that account for 90 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. It was even listed as one of the four major climate villains in 2016 by an international climate monitoring group. According to some studies, the concentration of greenhouse gases above the Korean peninsula is much higher than the global average.

The time has come for Korea to make decisive changes to its climate policy. They are needed not only for Korea's self-interest in mitigating fast-rising climate risks but also for its international reputation. Championing the climate cause will help Korea move one step closer to its aspirations to become a global pivotal state.

Kim Won-soo (wsk4321@gmail.com) is the former under-secretary-general of the United Nations and a high representative for disarmament. He is a chair professor at Kyung Hee University.