As the international community tries to tackle climate change and work toward a low-carbon future,... it seems the world's largest economies aren't pulling their weight.
A report released by a global climate watchdog shows.... South Korea and a number of other advanced countries need to take stronger action.
Oh Soo-young tells us more. South Korea needs to take bolder measures to keep up with global efforts to tackle climate change.
That's according to the annual Brown to Green report,... which compares the climate actions and policies of G20 countries,... in working toward the targets laid out in the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.
Among the world's largest economies,... people in South Korean were found to use two-point-four times more energy than the G20 average,... and double the country's usage rate in 1990.
The report warned the current policies, or nationally determined contributions (NDCs) of countries like South Korea, could lead to damaging results.
It says the global average temperature is on track to rise by three to four degrees,... far higher than the envisioned 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels as set out under the Paris accord.
Noting South Korea had revised its greenhouse gas emission plan, but not its emissions target for 2030,... the report stressed that Seoul needs more stringent policies to reduce emissions,... as well as a specific plan to phase out coal.
It isn't only South Korea that needs to take stronger action.
The report says none of the G20 countries have adequate targets that would halve global emissions by 2030,... which is required to meet the Paris targets.
While some countries like Argentina and India have ramped up efforts to cut their carbon emissions since the accord,...
energy-related emissions from 15 countries increased again in 2017,... with 82 percent of the G20's energy supply coming from fossil fuels.
It stressed the 1.5 degrees temperature limit calls for a rapid reduction of coal usage from the power sector,... as well as the use of oil and natural gas by the year 2050.
The report says South Korea, the UK and Japan, in particular, need stronger policy efforts.
It adds that such countries also need more active social dialogue and action to help affected industries and communities transition to a low-carbon, and energy efficient future.
Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.