S. Korea suggest 'Green New Deal' as a key to overcome economy crisis induced COVID 19
Arirang News
2020-06-10
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코로나 위기 속 되찾은 푸른 하늘, ’한국형 그린뉴딜’에 탄소배출 중립 달성 구체화해야
No war, no recession, no pandemic ever before has had such a dramatic impact on carbon dioxide emissions as COVID-19 has had in a few short months.
To hold on to some of the benefits of the cutdown in CO2 emissions... while also helping the economy recover, countries including South Korea are speeding up their transition to green growth.
Choi Jeong-yoon reports.
The usually smoggy skies of Beijing are now clear and blue.
Because of the COVID-19 lockdowns, the world is expected to use 6 percent less energy this year a reduction equivalent to the entire energy demand of India.
And as governments reopen their economies, experts say they can turn crisis into opportunity... by keeping emissions down.
"We need to have a different model of economic growth, we call it a green growth. economic growth but with green jobs, green growth with more sustainability and more socially inclusive."
In South Korea, the main source of energy is coal, which has an obvious potential for change under the country's 'Green New Deal.' And the economic trade-off might not be as big as some think.
"In Korea, there was this tendency to consider whatever the action for environment would be taken at the expense of the economy. However the idea of Green New Deal is that you can take care of the environment and fight against the climate change."
The 'Green New Deal' would make public buildings more energy efficient.
It would boost renewable energy,... build low-carbon industrial complexes... and gradually eliminate modes of transportation that emit C-O-2. This is also expected to create 133-thousand jobs.
But there are calls from some European countries... and NGOs... for South Korea to do more.
They point out that the country has not yet laid out so-called net-zero targets meaning total decarbonization in various sectors by 2050.
"So far, eleven countries and the EU have proposed legislation or put into law targets to become carbon-neutral. Should South Korea follow suit, it will become the first country in Asia to put in place net-zero targets.
Choi Jeong-yoon, Arirang News."
No war, no recession, no pandemic ever before has had such a dramatic impact on carbon dioxide emissions as COVID-19 has had in a few short months.
To hold on to some of the benefits of the cutdown in CO2 emissions... while also helping the economy recover, countries including South Korea are speeding up their transition to green growth.
Choi Jeong-yoon reports.
The usually smoggy skies of Beijing are now clear and blue.
Because of the COVID-19 lockdowns, the world is expected to use 6 percent less energy this year a reduction equivalent to the entire energy demand of India.
And as governments reopen their economies, experts say they can turn crisis into opportunity... by keeping emissions down.
"We need to have a different model of economic growth, we call it a green growth. economic growth but with green jobs, green growth with more sustainability and more socially inclusive."
In South Korea, the main source of energy is coal, which has an obvious potential for change under the country's 'Green New Deal.' And the economic trade-off might not be as big as some think.
"In Korea, there was this tendency to consider whatever the action for environment would be taken at the expense of the economy. However the idea of Green New Deal is that you can take care of the environment and fight against the climate change."
The 'Green New Deal' would make public buildings more energy efficient.
It would boost renewable energy,... build low-carbon industrial complexes... and gradually eliminate modes of transportation that emit C-O-2. This is also expected to create 133-thousand jobs.
But there are calls from some European countries... and NGOs... for South Korea to do more.
They point out that the country has not yet laid out so-called net-zero targets meaning total decarbonization in various sectors by 2050.
"So far, eleven countries and the EU have proposed legislation or put into law targets to become carbon-neutral. Should South Korea follow suit, it will become the first country in Asia to put in place net-zero targets.
Choi Jeong-yoon, Arirang News."
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