Environmental Networking Platform for Children and Youth by SAMSUNG E&A
Stay connected with Eco-generation :
| Share 
| 
- Home >
- Our Actions >
- Ambassador report
4
Comments
Air Pollution in South Korea — Consequences and Policy Solutions |
|---|
|
by Soyeon Cho | 03-02-2019 17:13
|
|
Air pollution is one of the most prominent environmental issues today, with much discussion on its causes, consequences, and solutions. For South Korea in particular, the country’s rapid economic development over the last several decades has made the country the seventh-largest CO2 emitter from fuel consumption as of 2015, according to the International Energy Agency. However, the increase in consumption of fossil fuels such as petroleum and natural gas hasn’t been limited to carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. The industrial activities in factories and the rapid increase of cars in the country have worsened the country’s air quality (measured by indicators such as PM10 and PM2.5) to the point where the country scored 173rd out of 180 countries for air quality in the Environmental Performance Index in 2016. Because, since 2013, fine dust has been determined by cancer as a contributor to cancer, South Korean citizens fear that bad air quality may lead to illnesses like lung cancer in the long term. In addition, fine dust (defined as dust particles less than 10 micrometers in width, thus PM10) is known to increase the chances of skin rashes, cerebrovascular diseases, depression, dementia, and more. The smaller the particles are, the more dangerous they are in infiltrating parts of the body (Korea Herald). Additionally, some citizens also feel that much of the fine dust comes from the neighboring country China, but scientists say that, although the so-called yellow dust is influenced by winds from China, the main cause is the industrial activity in South Korea, given its own economic development. So what are the solutions to this issue? One policy that has been implemented in Korea (during times of poor air quality) is the license plate regulation. This regulation consists of having cars with license plates with odd or even last digits driving on even or odd numbered days, respectively. So far, it has been implemented on the cars of government officials during times of poor air quality, but the Ministry of the Environment plans to consider expanding this solution to a larger group of car owners. However, issues about the difficulty of catching cars not following the regulation need to be resolved in order for the solution to be better followed through by the citizens. Other solutions such as carbon taxes or carbon cap and trade schemes, which are aimed towards reducing the consumption of fossil fuels and thus the micro dust levels, could also be implemented to address air pollution in a national scale. Yet realistic, local solutions that we as youth can participate in could be to raise awareness about the magnitude of air pollution in South Korea. We can consider setting up air quality indicators and sharing daily air quality levels to people around us, which will add up as more people make choices (i.e. public transportation, reusable products) in their everyday lives to then use less fuel and help improve the air quality. Cho, Sophie. Waste-to-Energy Plant in Pangyo. Seongnam, 12 Dec. 2017. “CO2 Emissions Statistics.” International Energy Agency, International Energy Agency, 2016, www.iea.org/statistics/co2emissions/. “Environmental Performance Index, 2016 Release (1950 – 2016).” Environmental Performance Index Archives, Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy, 2016, sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/data/set/epi-environmental-performance-index-2016. Heo, Wan. “'Air Pollution Policy’ Impact of Even-Odd Car Policy.” Huffington Post Korea, Huffington Post Korea, 17 Jan. 2018, www.huffingtonpost.kr/2018/01/17/story_n_19020316.html. |
|
|
|
|
|
Previous : A new chance for the Chernobyl...
4 Comments
Hello Soyeon
'Yet realistic, local solutions that we as youth can participate in could be to raise awareness about the magnitude of air pollution'
Well pointed out that policies such as carbon taxes could enforce and monitor people to cut down air pollution, however, still, it is most important that individuals stay conscious of these environmental issues and do what one can do in their shoes!
Thanks for the report!
Posted 08-02-2019 17:55
Hello
Air pollution is one of the greatest problem causing respiratory system,
Thank you for your report
Posted 06-02-2019 22:21
Air Pollution is also a major threat to the global world. The air pollution is even increasing with the increasing in the industrialization. Air pollution has resulted into green house effect, climate change, acid rain and major impacts on the health of people due to breathing of bad air.
I remember the Odd Even Policy of the vehicle was implemented in Delhi India in past when the air quality had gone worst there. I am glad that the strong policy are being created in Korea to combat Air Pollution.
Thank you for your beautiful report Soyeon explaning the air pollution and its solution being implemented in Korea.
Keep Writing great reports.
I am eager to read your next.
Green Cheers from your fellow ambaasaor from Nepal :) :) :)
Posted 05-02-2019 11:56
Air pollution silently kills, toxic emissions create problems for many people. Thanks for the nice report
Posted 04-02-2019 00:28