As the fear of global warming permeates little by little into our everyday lives, clustered effort between all nations around the world is expected to better tackle this encroaching threat.  Korea is not an exception, as we have planned to reduce the total emission of greenhouse gas nationwide by 30% compared with the BAU (Business as usual: meaning the amount of carbon emission a nation is expected to produce considering its status quo) by 2020.  Under these circumstances, a number of measures aimed at reducing the amount of carbon emission from individual households and enterprises have been implemented.  Among those measures, the "Carbon Footprint Labeling Certification" system, which allows companies to conduct voluntary reduction on carbon emission, certainly deserves some recognition.

"Carbon Footprint Labeling Certification" system, currently under the supervision of the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute (KEITI-government affiliated institute under the ministry of environment) calculates the amount of greenhouse gas produced during every process related to the product of service (production, circulation, usage, disposal...etc.), converses it into the amount of carbon-dioxide emission, and labels it on the product.  Its goal would be to promote green consumption under the lead of market through voluntary actions of enterprises.

The system consists of two levels of certification you could receive: The first level-Carbon emission certification, the second-Low carbon product certification.  Carbon emission certification certifies that the product corresponds to the seriousness of climate changes, while the low-carbon product certification suggests that low-carbon technology has been adopted regarding its production and successfully reduced the amount of greenhouse gas emission.

The first picture below is a mark for carbon emission certification, and it should clearly be labeled the amount of carbon dioxide produced during the serving period of the products.

The second picture is the low carbon product certification mark which not only lets the customers know the amount of carbon emission as the 1st level mark does, but also suggests that efforts have been made to reduce such amount in order to contribute to clean environment (The arrow on the image means the reduction of carbon emission).  The mark certifies that the product is eco-firendly: certainly should be a criteria with top-priority when pruchasing items.

The third picture is the representative character of the "Carbon Footprint Labeling Certification" program.

However, the case is that the general perception regarding these certification marks is still very poor and therefore not much of a stimulation of this whole project.  A number of promotional campaigns are currently in progress, especially the distribution of "green cards" which are intended to allow consumers to stack up points whenever they pruchase these low-carbon items (just like how we have the point system now!).  It is something very certain and urgent that we need to attract consumers and draw interests from enterprises to participate in this event.