[Thematic topic - carbon neutralityby Seyi Jang | 27-01-2022 22:23 |
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Carbon-neutral, this term was chosen as the word of the year by Oxford dictionaries in 2016. What is carbon neutrality and what are the actions taken in S. Korea in order to achieve carbon neutrality? Carbon neutrality, by definition, is the balance between emitting carbon and absorbing carbon emissions from carbon sink(systems that absorb more carbon than they emit). Carbon sink plays an enormous role when the earth is balancing its carbon emissions as it removes between 9.5 and 11 Gt of CO2 per year, elimination that can not be done by artificial methods. Although the most ideal way to survive from the climate crisis is when all companies and organizations generate zero-carbon emission, it is nearly impossible in reality where carbon emission is included in all manufacturing process from factories to IT companies. As a compromise plan, carbon neutrality came next, structured to be achievable for human to decrease the pain of the earth by the time the earth has given. South Korea became the 14th country in the world to legislate carbon neutrality act back in September 2021. The Carbon Neutrality Bill, officially addressed as Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth Act for the Climate Change, includes many routes and strategies that may have different process but result in a singular outcome, reduction of carbon emission. S. Korea is planning to achieve this by its biggest advantage, technology. By investing in green technology and green industry, the government will be able to cut its greenhouse gas emissions in 2030 by 35% or more from the 2018 levels. Its main purpose is to harmonize the development of economy and environment, which can improve the quality of the life of the citizens. There have been many debates and struggles while passing the bill. While the Business associations worried that new green policies would negatively affect the competitiveness of the country¡¯s major industries which heavily rely on the manufacturing sector which will naturally damage the economy, civic group expressed concerns that the target that the government has set is too low compared to the danger that the world face. The government tried to listen to all the feedbacks and the concerns of all associations which are effected by the new act, and now we are waiting for the policy to get into force in March 2022. The result of how this act will affect our society is unknown, but one thing that can be clearly said is that it will lead our life and our earth into a better way than the life we live now. for more information: https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsInfoP.do?lsiSeq=98467&viewCls=engLsInfoR&urlMode=engLsInfoR#0000 http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20210901000812
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