On February 1, the Ministry of Environment (Minister Han Jeong-ae) announced the work plan of the Ministry of Environment for 2021 under the vision of’the achievements experienced by the people, carbon neutrality preparing for the future’. The Ministry of Environment has set up three major areas: △Laying the foundation for carbon neutral implementation △creating sensible results for the Green New Deal, △establishing an environmental security network for people’s safety, and set up ten tasks for this.
Laying the foundation for carbon neutrality in all sectors
To lay the foundation for a carbon neutral implementation, the Ministry of Environment presented tasks such as △building a carbon-neutral implementation system, △leading the reduction of greenhouse gases by sector, such as transition to a non-plastic society, △ enhancing the ability to adapt to climate change in all sectors of society.
A reduction scenario for carbon neutrality in 2050 will be prepared, an implementation check and evaluation system will be established, while the 2030 greenhouse gas reduction target (NDC) will be raised. In addition, it plans to strengthen the institutional foundation for carbon neutrality, such as creating a climate response fund in cooperation with related ministries and promoting the establishment of a comprehensive carbon research center (tentative name).
In addition, it plans to lead the reduction of greenhouse gases by sector, such as the transition to a plastic society. Through preliminary examinations for over-packaging, the waste sector is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 19% compared to 2017 by reducing the use of disposable items and packaging, making transparent materials for PET bottles mandatory, and promoting the use of recycled raw materials.
In particular, it will promote the reduction of internal combustion locomotives by realizing the era of popularization of future vehicles such as electric and hydrogen vehicles, and expanding early scrapping of old diesel vehicles.
Strengthen the ability to adapt to climate change (climate elasticity) in all sectors of society. Adaptation will be mainstreamed by establishing a system to check the implementation of climate change adaptation measures, and by establishing a climate change impact assessment procedure for planning, financial and development projects.
In addition, a natural flood reduction facility, such as a riverside detention center, will be established to establish a flood prevention and response system for the climate crisis and promptly relieve flood damage in 2020. The risk management of ecosystems according to climate change is also planned to be strengthened, such as establishing a database on outbreaks of large organisms (such as gypsy moths).
Green New Deal, maximizing public sentiment
In order to create sensible results for the Green New Deal, the Ministry of Environment set detailed tasks such as △promoting the era of popularization of future cars, △creating 30,000 green jobs, △strengthening the ability to implement the Green New Deal, and expanding the Green New Deal to spread the results.
The Ministry of Environment is planning to achieve the era of 300,000 future cars within this year and establish more than 30,000 electric chargers and more than 100 hydrogen charging stations.
In terms of demand, more than 80% of new vehicles from public institutions are to be purchased as future cars, and private companies are encouraged to voluntarily participate in the K-EV100 project to convert 100% of their vehicles to future cars by 2030.
On the supply side, the goal of supplying low-emission vehicles such as electricity, hydrogen, and hybrids by automakers will be increased from 15% in 2020 to 18% in 2021, promoting the industry’s transition to future cars.
In addition, the Ministry of Environment will strategically deploy chargers by establishing and utilizing an optimal location system to solve the inconvenient charging of electric vehicles, and expand ultra-fast chargers that are three times faster than before.
In addition, for the expansion of hydrogen charging stations, a nationwide deployment plan will be established, special permits and permits, and fuel cost support will be promoted.
In order to create 30,000 green jobs, we plan to support green companies with carbon-neutral technology, prepare five green convergence cluster strategies as a regional base for green industry development, and focus on supporting green promising companies from market development to overseas expansion.
Establish a’carbon-neutral green technology development strategy’ and promote 10 R&D projects in five areas including △energy conversion △reduction △absorption △substitute △base technology. Smart technology (ICT/AI)-based water and sewage management is also planned to begin operating in earnest.
In order to reinforce the ability to implement the Green New Deal and spread the results, we will also promote the expansion of the Green New Deal to local and international communities. To this end, the smart green city project will be promoted in earnest, standard cases will be established and distributed, and local governments will expand the declaration of carbon neutrality to all local governments.
In addition, with the Green Growth Partnership (P4G) Summit, the first summit held by Korea after Corona 19, the Green New Deal in the international community has led the Green New Deal and carbon-neutral international solidarity while strengthening Green Public Development Assistance (ODA). It is a plan to demonstrate leadership.
Establishment of public safety environment safety net such as fine dust and waste
The Ministry of Environment has set detailed tasks such as △continue improvement of fine dust △reinforcement of integrated material management and nature-based environmental services △implementation of waste management that people can rest assured △establishment of a Korean-style environmental health and safety net in order to establish a public safety environmental safety net.
We will smoothly implement core reduction policies for each of the four sectors, and promote air pollutant reduction technical support and financial support for facilities such as cement kilns and gas air conditioners (GHP) that have been under management.
In addition, it strengthens the scientific basis of the fine dust policy, such as the advancement of the three-dimensional fine dust monitoring system (satellite-air-ground observation network), and discovers and implements regional-specific measures through regional cause diagnosis.
In addition, international cooperation will be strengthened by continuously implementing the Korea-China clearing plan and jointly publicizing the achievements of fine dust reduction between Korea and China.
The Ministry of Environment will determine the Nakdong River integrated water management plan within this year to resolve the water use conflict between regions, establish a comprehensive plan for natural restoration of the Geum and Youngsan Rivers, and promote the restoration of the river’s natural nature by improving the structure across the river.
The management of wild animal-borne diseases is also enhanced by strengthening the management system for the entire process of wild animals such as import, distribution, and sales of wild animals, and establishing’Wild Boar Afkyra Swine Fever Countermeasure 2.0′ that tailors responses according to regional spread risk analysis.
The Ministry of Environment will implement waste management that is safe for the public by preemptively responding to waste management threats that are likely to expand due to Corona 19 and economic recession.
To this end, the public responsibility collection and price linkage system is obligated to prevent the collection of recycled waste from being stopped, strengthening surveillance to prevent incineration facilities from being saturated due to the rapid increase in Corona 19 medical waste, and implementing an emergency response plan in case of emergency.
It also prevents additional illegal and neglected waste, such as obligating recycling companies to install closed-circuit televisions and install location information systems on transport vehicles. By 2026, we will reduce the amount of landfills brought into the metropolitan area by 60%, and also promote the resolution of problems with the metropolitan area reclamation site, such as public offering of alternative landfill sites.
The Ministry of Environment establishes a Korean-style environmental health and safety network through prevention and relief of environmental pollution damage and conversion to a green chemical society.
We will strengthen tangible services such as support for litigation for victims of humidifier disinfectants and health monitoring, and expand the scope of environmental pollution damage relief to household chemical products that were not included in the past.
In particular, it plans to strengthen the safety management of chemical substances by pursuing a voluntary agreement to disclose all components of household chemical products, and to lay the foundation for converting to a carbon emission reduction green chemical management system.
Minister Han Jeong-ae said, “2021 will be the first year of the carbon neutral transition,” he said. “The Ministry of Environment will lead the way to lay the foundation for carbon neutrality in 2050 and create sensible results for the Green New Deal.