By: Abraham Sumalinog
Latest Climate Change Issues in Korea
A sounding almost ninety percent of climate
scientists agreed that climate change is indeed happening. The consensus of
climate change's truth and its adverse impacts do not take sides as it is being
experienced by all people globally but in varying degrees. In South Korea, the
most apparent impacts of climate change are the erratic changes in weather
conditions,[1] including
the unusual torrential rains and stronger storms, rising temperature and heatwaves,
a regional adaptation of plants and fruit trees, dryer season that intensify
forest fires, rising seawater levels, and water shortage, among other obvious
signs.
The untimely climate change crisis is due
to the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG[2]).
Among those gases, carbon dioxide contributes an immense amount to the greenhouse
effects, mainly caused by anthropogenic activities. We, human beings, are the
culprits responsible for the devastating impacts of climate change through our
daily activities called carbon footprints. Massive emissions of carbon dioxide come
from industry (factories, farms and land use, animals), energy (e.g., coal and
nuclear plants), commercial and residential, agriculture, land use, and
forestry.[3]
Overuse of fossil resources for fuels
(e.g., crude oil, coal), depletion of carbon sinks (e.g., rainforests, lakes,
rivers, marshlands), waste and pollutions, and global devastation of land and the sea makes it impossible for the Earth to absorb the massive amount of anthropogenic
gas emissions.
Victims of climate change
In Korea, most of the directly affected
groups are farmers, fisherfolks and marine farmers, and residents (and
businesses) living nearby the sea and mountainsides. Farmers living out of planting
fruit trees claim their products are dwindling due to changes in regional
temperature and weather conditions. Aside from the lesser harvest of fruit and
vegetable products, the farms suffer from heavy torrential rains and floods[4],
storms, and other related erratic harsh weather conditions. Also, the supply of
water resources is getting less.
Fisherfolks could no longer catch their
usual seafood products in the same sea territories because the water
temperature is changing (warmer). The warming seawater affects the marine
ecology driving away native fish to other areas or welcomes tropical fish
species (e.g., trumpet fish). Fishponds cannot anymore raise the usual fish
because they are affected by destructive storms, and rising water temperature reduces
oxygen contents.
As seen during the recent storms that ravage
the country, residents living nearby the sea and mountainsides suffer the surge
of sea waves, flooding, and landslides. Such unusual events caused damages to
houses, shops, fishing boats, residential areas, businesses, and public
structures, among other infrastructures. Besides, research sources reported
that the South Korean seawater level keeps rising, affecting around three
million people and infrastructures, including the new Incheon international
airport, power plants, among others. The highest level is occurring on Jeju
Island's surrounding seawater.[5]
Impacts of climate change to Korea and
worldwide
Since South Korea has a big economy and
enough capacity to adapt, it could adjust and adapt to the impacts of climate
change. Other developed countries can do likewise in varying degrees. Building
seawalls, sturdy houses and other infrastructures, and advanced emergency
response agencies and technology can help the country adapt and reduce risks
and damages.
However, most developing countries,
emerging economies, and especially the small island states and countries would
suffer the most the brunt of climate change. Many small islands (Tonga, The
Maldives, etc.) will eventually sink, and low-lying lands and cities (most
areas in Bangladesh, Miami, etc.) will be underwater in the next twenty years
and beyond.
Worldwide, regions and countries will
experience extreme heatwaves, pestilence, expansion of deserts, land and
territorial conflicts, widened environmental devastation, melting of icebergs
and ice sheets, erratic weather changes, and more related impacts of climate
change.[6]
Transparency International's response to
climate issues
Part of Transparency International's (TI) program
is on climate governance integrity. At present, there are eight TI Chapters,
including TI Korea, that are actively engaging in climate-related integrity and
corruption issues. Fundamentally, we are involved in various activities and
programs, including climate governance policy monitoring, climate projects
monitoring, recommending and providing transparency and anti-corruption
proposals and inputs for institutions such as climate change funding
institutions (e.g., Green Climate Fund, Climate Investment Funds, Environmental
Fund).
Our activities and programs are not precisely on environmental and climate change per se, but the integrity and transparency issues related to the environment and climate. By pushing and promoting transparency and anti-corruption actions at various levels in institutions and society, environmental and climate actions will undoubtedly achieve their intentions making developing nations adapt to the impacts and mitigate carbon emissions. To strengthen our efforts and expand our activities, we are working with various stakeholders, including agencies, officials, activities, organizations, civil society groups, and individuals dedicated to promoting climate governance integrity actions.
Does art help?
Art is as old as human civilization, and our early ancestors us
arts (e.g., cave paintings) to tell stories and messages that everyone can
understand regarding their present circumstances. Similarly, we use arts (such
as paintings and sketches) to convey messages and symbols that are quite different
from slogans.
Perceiving
art demands attention, and processing art requires parts of the brain that are
not usually accessed by typical communications about climate change. Art
typically uses novel metaphors, analogies, or narratives, which climate
communication generally lacks. Art can also provide people with visualizations
of the problem and give them a personal experience with the subject matter,
which is especially essential regarding climate change as many people still see
it as an abstract issue that poses no direct threat. Art may also help establish
a group identity and give people a sense of being supported in their efforts to
help combat climate change.
Through artwork pieces, Korean civil society will be encouraged to help them push the government to establish climate finance anti-corruption policies and identify areas of policy strengthening and develop an action plan for reforms.
Messages of "Narcissus" and "Smoking"
The messages symbolized by "Narcissus"
and "Smoking" pastel paintings are straightforward that viewers can
readily perceive and understand. The 'Narcissus' painting depicts the
destructive, selfish, and inward-looking attitude of individuals, authorities,
or people with entrusted power but who use their status and position to abuse
or steal public and private resources for personal or political gains. Almost
similar messages can be gained from the "Smoking" pastel painting.
'Narcissus' and 'Smoking' represent a
mindset that resources are unlimited and that we can disrespect nature by
thoughtlessly using them. 'Narcissus' art depicts a self-absorbed individual
(e.g., leader, CEO), while 'Smoking' art refers to a group of people or
corporate greed. Both artworks fully portray humans' present activities that
caused the devastating effects on Earth's ecology and all creatures brought
about by climate change.
Narcissus and Smoking are types of people
who harm not only nature but also innocent people who understand that we all
depend on nature's giftedness. Both groups of people see nature as profits and
self-gratification means. This mindset comes from the misunderstanding that
'men' are more valuable and superior to nature. However, nature proves that we
are wrong through the consequences of our 'narcissistic' actions.
We use natural resources, ironically, not
for our well-being but for our self-gratification and self-destructive
cravings. Therefore, we should realize and understand now that limiting our
exploitation of natural resources is life-giving. Putting 'limits' is
life-giving. Not all resources should be exploited rampantly. Natural resources
are not unlimited as the business world is trying to brainwash people.
Selfishness and greed, more often than not, come with corrupt activities. The
unscrupulous individuals and companies are often profit-oriented. They do
anything to achieve unlimited gains that are not only unjust to their workers
but also eventually destroy the integrity of the environment and society.
We are free to use natural resources with responsibility: to be ethical, moral, and be concerned for others by not harming them. The COVID-19 pandemic has proven that nature has limits and that humans should realize by now that putting limits to our consumption is life-giving and even freeing.
Transparency and integrity are necessary
practices to ensure that every responsible entity (e.g., companies) holds to
account their activities and actions. Selfishness and greed, more often than
not, come with corrupt activities.
Most corrupt people and entities believe
that resources are unlimited. For that reason, they are doomed to fail, not
alone but dragging down the society that supports them or not taking actions to
remedy the corrupt practices.
Challenges and Hopes
Generally, the most challenging overarching
aspect in facing the issues brought about by climate change is politics
involved in the matter in Korea and globally. Specifically, Korean society faces
significant energy transition challenges, waste disposal, environment, climate
policies, political will, and environmental/climate projects integrity.
The transition from fossil energy to
renewable energy use is still the topmost challenge for the Korean government
to fulfill its commitment to the Paris Agreement (PA) by reducing its gas
emissions as outlined on its nationally determined contributions. To fulfill
that PA commitment, the nation should establish more robust "green"
policies and guidelines that pull together leaders, financial institutions,
private sectors, and businesses to draw up concrete adaptation and mitigation policies.
Such policies should lead to creating infrastructures and projects that will be
implemented and governed with integrity and transparency.
On the other hand, Korean society is
becoming more aware of climate change and its devastating impacts on everything.
However, others are not convinced yet or lack knowledge, or find the issue
still abstract as it does not affect them directly yet. However, there are
various signs and concrete proofs of hope that society will adapt and establish
the instruments for a safer environment. For example, the present
government is exerting efforts to promote clean energy resources and create
jobs via the establishment of industries that produce renewable energy
technologies.
In addition, Korean society and its vibrant
civil society organizations are pushing not only the policymakers but also all
sectors in society to 'act now' to prevent further environmental disasters and
health risks being brought about by climate change.
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