The Korean Low Carbon Experience

Guest blog by Yoona Jo, Climate Change Director at the British High Commission, Singapore.

So many people write on climate change these days that I was puzzled when John asked me to contribute to his FCO blog.  What could I say that might be of interest for readers? But let me first introduce myself; my name is Yoona Jo and I work as Climate Change Director at the British High Commission in Singapore. However, I am not Singaporean, but Korean. Before coming to Singapore, I worked two and half years at the EU Delegation in Seoul on economic and climate change policies.

While I was attending a public lecture organized by the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore recently, whose guest speaker was former Korean Prime Minister Han SeungSoo, I realized that there is a lot of interest in Singapore – and indeed the rest of the world – in the Korean experience. This gives me an opportunity to contribute to this blog. 

In my view, a key factor in the evolution of national climate change policy in Korea was the country’s involvement in international organizations and initiatives, in particular the OECD and the G20. For instance, one reason behind Korea’s low carbon green growth initiative, that was announced a in 2008, was the belief of President Lee Myungbak that Korea had to accelerate its transition towards qualitative growth. However, Korea’s  G20 Presidency also  raised the country’s profile on the international stage, leading to increased attention on climate change policies. Korea has been also actively engaged in the UNFCCC process, for example, at COP 15 in Copenhagen Korea announced its plan to establish the Global Green Growth Institute in Korea – which made a presentation of its remit last month in Singapore.

I was involved in this area in a number of ways – for example, I organised several conferences and public events on the issue of climate change (including with the British Embassy in Seoul). It was very interesting work, given the fast moving policy environment. I believe a key factor was that the Korean authorities saw the potential of green growth for economic transformation, and their willingness to get Korea ready to catch future growth opportunities. I believe the Korean case could be an example for other countries too: demonstrating that a proactive climate change policy can raise a country’s international profile and result in closer economic ties with the UK and other European countries. Green technologies can be a growth engine.

After two months of contacts with Singaporeans on climate change, I see actually a growing interest in Korea’s low carbon green growth initiative and how it is being implemented. Looking at recent announcements in Singapore on more research and development money going to low carbon projects, it seems that there is also keen interest in the opportunities that Green Growth represents.  I intend to follow closely these developments.