[Green Growth:Korea`s New Strategy (34)]Young, new forests can mop up carbon emissions

The following is the 34th in a series of articles focusing on the Korean government`s "green growth" strategy. The series will also introduce the increasing efforts of major advanced countries of the world to promote a green economy. -- Ed.



Indisputably, climatic changes have emerged as one of the core issues of the global village. Leading scientists, politicians and futurists the world over warn that diverse solutions for this dilemma must be sought.

Climatic changes, including global warming, have been caused by an increase in emissions of greenhouse gases amid rapid industrialization and damage to the natural environment. The environmental crisis caused by climatic changes includes changes in the ecosystem, destruction of species and an increase in natural disasters.

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In an effort to cope with the crisis, the international community launched the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Kyoto Protocol of the UNFCCC took effect on Feb. 16, 2005, and committed industrialized countries to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases by an average of 5.2 percent during the first commitment period (2008-2012). South Korea was classified as a developing country, during the first commitment period, and thus shouldered no obligation for reduction of greenhouse gases. However, in the second commitment period (2012-2016), the country has to fulfill the obligation befitting its status as an advanced developing country.

Under such circumstances, the South Korean government has been expending great effort toward setting up the relevant national policies, such as establishing the Basic Act on Low-Carbon, Green Growth. The Korea Forest Service is also pushing ahead with policies in step with the government and the current flow in the international community.



Impact of climatic changes



Forests account for about a third of the Earth`s land surface. They not only have an impact on global warming but are seriously affected by it themselves. According to the fourth report released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2007, disturbance factors, such as forest fires, torrential rain or damage by blight and harmful insects, changes in the way land is used, pollution and excessive exploitation of natural resources, along with climatic changes, are interacting with each other in a very complicated way.

These interactions are to such an extent that they will surpass the speed of recovery of the ecological system. It estimates that a rise of 1.5-2.5 degrees Celsius in temperature will put 20-30 percent of species in danger of becoming extinct; that the rise in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is causing a palpable change in the structure and function of the ecological system and in interaction between species and their geographical distribution; and that the increase in the cases of forest fire, landslide, blight and harmful insects is causing a considerable weakening of the ecological system`s recovery.

Other examples of the impact of climatic changes include: shrinkage of the North Polar ice cap, a rise in sea level, inundation of island coastal areas, the expansion of desert areas and the occurrence of large-scale forest fires.

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The Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change, released in October 2006, said that hundreds of millions of people would die due to shortage of food, lack of water, and floods, unless steps were taken immediately across the globe to prevent global warming. It also said that "one percent of global GDP per annum is required to be invested, in order to avoid the worst effects of climate change, and that failure to do so could result in global GDP plummeting to 20 percent lower than it otherwise might be.

Our actions over the coming few decades will have a major impact on the rest of this century and the next. Major disruptions to economic and social activities may be incurred, on a scale similar to those associated with the great wars and the economic depression of the first half of the 20th century, if we do not take heed of the warnings and act now."

As for South Korea, it is expected that a rise of 2 degrees Celsius in average temperature would cause trees growing in the warm temperate zone, like camellia, to expand their growth into the central part of the country. A rise of 4 degrees Celsius would cause most of South Korea to turn into a warm-temperate forest, with southern coastal areas turning into subtropical forests, according to research carried out by the Korea Forest Research Institute. A rapid change in climate is highly likely to cause many forest species, particularly Korean firs and spruces in the upper reaches of mountains, to become extinct due to their inability to adapt.

An increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and precipitation caused by a rise in temperature normally lengthens the growth period of plants and enhances the efficiency of their use of moisture, thus enhancing the productivity of forests and increasing the volume of carbon stored in the forest ecosystem. However, continued global warming speeds up the decomposition of soil and forest organic matter, which leads to increased carbon emissions in forests.

The different competitiveness between types of trees causes a change in the structure of the plant community and disturbance of the ecosystem, despite an increase in the plant`s growth speed.

Global warming also causes meteorological disasters, such as localized torrential rains. In South Korea, recently, there have been many landslides caused by typhoons, such as Lusa in 2002, Maemi in 2003 and Ewiniar in 2007. Examples of large-scale forest fires caused by a long spell of dry weather or irregular seasonal winds include: the fire that burned 23,000 hectares on the East Coast in 2000, the one that devastated 3,000 hectares in Cheongyang and Yesan, South Chungcheong Province, in 2002, and the fire that destroyed 1,000 hectares in Yangyang, Gangwon Province, in 2005.

Unseasonably high temperatures also result in increases in cases of damages due to blight and harmful insects normally found in subtropical zones. The areas affected by blight and harmful insects are on the increase: from 254,000 hectares in 2003 to 390,000 hectares in 2006. The abnormally high temperatures and long spells of dry weather currently affecting the Korean peninsula are also caused by climatic changes.



Potential of forests



The forest ecosystem, which accounts for a third of the Earth`s land surface, plays a pivotal role in the Earth`s carbon cycle. The world`s forests store the carbon dioxide they absorb through photosynthesis and release oxygen to the atmosphere. Forests store about 80 percent of carbon generated by the land ecosystem. Moreover, forests fine-tune the climate through photosynthesis and transpiration and mitigate abrupt changes in the weather, thus helping to sustain a stable environment for humans and wildlife.

In addition to contributing to the Earth`s carbon cycle and climate system, forests can be a carbon dioxide sink or a source of carbon dioxide emissions, depending on how humans manage them. A young forest, composed of growing trees, absorbs carbon dioxide and acts as a sink. Forest fires release absorbed carbon back into the atmosphere, as does deforestation, due to the rapid decomposition of organic matter in the soil.

According to the fourth report released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2007, forests account for 17.4 percent of the world`s greenhouse gas emissions, due to the destruction of rainforests in Brazil and Indonesia, showing that forests can act as a source of carbon dioxide emissions. As for South Korea, 6.3 percent of greenhouse gas emissions -- 591 million tons -- were absorbed by forests in 2005.

Biomass, which refers to living and recently dead biological material that can be used as fuel or for industrial production, has become the focus of attention as a renewable energy source suitable for South Korea, a country where mountains and forests occupy a high percentage of its small land mass - once which has little natural resources.

The United Nations regards the use of such biomass as an energy source as causing no significant greenhouse gas emissions because of the "carbon-neutral" characteristics of woody biomass. The carbon dioxide generated by the combustion of woody biomass is considered offset by the growth of new biomass. Thus, it is necessary to use carbon-neutral bio-energy proactively, instead of fossil fuels, to cope with climatic changes and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Recently, proactive efforts have been initiated in industrialized countries, including the United States and Canada, to develop highly efficient ethanol and bio-refinery technology for extraction of special functional materials from plants for use as pharmaceuticals and chemicals.



3. UNFCCC and forests



The UNFCCC was adopted at a meeting on the environment held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 amid the widely-recognized importance of the environment and the need for pan-global efforts, after the frequent occurrence of natural disasters caused by the abnormal worldwide climate and the discovery of evidence of global warming. At the 1992 convention, signatories were split into industrialized countries obligated to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and developing countries not so obligated.

At the 1997 UNFCCC held in Kyoto, the Kyoto Protocol was adopted. The Kyoto Protocol established legally binding commitments for the reduction of greenhouse gases by industrialized nations, as well as general commitments for all member countries, recognizing forests as the sole greenhouse gas sink and their right for carbon emission. Forestation activities that can acquire certified emission reduction (CER) included "afforestation," reforestation and forest management practices.

"Afforestation" is defined as formation of a new forest on a land parcel that has not been forested for more than 50 years. "Re-forestation" is defined as formation of a forest on a land parcel that had been used as a forest but converted to another use. That is to say, CER can be obtained if a new forest is formed on a land parcel, the practice of development of a forest for another use is reduced or a forest is managed such that it may carry out its inherent functions.

Taking Japan as an example, the country had 3.9 percent out of the benchmark 6 percent (as of 1990) recognized as a greenhouse gas sink, during the first commitment period (2008-2012), under the Kyoto Protocol. Such measures were taken in addition to launching the 10-year plan for prevention of global warming and carrying out proactive forest management practices.

At the 13th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC held in Bali, Indonesia, in 2007, REDD (reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation in developing countries) was adopted in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions due to destruction of tropical rainforests. Such a move illustrated the world`s interest and concern in the promotion of carbon sinks through forests.



Forest policy



The South Korean government has established the Basic Plan for Coping with Climatic Changes. The KFS is also pushing ahead with comprehensive forest policies in step with this basic plan.



Expansion of carbon sinks



Sixty-one percent of the forests in South Korea are less than 30 years old. Thus, it is possible to accelerate their growth by taking good care of them. Programs for taking care of forests are part of forest management practices designed to increase net carbon removal and obtain CER. The KFS plans to push forward with the second-phase: its five-year (2009-2013) forestation plan.

Most of the country`s mountains are covered with forests as a result of a series of forestation projects. That means that there are few land parcels left that can be used for afforestation or reforestation under the UNFCCC. Thus, the KFS established the five-year (2007-2011) plan for forestation of idle farmland offering low productivity due to disadvantageous farming conditions. In urban areas, the KFS is seeking to expand forest parks, plant more trees lining the streets and form more school forests to improve the urban living environment and expand carbon sinks.

The KFS is also striving to push ahead with forestation projects in foreign countries, in an effort to obtain more CER, in cooperation with businesses that emit high levels of greenhouse gases or need to secure wood resources. POSCO, for one, is engaged in A/R CDM (afforestation and reforestation clean development mechanism) project activities in a 20,000 hectare plot in Uruguay, in an effort to secure CER. The government is checking the possibility of carrying out a forestation project in 1.63 million hectares of denuded mountain land in North Korea.

Wood and forest biomass, as renewable resources, have the advantage of storing carbon on a long-term basis and generating little carbon during the processing of raw materials, compared to other materials, including iron and steel. Industrialized countries use it proactively as a renewable energy source to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and as a replacement for fossil fuels.

Finland and Sweden meet 20 percent and 15 percent of their respective energy needs through forests. In the case of South Korea, mountains and forests account for 64 percent of the entire land mass, which means they also have a high potential in this respect.

The government is striving to increase the volume of products collected from wood processing to establish a stable supply of wood and forest biomass and provide support for the supply of pellet boilers and their manufacturers. Pellets produced by processing wood are hailed as renewable energy that can help reduce air pollution and greenhouse gases. The government also plans to create model carbon cycle villages in rural areas with its vision to build low-carbon, resource-cycling communities where residents use bio-energy obtained from wood processing. The storage of carbon and minimization of carbon emissions in these villages will be augmented by building wooden houses.

In consideration of the great impact of climatic changes on various sectors comprising the forest ecosystem, the Korea Forest Research Institute has been monitoring changes in forest vegetation zones and bio-diversity and physiological responses of different kinds of trees in five areas designated as sites for long-term ecological research, including Gwangneung and Mount Gyebang, since 1995. It has also promoted projects for conservation of highly valuable species and those in danger of becoming extinct due to climatic changes.

It is also establishing a system to forecast and take preventive measures against large-scale forest fires, landslides and blight and harmful insect infestation, as it is feared that damage caused by these concerns are increasing amid climatic changes. Additionally, concurrent efforts are being carried out to develop locally suitable species of trees as well as maintaining the level of productivity of forests so as to cope with their expansion in warm temperate zones.

South Korea is recognized worldwide, including by the Food and Agriculture Organization, as a country that has set an example for other countries to follow in the area of afforestation. It aims to play a leading role in efforts made by the international community to cope with climatic changes, utilizing the skills it has accumulated in afforestation and transferring its know-how to other countries. It will expand projects designed to provide support for developing countries in Latin America and Africa, as well as in Asia.

Notable projects are being carried out by the country in connection with such efforts for the Global Partnership for a Green Earth: the Korea-Mongolia Greenbelt Formation Project (2007-2016), the A/R CDM and REDD projects carried out jointly with Indonesia to develop its capability to cope with changes in the climate (2008-2012), the Project for Afforestation of Dry Areas in the Central Part of Myanmar, and cooperative projects jointly carried out with Latin American countries.



By Yoon Yeong-gyun