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작성일 : 13-07-03 16:28
Enerzine 30. 2nd Korean National Energy Master Plan and Nuclear
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   Enerzine No.30.pdf (445.9K) [13] DATE : 2013-07-03 16:40:16
1. Issues
                                    2nd Korean National Energy Master Plan and Nuclear

This year, Korea plans to finalize the 2nd Korean National Energy Master Plan, which will determine the long-term direction of the country’s energy climate policy. The government began the process in May. To gather the opinions of the stakeholders on key issues, the government established a council consisting of a private-public working group and related government agencies, thus involving the participation of the government, academe, NGO sector, and industry. The aim of the council is to write the draft in the third quarter of this year. The draft is targeted to be finalized by the end of this year, through a three-step deliberation of the National Energy Committee, Committee on Green Growth, and a Cabinet meeting after the gathering of public opinions. This is apparently an open attitude compared to that of the MB administration, which largely excluded the NGOs from the decision making on the country’s major energy policies. In reality, however, the decision-making measure is exclusive because the NGOs’ participation in the private-public working group is very minimal, and the operation of the private-public working group is off limits. Thus, its decision-making process challenges the principles of democracy.

Meanwhile, the key issue attracting the most attention from the public with regard to 2nd Korean National Energy Master Plan is the proportion of nuclear power plants in the country. The Park Geun-hye administration has been advocating a review of the nuclear power plant policy at its origin from the time of the presidential campaign. Moreover, the never-ending corruption involving nuclear power plant parts and the frequent outages of the nuclear power plants caused by corruption have been destroying the legend of nuclear power plants being safe and stable energy sources. The nuclear power plant crisis is finally becoming a reality in Korea.

In relation to this, the de-facto issue will be what will replace the nuclear power plants in the effort to fully modify the country’s nuclear-power-plant-oriented policy. In this context, the fact that the Sixth Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand includes the significant expansion of the thermal power plants in the country is of great concern. The failure of Korea’s current energy policy is due to the fact that it overlooked the centralized supply system and power-driven policy through large-scale facilities like nuclear and thermal power plants. What’s important now is to first convert the supply-oriented system to a demand management system and to change the cheap electricity bill system, which promoted a distorted electrification phenomenon. These issues are also being pointed out by the existing civil society organizations and major media. All the sectors in the country now need to pay attention to and act on this matter so that the Second Korean National Energy Master Plan, including its decision-making process and results, can become the first flare announcing Korea’s energy conversion by the end of this year.
                                                                Written by Bo-ah, Lee (Researcher : boah8596@naver.com)

2. Opinion
                                                        400 ppm, Earth’s the Last Warning

The density of carbon dioxide recently measured near Mauna Loa, Hawaii exceeded the psychological Maginot Line of 400 ppm. The number is similar to that of about 300 million years ago, when there was no ice in the Arctic and the sea level was 40 meters higher than it is now. Since the appearance of modern humans 30,000 to 40,000 years ago, humanity is now facing an unprecedented crisis. If this trend continues, it is expected that the density will exceed 450 ppm before 2030-40 and will soar up to as high as 940 ppm before the end of this century. When the density reaches 450 ppm, the climate change will become out of control. Twenty to thirty percent of the species will vanish, and the people will face serious food shortages. Thus, 400 ppm is Earth’s last warning to us.

The present circumstances, however, are not easy. Each government is busy passing the responsibility to others, with the 450 ppm limit approaching. UNFCC COP is so altered, like a watering place that contains no surprise, and Kyoto Protocol became a rag. Moreover, only few nations abide by the two protocols. The response of the international community is insignificant, as if washing their hands off the matter. Meanwhile, we feel bitter while watching the multilateral negotiations.

Now, we are left with two choices. We either push for radical changes through new, enforceable multilateral negotiations or perish by not doing anything after receiving Earth’s warning. To achieve a change, each nation’s NGOs have to push their governments to enforce climate justice. We should not get stuck with hopeless multilateral forms of action like UNFCCC. If we get hung up on such matter, we may actually run out of response time. A problem of choice? No, it is not. Now, we are facing 400 ppm.

                                                                          Written by Jin-woo, Lee (Deputy : purvil@naver.com)
 

3. New Report
                                              Climate Justice Tax Introduction Research

Upon the request of the office of Wonseok Park of the Progressive Justice Party in Korea, Energy and Climate Policy institute working on the <A Study on the Policy Direction and Design for the Introduction of Carbon Tax: With Focus on the Establishment of Climate Justice Tax> and the policy report was released last May. The reason for this is that it is considered necessary to adopt a desirable ecological tax from the viewpoint and position of climate justice, so that the policy objectives and effectiveness of the imposition of a carbon tax will not be distorted as there is a possibility that such policy will be reviewed under the new conservative administration of Park Geun-Hye.

The main contents of the policy are as follows: (1) establishment of the feasibility and principles of the introduction of the climate justice tax based on the conditions of the eco-friendly tax reform; (2) presentation of the characteristics of the climate justice tax as part of the tax’s definition, of how it can be used for energy transition through the denuclearization method, and of its revenue and expenditure direction and plan; and (3) development of a policy for minimizing the negative impact of the imposition of the said tax on the ordinary economy and employment, including the reversibility to be caused by the introduction of the tax.

As alternatives to the emission trading scheme scheduled to take effect beginning in 2015 in Korea, this study proposes the imposition of a carbon tax on all carbon sources that emit carbon from energy use, and a nuclear fuel tax on all the 23 nuclear power plants that are currently in operation in the country. If the climate justice tax, which targets fossil fuel and nuclear power, will be introduced, about KRW 5 trillion will be secured in annual revenues. From this, KRW 3 trillion can be used for carbon reduction and enucleation energy conversion, KRW 1 trillion for energy welfare, and KRW 1 trillion for the righteous switching of the industry, employment, and region. We hope that the climate justice tax will be positively reviewed at home and abroad as a policy that can realize climate justice.

                                                        Written by Jung-pil, Lee (Researcher: scumaru3440@hanmail.net)

4. Act on
  The Energy and Climate Policy Institute organized a network for nuclear phase-out in the 6th Marx-communale
- The building of a main social agent for nuclear phase-out was discussedand a strategy for nuclear phase-out was described as below.

The Energy and Climate Policy Institute (ECPI) organized “Politic Sociology of Nuclear Phase-out : Political opportunity structure and realization of nuclear phase-out alliance” as  one session of the 6th Marx-Communale. In the session, a phase-out network which started as a grassroots movement and a political system in Korea after the Fukushima accident was discussed.

 Jung-Pil, Lee, researcher of ECPI, pointed out that the network for nuclear phase-out has not actualized and suggested  weakening the institutional base of the nuclear cartel to dissolve the pro-nuclear bloc,  making green social-economic blocs with mainly renewable energy and energy efficiency,  creating an active network which adheres closely to the international point of view on nuclear phase-out, and  developing a progressive political party and green party for a political alliance for nuclear phase-out.

Hun-Suk, Lee, Representative of Energy Justice, insisted that more creative and daring efforts to grow the nuclear phase-out bloc in Korea. Chang-Gun, Lee (Korea Confederation of Trade Unions), Hong-Chul, Byun (Green Party), and Yang-Gu, Kang (Journalist of Pressian) participated as debaters. 
 The Marx-Communale Korea is the biggest academic cultural festival of the progressive left which is held every other year, and the name is a compound word from “Marx + Communist + Biennale”. The 6th academic cultural festival’s main theme was ‘world capitalism’s crisis and alternatives of left” and it was held from May 10 to May 12 at Sogang University. 
 
                                                            Written by Hyun-woo, Kim (Researcher: nuovo90@hanmail.net)

                                Renewable Energy System Training and Supporting in Laos

Energy and Climate Policy Institute for just transition (ECPI Korea) are supporting renewable energy initiatives in Xayaboury, Laos including home solar systems which are particularly effective remote area schools and residences. There are many places in Laos which the electricity grid cannot reach in Laos, not only in Xayaboury but also many places in mountain villages and remote areas. Even though the grid reaches many areas, sometimes local residents and schools cannot afford the money to connect to the system and have difficulty paying electricity bills.

Renewable energy or solar home systems are very important to people who are living in rural areas in the province. And this training course will help both teachers and students understand the role of renewable energy and afterwards they will be able to fix or maintain their solar home systems by themselves. ECPI is active in research and works to expand renewable energy and just transition as an alternative to climate change and energy crisis. The renewable energy training programme was designed to expand general understanding of renewable energy sources, including the sustainable installation of picohydro systems. It also aimed to educate participants on the maintenance and management of solar energy systems and ECPI’s solar energy system support programme After the two week course concludes, the vocational school students will be provided support from ECPI for several months in order to monitor and manage the solar and pico-hydro systems, not only those supported by ECPI but also those local people have installed themselves. 
                                                       
                                                        Written by Bo-young, Cho (Researcher : jobo8184@yahoo.co.kr)

 
   
 




 
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