KOREA'S GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS REDUCTION SCENARIOS SPARK

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 SEOUL 001393 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR OES/PCI AND OES/EGC STATE FOR EAP/K STATE FOR S/SECC STATE PASS TO EPA FOR INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS WHITE HOUSE FOR OSTP AND CEQ DOE FOR INTERNATIONAL, NE, FE, AND EERE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV ENRG PREL KGHG KS SUBJECT: KOREA'S GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS REDUCTION SCENARIOS SPARK SPIRITED DEBATE ¶1. (U) This cable is sensitive but unclassified and is not/not intended for Internet distribution. ¶2. (SBU) Summary: On August 4, the Korean government announced three "scenarios" for reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. The scenarios range from an eight percent increase over the 2005 emissions baseline to a four percent reduction. An August 18 public forum on the scenarios revealed deep divisions among stakeholders about how fast and how far Korea should move to reduce its emissions. The government hopes the debate will ultimately culminate in public support for its climate change and energy policies and expects to adopt one of the emissions reductions targets by year's end. Moreover, by announcing its three emissions reduction scenarios, the government is demonstrating to the international community that it can match with concrete actions earlier statements about Korea playing a "bridging role" between developed and developing countries in climate change negotiations ahead of next December UNFCCC Conference in Copenhagen. End summary. Government Announces Greenhouse Gas Emissions "Scenarios" -------------- -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The Korean Presidential Committee on Green Growth and the Prime Minister's Office on August 4 announced three potential greenhouse gas mid-term reduction targets. The three potential targets and the measures required to meet them are to be the subject of a "national consensus building process" - the government intends to conduct public hearings and consultations with various stakeholders including the business community and civil society groups, as well as carry out public surveys, before deciding later in the year which of the three target scenarios it will adopt. Korea's announcement is significant in that it is the first non-Annex 1 country under the Kyoto Protocol to publicly announce even a range of specific mid-term targets. ¶4. (SBU) Target Scenario One calls for holding emissions to within an eight percent increase over 2005 levels, which also represents a 21 percent reduction from the "business as usual" (BAU) curve. Under this scenario, modest greenhouse gas emissions will be allowed 
until the "peak year" of 2020. The target would be achieved through implementation of measures with short-term costs, but potential long-term benefits. Under Target Scenario 2, Korea would return to its 2005 baseline emissions levels (a 27 percent reduction from the BAU curve),with a peak emissions year of 2015. The target would be achieved through implementation of measures similar to those under Target Scenario One, but with some additional moderate-cost measures. Target Scenario Three is the most ambitious, calling for a reduction in emissions to four percent below 2005 levels with the peak year occurring in 2012. This would be achieved through "implementation of aggressive measures with high mitigation cost." Stakeholders Voice Opposing Positions -------------- ¶5. (SBU) At a public discussion organized August 18 by the Climate Change Center of the Korea Green Foundation (one of Korea's leading environmental NGOs),the NGO community expressed dissatisfaction that even the highest emissions reductions target did not go far enough, while the business community complained that the lowest reduction target went too far. Members of the general public appeared to be evenly divided in their questions and comments. A Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) representative said it was premature to announce targets because many of the technologies that will contribute most to emissions reductions, such as carbon sequestration and storage, advancements in renewable energy, and hydrogen cell vehicles are still in the developmental stages. Other business representatives also said the targets should be voluntary and not compulsory. When the government representative stated that Korea should be in the forefront on the international scene and play a bridging role between developed and developing countries, industry representatives responded that Korea would gain nothing by moving faster than other developing countries because the United States and European Union were focused on China and India and not on small players like Korea. Industry Says Government Going Too Far Too Fast -------------- -------------- ¶6. (SBU) On August 20, ESTH Officer met with Sonia Hong, Secretary General for the Korea Business Council for Sustainable Development (KBCSD). A part of the regional Asian network of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, KBCSD is a network grouping of 26 of Korea's largest companies affiliated with KCCI, and also serves as the secretariat for the Presidential Committee on SEOUL 00001393 002 OF 003 Green Growth. Hong echoed the sentiments voiced by industry representatives at the August 18 public hearing. She said Korean industries have developed into truly global competitors only in very recent years. In addition, Korea is just now beginning to emerge from the global economic downturn. She said Korean industries need more time to fully modernize before undertaking costly measures to implement arbitrary greenhouse gas emissions targets. She applauded government decisions to invest in new and renewable energy technologies and suggested that once these technologies are developed and deployed, Korean industries would be more comfortable with the idea of targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Environmental NGOs Feel Left Out, Unempowered -------------- ¶7. (SBU) In July, ESTH Officer gave a presentation on U.S. energy policies to approximately 50 NGO representatives in Busan. In the discussions that followed, the NGOs were unanimous in their approval of President Lee's direction with regard to climate change. However, they were also unanimous in their opposition to several specific aspects of the President Lee's Low Carbon Green Growth initiative, announced earlier this year and which initially did not include mention of emissions reduction targets. They complained that the "Green New Deal" (a jobs creation program for constructing environmental infrastructure) is more geared to helping ailing Korean construction companies than to protecting the environment. They complained that the cap-and-trade program included in the draft Basic Law on Climate Change (currently before the National Assembly) contains no details on targets or how the program would be implemented. They also complained that NGOs were not consulted in the drafting of the Basic Law. When ESTH Officer noted that NGOs are represented on the Presidential Committee for Green Growth, which drafted parts of the Basic Plan, the Busan NGO contingent replied that only pro-government NGOs were selected to participate on the Committee. They also opined that despite its public pronouncements on low carbon and green growth, the government would ultimately give in to business and industry pressure. Spirited Debate -------------- ¶8. (SBU) At the Incheon City-sponsored Global Environmental Forum on August 12, a National Assembly member embarrassed the Vice Minister for Trade and Energy of the Ministry of Knowledge Economy in front of an international audience during the question-and-answer session following a panel discussion on renewable energy. Taking the microphone as an audience member, the MP said Korea should aim for a 10 to 15 percent reduction in emissions, that the four percent target was "nothing," and that accepting an eight percent increase would be "shameful." The Vice Minister, taken aback, replied that questions from the audience should relate directly to the panel discussion and that this was not the proper place to discuss domestic issues. Government Caught in the Middle -------------- ¶9. (SBU) In a phone conversation on August 18, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Director for Climate Change and Environment Kim Hyo-eun told ESTH Officer the government's putting forward three possible emissions reductions targets was intended to spur public debate. She said that plan has succeeded all too well, and acknowledged that the government indeed has found itself caught in the middle between those who feel it is moving too fast and those who feel it is not moving fast enough to tackle climate change. However, she felt that the public supports President Lee's general approach to combating climate change, and would eventually come around to supporting bolder emissions targets. ¶10. (SBU) Kim said the government had another purpose in making the announcement: The ROK is trying to play a constructive role in the international negotiations leading up to the UNFCCC Conference in December, she explained. It is coordinating its positions with the United States and actively participating in President Obama's Major Economies Forum. By announcing the mid-term target scenarios, she said, Korea is demonstrating in concrete terms that it can take a leadership role in international negotiations on climate change by being a model for other developing nations under Kyoto to step up to the plate. ¶11. (SBU) Comment: Although the emissions reduction targets under the three scenarios are modest, the Lee Myung-bak Administration appears committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Besides its announcement of the emissions target scenarios, it is investing heavily in the development of new and renewable energy technologies, SEOUL 00001393 003 OF 003 "smart energy" systems, improved energy consumption efficiencies, as well as in public awareness and education. The initiatives, however, have all originated as pronouncements from the administration. Its participation in the August 18 NGO event and its own planned public hearings on the three emissions reductions scenarios are intended to generate more open debate and more participation by stakeholders with the hope of garnering the public support necessary to succeed. If the ROK can commit to meaningful greenhouse gas emissions reductions with broad public support, it can truly be a model for other developing countries. TOKOLA