Oct. 25, 2007

Choi, Heung-Jin
Director, Policy Coordination Div.
Ministry of Environment

ⅠIntroduction

ⅡMajor Environmental Issues in NEA

ⅢⅣEnvironmental Cooperation in NEA

Future Works

2

Ⅰ

3

Countries : Korea, China, Japan, Russia, and Mongolia
Population Growth (2000~2005)
Korea(0.5%), China(0.6%), Japan(0.2%), Russia(- 0.4%), Mongolia(1.3%)
Total Population : 1.65 Bil. (as of 2005)
Increasing Urbanization, use of vehicles & energy
Rapid Economic Growth and Increased Interdependency
Average GDP growth(2000-2005): China(9.6%), Japan(1.3%),
Korea(4.6%), Russia(6.2%), Mongolia(5.8%)
Economic interdependency among NEA countries (export partner, 2005)
Korea (2005): 1st China, 3rd Japan
Japan (2005): 1st China, 2nd Korea
China (2005): 4th Japan, 6th Korea, 8th Russia
4Population(million)(2005)Urban
Population(% of total)(2004)

China

1,305

39.6

Russia143

Japan

GDP(billionUSD)(2005)

GNI per capita
Atlas Method(current USD)
(2005)

ElectricPower
Consumption(kWh percapita)(2004)

Electricity
Generatedby Coal(% of total)(2003)TPES(toe/capita)(2004)

EnergyEfficiency(TPES/GDP)(toe/1000 $)(2000 $)
(2004)

Passenger
Cars(per 1,000people)(2003)Rank
in HDI(2005)

2,228

1,740

1,607

79.4

1.25

0.85

885

73.3

763

4,460

5,642

18.8

4.46

1.95

140

62

128

65.6

4,505

38,980

8,076

28.2

4.18

0.11

428

11

Korea

48

80.5

787

15,830

7,391

38.9

4.43

0.35

204

28

DPRK

22

61.4

N/A

N/A

827

39.4

0.91

1.94

N/A

N/A

Mongolia

356.9

1.9

690

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

26114

Source: UNDP, Human Development Report 2005
World Bank, Little Green Data Book 2006World Bank, World Development Report 2007
IEA, Key World Energy Statistics 2006

5Ⅱ6Increase of urbanization, population, energy use and vehicles cause
increase of NOx, SOx, and particulate matters
Acid deposition due to increase of NOx, SO2 became environmental issues
Japan: average pH of rain 4.49~5.85 (1983~2002)
5% of rain sample(23regions) is pH<4 (2004)
Korea: 4.8~5.2 (pH average)(2005)
China: regions with serious acid rain (pH<4.5) are increasing(2006)

Climate change, unsuitable agricultural land use, felling,mowing, insufficient water management ·irrigation
excessive grazing and etc. (China, Mongolia)
Deforestation of1.74 mil.㎢ (18.1% of total land) (China)
90% of total land faces threat of desertification (Mongolia)
7

Natural causes (arid climate, drought)
anthropogenic causes (excessive grazing,insufficient management of pasture,water, and irrigation)

day s 30

27days

25
20
15
10
50

3311
2941

21.9%
16days12days11days

‘05

‘06

6days
3days
356

‘01

‘02

‘03
Days

발생횟수

‘04

3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0㎍/㎥

Severe DSS attacks in spring in ‘02 and ‘06
damages in health, industry, ecology
and livestock- Max PM10 level: 2,718㎍/㎥(Ulsan city, 2007)

Max. level최고농도8Pollution in ocean and coastal areas:- inflow of waste water from land, pollution
from vessels & marine activities, ocean
dumping of wastes, red tide, large
reclamation projects
Destruction of marine ecology & biodiversity
Decrease of marine resources,
increase of marine waste

Exportation of natural resources (forest, fish),dams, degradation of forests, wetlands, andpastures due to expansion of farmland,
introduction of exotic species, illegal trade ofendangered species, excessive felling, poaching
20% of Mammalia, Amphibia, Fishes(sea water,fresh water), & vascular plant, 20% of Reptilia,
10% of birds are endangered(2005, Japan)
9With rapid industrialization & economic growth,waste generation increased- Korea: Daily waste generation
2003: approx. 2.95bil. ton
1996: approx. 1.75bil. ton

Chemicals in daily use &chemicals pollution accident cause damages toenvironment and human body- plastics, detergent, food, beverages, paint, and etc.
Energy shortage due to economic growth, pollution caused by use of fossil
fuel(air pollution, climate change, acid rain), increased demand for clean energy(solar, wind power)
10

Ⅲ

11

Korea-Japan
Korea-China
Korea-Russia
Korea-Mongolia

TEMM
NEAC
NEASPEC
LTP
NOWPAP

12

Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (’93.6)
Korea-Japan Joint Committee for Environmental Cooperation
10 rounds of meetings since 1994
10th Joint Committee Meeting ( 2007.7, Korea)- DSS, climate change, migratory birds protection, chemicals, etc.

Korea-Japan Resource Circulation Policy Meeting(2006-)
Resource Recirculation Bureau(KMOE) – Office of Waste Recycling
Program Planning(JMOE)

Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (’93.10)
Korea-China Joint Committee for Environmental Cooperation
12 rounds of meetings since 1994
12th Joint Committee Meeting (2007.6, China)- DSS, environmental industry/technology, green procurement, LTP, etc.
13Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (’94.6)
환경협력 협정Joint체결 Committee for Environmental Cooperation
Korea-Russian
3 rounds of meetings since 1994
Promote environmental projects (13 in areas like migratory birds
protection, study of waterfowl stocks)

Arrangement on Environmental Cooperation(’00.9)
Arrangement on Cooperation for Nature Protected Areas (2007)

Korea-Mongolia Environment Ministers’ Meeting (’07.1, ’07.8)
14

Highest-level governing body in Northeast Asia:Korea, China, and Japan
Annual meeting was initiated in 1999 under the initiative of Korea
TEMM 8 in Beijing, China (December 2006): ① DSS, ② Climate Change,③ Illegal trans-boundary movement of toxic and hazardous waste

TDGM on DSS (2007~) : Director General level
TDGM 2 in Tokyo, Japan (Sep. 2007) : Joint Research on DSSTEMM cooperation projects
6 projects are under way
15

Raising awareness of environmental community
Addressing global and regional environmental issues
Information exchange, joint research, training, education
Environmental industry and technology

TEMM Website (www.temm.org)
Joint Environmental Training Project
Tripartite Environmental Education Network (TEEN)
Ecological Conservation in Northwest China
Environmental Industry Cooperation
Freshwater (lakes) Pollution Prevention Project16

Providing information on TEMM

17

Annual training by turns among three countries
7th Training in Japan in November 2007
Lecture, group discussion and presentation, field trip18

Cooperation project led by private sector
Sharing information on Environmental Education
8th TEEN workshop in China in October 2007

19

China is experiencing rapid desertification
Over-grazing, water shortages, etc.
Major source of DSS
Developed guideline for ecological restoration (August 2007)
Study tour in Korea (October 2007)
Chinese experts, local residents and officials from SEPA

20

Annual roundtable meeting
Vision for environment industry and technology in the 21st century
Achieving resource circulation society
Sustainable production and consumption and Eco-labeling※7th Meeting in Pusan, Korea (November 2007)

Eco-products exhibition in Seoul, Korea (November 2007)

21

Joint research on lake Xihu, China
Annual workshop on the prevention of freshwater pollution
6th workshop in China in November 2006
Training program on water quality management schemes
Technical training for specialists from China is provided by Korea
5th Technical training in Korea July 2007

22

23

Korea, China, Japan, Mongolia and Russia
Information exchange and Policy dialogue
forum since 1992
Environmental experts from relevant
authorities, local governments, research
institutions, and NGOs
15th NEAC in Ulsan in March 2007
NEAC’s development measure for future
DSS response policy24Six countries and UN/International organizations
ROK, DPRK, China, Japan, Mongolia, Russia
ESCAP, UNDP, UNEP, ADB, World Bank

Annual meeting since 1993
Cooperation Projects
Mitigation of Air Pollution from Coal-Fired Power plants in NEA
Nature Conservation Program in NEA
12th NEASPEC in Beijing in March 2007

25

Train & Transfer EIA methodology to NEAs including DPRK,Mongolia, China, and Russia
1st Workshop

October 2004, Seoul, Korea

2st Workshop

October 2005, Beijing, China

3st Workshop

September 2006, Vladivostok, Russia

4st Workshop

August 2007, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Serve as a foothold to introduce transboundary EIA and enhanceenvironmental cooperation26

Ⅳ

27

Increase of ecological interdependence in NEA“the quality of life in a certain country is determined to a significant
extent by the activities of other countries”

Environment issues like climate change & trans-boundary air
pollution, is deteriorating regional environment and economic
development
Environment cooperation, non-security issue, can be a basis forthe further cooperation in the field of economy and security

28

Low level of institutionalization for environmental
cooperation
Lack of cooperative activities for scientific research tobuild consensus on the regional problemsLinkages and integration among institutions (e.g. TEMM,NEASPEC, and NEAC) are not schematized
Lack of participation from NGOs and scientific experts

29

Clarifying & establishing a comprehensive framework in NEA
Develop TEMM into a environmental
consultative body where environmental
authorities of 3 countries as well as
all related ministries dealing withenvironmental issues.
Regarding DSS issues, environmental authorities, meteorologicalauthorities, and forest authorities of three countries are
participating in the discussion

30

Strengthening Policy Dialogues in TEMM
Shaping common consciousness through participation of parties ofinterests by establishing regular special sessions on DSS, climatechange and wastes
Special session on DSS(TEMM5, TEMM6), Workshop on DSS (TEMM8)

Strengthening roles of TDGM
TDGM’s role is expanded into other areas, like climate change & waste,with the successful case in DSS issues
Drawing up substantial plan for cooperation on major environmental
issues in NEA

31Strengthening linkage between TEMM and other environmental
cooperation bodies
Establish efficient cooperation mechanism for NEA, through close
consultation with cooperative bodies having similar characteristics like
TEMM, NEASPEC, NEAC, ASEAN+3
MONGOLIA

CHINA

KOREA

RUSSIA

JAPAN32

Active participation of environmental NGOs and expert
groups in governance System

Building knowledge on the problems and policies throughjoint activities on scientific researchStrengthen Cooperation with International Organizations(e.g. UNEP and ESCAP)

3334