III. The Second Negotiable Field: Environment
1. Importance of Environmental Problems
In Korea and Japan, both the industrialized and democratic countries, the environment has emerged as a high priority issue. They have experienced rapid economic growth, but have along the way encountered serious environmental problems. These societies now share the idea that, if they do not preserve natural environment, their economic development would be unsustainable. It would be politically impossible for either Korea or Japan to enforce a policy for economic success that goes against the concern among the public for the environment. In addition, environmental issues are also now receiving attention from the international society, so the global warming …show more content…
These are often transnational issues between neighboring countries such as transnational air pollution and the extinction of species whose habitat and migratory boundaries extend beyond one country. These issues can only be solved through mutual cooperation as the distinction between the so-called perpetrating country and the victim country makes a single-handed response to these issues difficult.
For instance, in Northeast Asia, various transnational environmental challenges exist. One is air pollution such as acid rain and yellow dust. Another is sea pollution such as drifting refuse, decline in migratory species, and radiation leakages from nuclear power stations. Since the creation of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in 1992, various forms of transnational environmental cooperation were developed between Korea, Japan, and other relevant countries to tackle these challenges. Yet there is criticism that these efforts are not sufficient to solve all the problems at the current stage. In this regard, Korea and Japan should pursue closer cooperation on multiple levels to facilitate an effective …show more content…
In the Paris Agreement in 2015, Korea submitted the plan to reduce 37% of its carbon emission until 2030 as a member of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). In fact, Korea disgraced because it made the highest carbon emission increase rate, 110.8%, among OECD countries in 2013 compare to 1990. Japan is practicing Tax for Climate Change Mitigation from Oct 2012, and has a duty to reduce greenhouse gases by international law. Therefore, the two countries are internationally responsible for carbon emission. At the same time, both countries are highly dependent on imported resources. On the contrary to the many intense discussions for reducing carbon emission within Korea and Japan, efforts to actually cut emissions by legislating policies have been passive. This is mainly because there is strong opposition from the industrial field, which has a strong influence on the
1. Importance of Environmental Problems
In Korea and Japan, both the industrialized and democratic countries, the environment has emerged as a high priority issue. They have experienced rapid economic growth, but have along the way encountered serious environmental problems. These societies now share the idea that, if they do not preserve natural environment, their economic development would be unsustainable. It would be politically impossible for either Korea or Japan to enforce a policy for economic success that goes against the concern among the public for the environment. In addition, environmental issues are also now receiving attention from the international society, so the global warming …show more content…
These are often transnational issues between neighboring countries such as transnational air pollution and the extinction of species whose habitat and migratory boundaries extend beyond one country. These issues can only be solved through mutual cooperation as the distinction between the so-called perpetrating country and the victim country makes a single-handed response to these issues difficult.
For instance, in Northeast Asia, various transnational environmental challenges exist. One is air pollution such as acid rain and yellow dust. Another is sea pollution such as drifting refuse, decline in migratory species, and radiation leakages from nuclear power stations. Since the creation of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in 1992, various forms of transnational environmental cooperation were developed between Korea, Japan, and other relevant countries to tackle these challenges. Yet there is criticism that these efforts are not sufficient to solve all the problems at the current stage. In this regard, Korea and Japan should pursue closer cooperation on multiple levels to facilitate an effective …show more content…
In the Paris Agreement in 2015, Korea submitted the plan to reduce 37% of its carbon emission until 2030 as a member of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). In fact, Korea disgraced because it made the highest carbon emission increase rate, 110.8%, among OECD countries in 2013 compare to 1990. Japan is practicing Tax for Climate Change Mitigation from Oct 2012, and has a duty to reduce greenhouse gases by international law. Therefore, the two countries are internationally responsible for carbon emission. At the same time, both countries are highly dependent on imported resources. On the contrary to the many intense discussions for reducing carbon emission within Korea and Japan, efforts to actually cut emissions by legislating policies have been passive. This is mainly because there is strong opposition from the industrial field, which has a strong influence on the