Ways to Strengthen Environmental Laws and Treaties and Promote Sustainable Growth

The world continues to release Greenhouse gases while our planet's climate is changing faster than ever. For example, Greenland and parts of the Antarctic ice sheets are showing signs of destabilizing much sooner than expected, and Europe has seen a particularly strong increase in heat extremes. The duration of extreme weather events is anticipated to increase in a 2 degrees Celsius world.

From the Goldman Sachs report, rising temperatures would lead to changing disease patterns, more destructive weather events, and pressure on the availability and quality of water for drinking and agriculture. Climate change and a rise in carbon dioxide concentrations are projected to result in a 20% reduction in the global availability of protein by 2050. Because of these diverse problems, all developing and developed countries are trying to change their energy policy directions based on their topographical conditions to solve the problem. In any leading country, Denmark is one of the most prepared countries for this problem and should receive a lot of attention. They prepared for 40 years for an energy transition from black to green and succeeded. To the qualitative approach, Denmark’s green track record shows the solutions that make the energy we use cleaner and use less energy. Between 1990 to 2015, GDP, Gross Domestic Product was increased, but Gross Energy Consumption and GHG, Greenhouse Gas is dramatically decreased by 6% and 35%.

Also, last year, the government set a new policy called ‘New Danish Energy Agreement.’ It stands for Denmark’s new government has raised climate change to the highest priority policy. The agreement reaffirms and strengthens Denmark’s climate and energy goals toward 2030 and sets a national target of a 70% CO2 reduction, which is very challenging. Now, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister for Development Cooperation present several new initiatives to promote the climate ambitions. I think this can be a good case that other countries may consider making a GHG reduction policy. Since the Republic of Korea has climate change and fine dust issues that are increasing, we need to find solutions by applying Denmark’s ideas. For example, Korea is dependent on important energy sources for 95%, and a high level of traditional energy, like Denmark. In reacting to climate change, 3 solutions may be suggested.

Second, coexistence that has decentralized energy with active public participation, and communication is needed. Because the problem is getting more complicated, and climate change is getting severe. So people must think and decide what opinion they should have. Last September, Denmark’s public TV channel ‘TV2’ broadcast a fundraising campaign for ‘growing 100 million trees to reduce GHG. It’s the first broadcast fundraising for climate change in the world, and most of the Danish people voluntarily participated to solve the problem.

Lastly, people can make their own problem-solving process so that anyone can worry, choose, decide, or make their own solutions for this problem. Nowadays, public awareness of climate change has risen sharply, driven by the school strikes, Extinction Rebellion, and young people can access knowledge at the click of a button.

Especially fine dust issues, between Korea and China, international cooperation is proceeding, but international environmental law standards are very different in both countries, so it is not working very well in communicating and cooperating with each other. As we all know, Climate Change is an existential threat to all people in the world. The challenges it poses are immediate and urgent. We must recognize this issue, ‘Not what is Possible but what is necessary.’ Even the big UN climate talks’ results last year were largely disappointing, but we shouldn’t give up the hope we have. Because this cannot be solved at one time, I think that we keep communicating and try to contribute from each role. From Denmark’s quotes, one of the quotes is called “The fresh air makes the doctor poor,” which means sometimes we ignore the core values which is most important. An increasing number of citizens in various countries are seriously concerned about climate change. Time is running out, don’t forget, and it’s time to take action before it’s too late or we lose our golden time for a climate-resilient future. We can make a circular economy and sustainable energy in the future with all of the people, including students, adults, teachers, the government, the public, and everyone who can participate.