KFS to Create More Jobs through Low Carbon, Green Growth
KFS to Create More Jobs through Low Carbon, Green Growth
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  • 승인 2009.01.16 17:49
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Ha Young-je, Minister of Korea Forest Service
Korea Forest Service (KFS) will place the first priority of its 2009 business projects on creation of more jobs by leading the low carbon and green growth movement, a top official of KFS said.

In an interview with the Korea IT Times, Minister of KFS Ha Young-je said: "As effective countermeasures against climate change are becoming more important, demands for circulation use of forest resources, promotion of the forest conservation industry, preservation of forest resources and exploration of the global forest market are increasing at a rapid pace." "Accordingly, we plan to create more than 50,000 jobs in the forest sector this year. And I think it will be a precious investment, not only for tiding over the current economic crisis, but also for building a mid- and long term foundation for low carbon and green growth," he said.

Ha said that KFS plans to greatly contribute to low carbon and green growth this year by expanding resource circulation-type forest management and use of lignum biomass, in addition to expansion of sources to absorb carbon through reforestation.

"Secondly, we will make a strong challenge to build a green hub in East Asia through globalization of forest administration," said the KFS head.

Currently, KFS is pushing ahead with reforestation projects and other programs to prevent yellow dust pollution and desertification in many countries including Indonesia, Mongolia and China, while disseminating its advanced technologies for forest pest prevention to Europe. KFS is planning to strengthen its international cooperation with major countries in the future, he said.

"Thirdly, KFS will make best efforts to increase the income of those engaged in forestry and actively foster the forest conservation industry this year," said Mr. Ha.

In this regard, KFS will actively foster representative forest products such as chestnuts and shiitake as new high value added products.

"By pushing for the creation of health forests in the Baedudagan Mountains and woodland paths filled with pine trees, in addition to existing forest recreational areas, we will provide urban dwellers with favors offered by the forest," said Mr. Ha.

"Fourthly, we will exert all-out efforts to prevent natural disasters and preserve forest resources in a systematic manner," said the top official of KFS.

KFS will prevent forest fires in more advanced and specialized means and systematically control the occurrences and spread of new forest pests and diseases, while seeking effective ways to prevent disasters through expansion of debris barriers, he said.

Along with this, KFS will attract people's voluntary interest and affection for the forest through a nationwide campaign, and prepare blueprints for the history of forestation by building a national happiness city arboretum and a forest history museum.

"Fifthly, we will rationally adjust the demands for development of mountain villages seeking economic value and the demands for forest preservation to promote public value," he said.

In line with this, KFS will increase the land area necessary for industrial use and clearly state terms regulating mountain villages on the Internet to help owners of mountainous regions confirm the regulations and terms through the Internet conveniently, he said.

Projects related to climate change

Korea Forest Service has been operating a climate change leadership course for heads of local governments to help them understand the mechanism of climate change mitigation and adaptation and map out effective countermeasures against climate change.

During the period from September and November in 2008, a total of 96 heads of local governments completed the climate change leadership course propelled by KFS.

At the same time, KFS established the Climate Change Research Center at the Korea Forest Research Institute on September 26 last year to prepare scientific and systematic countermeasures against climate change, he said.

It is the first time in Korea that a state-run climate change research center was established. It will play a pivotal role in scientifically backing up the KFS regarding climate change countermeasures and establishing a statistical system measuring greenhouse gas emissions, as well as preparing for international negotiations.

Role of forests in climate change mitigation and adaptation

Noting that forest is a sole resource recognized by the climate change agreement to absorb greenhouse gases, KFS Minister Ha said: "Forest is a new growth engine which can bring sustainable development into the national economy in case Korea is obliged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, we can get new economic gains in the international carbon credit market."

In South Korea's case, greenhouse gas emissions amounted to 591 million tons in 2005 and the forests absorbed 37 million tons of carbon accounting for 6.3 percent of the total greenhouse gas emissions.

Ha explained that forests are the origin of bio-energy creating fossil fuels. Wood persistently deposits carbon, generating the effect to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

Role of KFS for development of low carbon, green growth industry

KFS is preparing comprehensive and systematic measures to effectively cope with climate change through the development of the low carbon, green growth industry, he said.

"First, we plan to enhance the ability of forests to absorb carbon to the maximum extent," he said.

"In a concrete plan, we will create 1.25 million hectares of new forest by 2013 and expand carbon sinks through a managing agency system of private forests or state purchase of private forests," Minister Ha said.

"Secondly, we will build a worldfamous low carbon society model by facilitating bio-energy replacing fossil fuels and creating bio-mass towns," said Mr. HA.

For the stable supply of bio-energy materials, the adjustment of a forestation system and the creation of biocycle forests are important tasks, he stressed.

"Thirdly, we plan to carry out a special management for fragile forests and develop and supply new forests to help the nation's mountains and forests effectively cope with climate change," he said.

"Fourth, we will make thorough preparations to effectively turn the international carbon credit market to good advantage, which has been expanding at a rapid pace," he said.

Major international events

KFS has so far concluded a cooperation agreement in the forest sector with 10 forest-rich countries, including Indonesia and Australia jointly pushing for such joint studies and projects for resources development, prevention of desertification, restoration of tropical forests.

For instance, KFS is propelling a plantation project to prevent yellow dust and desertification with China and a green belt reforestation project with Mongolia.

Further, it is also participating in a reforestation project in Myanmar and Indonesia to restore degraded tropical forests.

Since 2007, KFS has been holding international symposiums to commemorate the World Day to Combat Desertification designated by the UN and to discuss proper methods to combat desertification.

The 20th meeting of the Montreal Process will be held this June in South Korea, where 12 countries are to participate to seek effective ways for sustainable forest management, he added.


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