To raise the awareness of Carbon footprint labeling, a boy band sings a campaign song, “Check the Carbon foot print when purchasing products!”, to promote consumers to buy ‘low carbon goods’.   The very first singer selected to sing the ‘low carbon goods’ campaign song is the boy band MBLAQ and the song will be aired on SBS Ingigayo, music show (Feb. 5). The campaign song is produced by SBS and sponsored by the Ministry of Environment and the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute (KEITI).The song informs the seriousness of climate change and encourages to “take action against climate change through smart green consumption by checking the carbon footprint of the product”. The ministry and KEITI are operating the carbon footprint labeling policy. The policy requires labeling of all the greenhouse gases emitted during processing products from obtainment of raw material to production, distribution, consumption and disposal. The carbon footprint labeling has been implemented since Feb. 2009. 98 companies and 502 goods are certified so far and people and companies’ interest is increasing gradually.    As greenhouse gas emission of similar products are not the same due to difference in production procedures and distribution processes, procuring low carbon goods by checking the carbon footprint can be one of a small action toward green consumption and against climate change.    Meanwhile, ‘low carbon goods’ campaign song by other popular singers including Dalshabet, K. will and Sistar will be additionally aired on SBS Ingigayo music show, after MBLAQ.   For more detailed information on “Carbon footprint label”, refer to www.edp.or.kr.  

To celebrate the 16th World Wetlands Day, the Ministry of Environment prepared events for citizens of all communities to participate. Under the theme “Wetland Tourism: A Great Experience”, the ministry has planned for various events including travel log contest of wetland ecotourism. The World Wetlands Day was established in 1997 to celebrate the adoption of Ramsar Convention (Feb. 2, 1971) and 120 countries from all over the world have been hosting various campaign, purification activities, seminars and etc. to preserve wetlands. Korea also has been promoting governmental celebration events since 2002 and this year’s event will be linked with “Wetlands Week” event which is planned by Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs. The 2012’s theme “Wetland Tourism: Great Experience” is also linked to the theme of 11th Ramsar Convention Conference of Parties: Wetlands, Tourism and Recreation, which will take place in July, 2012 in Romania. According to the Ramsar secretariat, over 50% of the 94,000 international tourists have been visiting wetlands until 2010. Tourism based on the preservation of wetland not only ensures economic benefits to local community but also continuous development of society which will affect the country, local community and wild animals in good ways. First of all, the contest - travel log of wetland ecotourism - under the theme “Find Genuine Wetland and Ecology Trip to Genuine Wetland!” will be held by the Ministry of Environment from February 2nd to May 6th. The event aims for participants to discover and experience ecologically healthy wetland ecotourism by themselves and share with the others. Experience the wetland ecotourism during the contest period and submit the travel log with pictures. The Environment Minister’s award and prize (electric bicycle and etc.) will be presented after the evaluation. Prize-winning work will be announced during wetland week (to be determined) and on International Day for Biological Diversity (May 22) to commemorate the day. The ministry is also planning for field trip to Dongbaekdongsan hill's wetland and on-line wetland photo exhibition. ‘Korea’s Forest Wetland’, discovering the hidden forest wetland, is also being prepared for distribution.   Field trip to Dongbaekdongsan hill's wetland   On-line photo exhibition (by Jeong, Bong-chae)   'Korea's Forest Wetland' (Korean/English version available)  

Today, the Ministry of Environment announced the outcome of low NOx burner support business. As a result of supplying 6,180 low NOx burner from 2006 to 2011, 2,805 tons of NOx was reduced every year resulting in environment improvement. To improve the air quality of high pollution areas, government supported part of the investment cost when small and medium companies replaced old burners with high NOx emission to low NOx burner. According to the analysis by Korea Environment Corporation (KECO), average of 53% (77ppm ⇒ 36ppm) of NOx is reduced when replacing the conventional gas burner to low NOx gas burner. When replacing common heavy oil burner to low NOx heavy oil burner, average of 24 % (215ppm⇒ 163ppm) of NOx is decreased. Particularly, if common heavy oil burner is replaced with low NOx gas burner, the reduction rate is up to 83%(215ppm ⇒36ppm). During the low NOx supporting business 6,180 low NOx burners were supplied in total. As it is shown that the installation of low NOx burner is effective, the ministry is expanding the area, size and facility of the business. From the supply of low NOx burner, air quality improvement through NOx reduction and cost reduction through improved fuel efficiency, together with CO2 reduction, are expected. By supplying 6,180 low NOx burners, 2,805 tons of NOx, 301,056 tons of CO2 and 44,522,412N㎥ of fuel are reduced every year. In case of CO2, the effect equals to offset of emission from 101, 366 cars (average emission 198g CO2/km, the Korea Transport Institute). Based on LPG (679.3 won/N㎥, average cost of Korea Gas Corporation industrial gas in 2011.1., during winter), 30.2 billion won is saved.            < Effect > No. of Supplied Low NOx NOx Reduction CO2 Reduction Fuel Reduction (Fuel Cost) 6,180 (‘06~’11) 2,805 tons/year 301,056 tons/year 44,522,412 N㎥/year  

The Ministry of Environment and the National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER) performed a survey on natural environment of 57 deserted islands around Shinan-gun, Mokpo and Muan in 2011. As a result, NIER reported on the 31st that a large number of endangered wild animals and plants including Lutra lutra lutra and Haematopus ostralegus osculans SWINHOE were found inhabit the area.   Under the「Special Act on the Preservation of the Ecosystem in Island Areas Including Dokdo」, the 1st survey was conducted from 1998 to 2004 and the survey on the ecosystems of national islands has been carried out since 2006 and is planned to be completed in 2014.   The area is divided into two by geographical features: erosion area such as sea cliff and sea stack due to waves and sedimentation area such as tidal flat and sand spit which are influenced by tides, surrounded by big islands.   According to the survey result, five species of endangered wild animals - Lutra lutra lutra, Falco peregrinus japonensis GMELIN, Elaphe schrenckii STRAUCH, Bubo bubo kiautschensis REICHENOW, Haematopus ostralegus osculans SWINHOE - and two species of endangered wild plants, Milletia japonica and Drosera peltata, inhabit the area.   Particularly, Lutra lutra lutra was found in 18 islands and Haematopus ostralegus osculans SWINHOE in 20 of the surveyed islands. Among the surveyed areas, Nabi Island was found to have various geographical features such as tidal flat, sand beach and weathered and sediment areas and great scenery along with different endangered wild animals and comparably abundant marine algae vegetation.   Endangered wild animals such as Lutra lutra lutra, Bubo bubo kiautschensis REICHENOW and Haematopus ostralegus osculans SWINHOE inhabit the area and marine algae vegetation is abundant on bedrock intertidal zones. White heron lives in group in the adjacent island, Cheonghaedo. The coast area has geographical features with landscape and academic value. Gnamma developed at shore platforms, sand and shingle beaches of sediment sand and gravel, and terrace gravel which indicates the surface of the sea of the past are one of such features.   With great geographical features and scenary such as columnar joint and sea cliff, three islands – Ipmodo, Guldo and Mumyeong 2 do – are home of endangered species such as Falco peregrinus japonensis GMELIN and Lutra lutra lutra. However, the species are in danger by pastured goats.   Ipmodo with high possibility of breeding of endangered species, Falco peregrinus japonensis GMELIN is habitat of rare species such as Locustella pleskel and Juniperus chinensis L. var. procumbens (Sieb.) Endl. However, it can be destroyed as goats have been pastured. In addition, columnar joint in such deserted islands has high value in the aspect of distribution condition, size and continuity.   The Ministry of Environment and NIER are planning to designate deserted islands with high landscape and ecological value as special islands based on the result of the survey.   Columnar joint (Guldo island)   Locustella pleskel, on IUCN Red List of Vulnerable Species (Ipmodo island)    

The Ministry of Environment preliminarily announced the legislation of revised bill of enforcement regulations for the Protection of Wild Fauna and Flora Act on January 30. According to the bill, the number of endangered species of wild fauna and flora will be expanded from 221 to 245. Based on the draft bill by the ministry, the revised bill was completed through public hearing, collecting opinion of experts and private organizations and review by experts.   By the revised bill, 57 species including Hyla suweonensis, Nipponia nippon and Saccolabium matsuran will be newly designated as endangered species. On the other hand, 33 species including extinct Eumetopias jubata and Astragalus membranaceus, which is not discovered in Korea anymore, will be removed in the list. However, 8 species of birds such as Anas formosa Georgi and Circus spilonotus Kaup will be continuously managed. Among 188 species, which will be included in the list again, ratings of 7 species including Acheilognathus somjinensis will be changed. For example, the rating of three species -- Acheilognathus somjinensis, which only inhabit the upper region of the Seomjingang River, Sibynophis chinensis whose distribution is limited and Cypripedium guttatum Sw, which has been disappeared in large numbers -- will be raised from II to I. On the other hand, the rating of four species -- Platalea leucorodia, which continuously returns Cheonsuman and Junam reservoir; Elaphe schrenckii, which distribute on a national scale; and Prosopocoilus astacoides blanchardi and Gammarus zeongogensis -- will be reduced from I to II.