Achieving shared growth through green ODA

Dozens of government and organization officials from 13 countries view the windmills at the Sihwa Lake in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province as part of the East Asia Climate Partnership program organized by KOICA.

What is needed is the financial and technical support of developed countries to bring in developing countries into this ‘green movement.’

The green economy has been drawing greater attention from the international community. The UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD), more commonly known as Rio+20, which runs from June 20 to 22 in Brazil, will discuss ways of making the transition to a green economy.

In order to take global measures to achieve a green economy while following the principle of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which is to carry “common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities and their social and economic conditions,” what is needed is the financial and technical support of developed countries to bring in developing countries into this “green movement.”

Most people think that aid activities put a priority on poverty eradication in countries that are unable to meet basic human needs. There is likely to be some degree of skepticism at the idea of additionally raising environmental issues in these countries.

Natural disasters

However, it seems that such a well-worn viewpoint may need to be re-thought in the face of overwhelming evidence in the form of frequent weather changes and natural disasters that are becoming more widespread these days. Developed countries, with relatively abundant resources and sophisticated technologies, are capable of preventing and restoring the damage caused by natural disasters. Developing countries, however, lack the resources to do so and thus have no choice but to suffer the most from drastic climate change and environment degradation. With ill-equipped infrastructure, even the strike of a single natural disaster may leave them vulnerable to mass losses of life, crops and buildings. For them, lacking resources, restoration efforts often seem to take forever. It is not so surprising that 70 percent of the death toll caused by natural disasters happens in developing countries.

The Korean government has chosen “low carbon, green growth” as a national vision and, in line with this has conducted “green Official Development Assistance (ODA). To be specific, it has launched the East Asia Climate Partnership (EACP) program, which represents the government’s effort to support climate change mitigation projects in developing countries. Initiated by the Korean government during the 2008 G8 Extended Summit, it is a special fund set up for combating climate change and supporting green growth in developing countries.

The main beneficiaries of EACP are East Asian countries, which, while continuing to undergo a period of drastic industrialization, have become vulnerable to climate change due to having insufficient infrastructure in place. Since 2008, the Korean government has carried out the five-year EACP program and has offered help in five priority areas: water management, low-carbon energy, low-carbon cities, waste management, and forestation. With a total budget of $200 million, the government has been conducting bilateral and multilateral environmental projects, inviting government officials for training in Korea, and making research in green growth for developing countries.

The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the main grant aid channel of the Korean government, was put in charge of the EACP program and has sought to expand it ever since. After accepting project requests from 31 countries and conducting feasibility studies on the requests, it has selected 20 projects and has been implementing them in 10 countries. The projects are to be completed by the end of this year in line with the Korean government’s commitment made in 2008 toward the international community.

Water management

Water management is one of the EACP’s leading support programs. As its goal is to help developing countries deal with water shortages, the program includes forming master plans for water resources management, and the provision of necessary facilities such as water supply and sewage treatment systems. However, the ultimate goal of water management lies in achieving overall improvement in living conditions by preventing floods and droughts, ensuring a stable supply of drinking water, and improving water quality, which will lead to an increase in agricultural productivity. “Water Landmark Projects,” water management programs are run in Mongolia, the Philippines, and Azerbaijan with a combined budget of $70 million.

Making use of renewable energy resources, such as solar energy, is also included in the EACP program. In Cambodia, KOICA provided a solar-powered electricity facility for a village where war-veterans live. In Mongolia, it presented a high-tech heat system, which reduces air pollution. On South Pacific island countries which are threatened by the sea level rises, KOICA focuses on strengthening these countries’ capacity in utilizing renewable energy sources.

In addition, Korea’s forestation techniques have become valuable assets to countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines that are under threat from rapid deforestation. Recently, the Korean government handed over a satellite reception and analysis ground system to Sri Lanka, which will now allow Sri Lankans to make weather forecasts and take preventive measures based on the data transmitted from Korea’s meteorological satellite “Chollian.”

To share the spirit of green ODA, EACP is working with international organizations, such as the WHO, IMO and World Bank, recognizing mosquito-borne diseases as climate change issues and seeking solutions for these illnesses. In addition, it is involved with international academic research aimed at developing eco-friendly ship technology.

Such efforts on the part of the Korean government have not been in vain: some 100 government officials from partner countries have shown great interest in Korea’s rapid economic growth and its leading role in green growth discussions. Considering that Korea survived the aftermath of Korean War and has succeeded in combating poverty, there is the unanimous opinion held that Korea’s training programs are more motivating than those provided by other aid agencies around the world.

Effects of climate change

The effects of climate change are not limited to any particular state or region. Therefore, the international society must stand together to deal with this problem, realizing that environmental issues decide whether the world achieves sustainable development. Accordingly, the “Green Economy” system that will be discussed in the upcoming Rio+20 Summit can only be realized when developed countries provide active support for developing countries and the latter’s participation in achieving the green economy. Now is the time to focus our energy on implementing green ODA not just for the survival of developing countries, but also for shared growth and sustainable development of the whole international community together.

The EACP program is now in its final stage, but it will remain as the best practice of Korea’s green growth initiative and is set to become the foundation for expanding the percentage of Korea’s green ODA by 30 percent. Based on the expertise and experience acquired through the five-year program of EACP, Korea will strive to spread green ODA around the world, aiming to eradicate poverty in developing countries and mitigate the side effects of climate change.

KOICA and the Ministry of Public Works of the Republic of Indonesia recently held a workshop on “Master Planning & Feasibility Study of Karian Dam-Serpong Water Conveyance and Supply System” at the Marriott Hotel in Jakarta with one hundred stakeholders from the Korean embassy, KOICA and EDCF, and the Indonesian government present.

Main goals of this study were to establish the master plan for water conveyance and treatment plants, and plan a PPP (public private partnership) scheme in order to stably supply the water from Karian Dam to Jabotabek (Jakarta, Bogor, Tangrang, and Bekasi) area, where water shortage has been severe. This study commenced in July 2010 and was completed in June 2011 through KOICA’s technical assistance.

KOICA has continuously wrestled with the water shortage of Jabotabek area in cooperation with the government of Indonesia since 2006, under the title of “Feasibility Study and Detailed Design for the Karian Dam Project.” Successful implementation of the water conveyance and supply system will enhance the lives of approximately 4 million people in the Jabotabek area.

At present, consultation is in progress between both governments to prepare the implementation of Karian Dam Construction which will be financed by both EDCF of Korea and the government of Indonesia. With the completion of this study in June 2011, efficient financing and development scheme will be proposed for the construction of water conveyance and water treatment plants.

Recently, water shortage has become one of the urgent global issues due to climate change. With the successful implementation of this model, it is expected that business opportunities in Indonesia for Korean enterprises will increase, especially in water-related sectors.

In Sri Lanka, a solar power plant has been completed at Hambantota with the assistance of the Korean government and KOICA.

The Korean government has set “Low Carbon, Green Growth” strategy as a national goal and initiated a five-year plan. As a part of the plan, KOICA established the East Asia Climate Partnership (EACP) to share Korea’s knowhow and technology in the area of renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainability with developing countries through ODA projects.

Under EACP, KOICA has invested $3 million for the construction of a 500kw solar power plant which will be connected to the national grid system. This power plant is equipped with solar panel modules, inverters, transformers and computerized monitoring system by LG CNS. It currently generates average of 2 kw per day and provides electricity to more than 300 rural household in the region.

This plant is expected to solve the power shortage problem in the rural area, and also to strengthen the relationship in renewable energy sector between Korea and Sri Lanka.

Environment Info

Water shortage

Water is scarce. Yet, we take it for granted, we waste it, and we even pay too much to drink it from little plastic bottles. Today, nearly 1 billion people in the developing world don’t have access to it.

Clean, safe drinking water is scarce. It is the foundation of life, a basic human need. Yet today, all around the world, far too many people spend their entire day searching for it.

The importance of access to clean water cannot be overstated.

Simply put, water scarcity is either the lack of enough water (quantity) or lack of access to safe water (quality).

It’s hard for most of us to imagine that clean, safe water is not something that can be taken for granted. But, in the developing world, finding a reliable source of safe water is often time-

consuming and expensive. This is known as economic scarcity. Water can be found…it simply requires more resources to do it.

In other areas, the lack of water is a more profound problem. There simply isn’t enough. That is known as physical scarcity.

The problem of water scarity is a growing one. As more people put ever increasing demands on limited supplies, the cost and effort to build or even maintain access to water will increase.

Park Dae-won is the president of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). He began his career in 1974 at the foreign ministry after graduating from the department of political science and diplomacy at Yonsei University. Previously, Park also served as a member of the Presidential Council on Nation Branding.

<Korea Times/Park Dae-won>

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