[Editorial] Carbonless Gapado

Daejeong-eup on Jejudo Island might not be familiar to most in Korea, though the district, part of Seogwipo City, has already embarked on building its reputation as an emerging mecca for education by native English speakers. However, apart from a group of renowned international schools in Daejeong, the southwestern town of Jejudo Island is drawing wide interest among global environmentalists for its green energy-oriented islet Gapado Island.

The islet is the pilot model for the “Carbon Free Island Jeju by 2030” program. Jeju Special Self-Governing Province officials say that Gapado Island is to become the world’s first carbon-free island. Its 245 residents will use only renewable energy sources like wind power after it severs thermal power supply lines within mere months.

There are three electric car charging stations on Gapado, with four electric cars and five electric motorbikes provided to residents and tourists. Residents have reached a consensus on eliminating the remaining nine diesel-powered vehicles and using electric buses by the end of this year.

It is a praiseworthy achievement as Jejudo Island’s idea of creating a carbonless region gained keen attention at a recent United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Paris.

South Korea -- one of the world’s top 10 greenhouse gas emitters -- had promised to the global community it would reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 4 percent by 2020. Falling in step with the eco-friendly initiative on Jejudo Island, the central government needs to reinforce its support for other regions across the country over the carbon emissions reduction.

One mission is found on Ulleungdo Island, located some 120 kilometers east of the Korean Peninsula. Relevant ministries including the Ministry of Environment had mapped out a scheme to also make the island carbon-free.

That could be the nation’s second successful test bed for the creation of a green and clean district. To attain sincere acknowledgement from the U.N., there is the need to go to bigger residential districts. Ulleungdo is the nation’s eighth largest island with a population exceeding 10,000.

Policymakers should concretize the former appraisal by economists that the South Gyeongsang island could become an optimum spot for renewable energy storage, which will fuel be the nation’s next growth engine.

On a mid- and long-term basis, for nationwide expansion of the green project, the government should raise incentives for manufacturers using and developing alternative energy sources.

Major conglomerates including Samsung are actively capitalizing on the energy storage system market, riding its high growth potential.

One environmentally oriented economist has said that “vigorous cooperation of Korea in major economies’ concerted effort to battle global warming could generate fresh economic opportunities, even though some companies express worries over the additional regulatory costs.”