Reasons for Proposal
Recently, the world has recognized climate change as a threat to humanity's survival and its tremendous economic, environmental, and social impact, so major countries around the world have pledged carbon neutrality by 2050 according to recommendations in the Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 °C by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and are actively preparing systems to respond to climate change.
While Korea stepped up its response to climate change by legislating the Framework Act on Low Carbon, Green Growth in 2010, greenhouse gas emissions increased in the past decade, and the country is evaluated by international civil society as having the lowest grade in climate change response.
With the upcoming launch of the Paris Agreement in 2021, it calls for not only complying with the agreement in good faith but also preparing a comprehensive and systematic legal basis to enhance the country’s climate change response.
In this regard, the Framework Act on Climate Change Response aims to establish and implement climate change response plans at central and local government levels, set domestic greenhouse gas targets in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement, implement a greenhouse gas and energy target management system, and prepare and operate a systematic climate change response system, including annual evaluations and inspections of compliance results and reporting to the National Assembly to improve the quality of life in the current and future generations, protect the ecosystem and climate system, and actively contribute to climate change response by the international community.
Details
A. Accelerate greenhouse gas reduction and reinforce climate change adaptation measures to prevent the severe impact of climate change brought about by global warming and minimize its impact to improve the quality of life in the current and future generations, protect the ecosystem and climate system, and actively contribute to climate change response by the international community (Article 1).
B. Require the central government to establish the Comprehensive National Climate Change Response Plan every 5 years for 20 years in accordance with the basic principles of climate change response, the head of any relevant central administrative agency to establish and implement the Central Implementation Plan, the Mayor/Do Governor to establish and implement the Comprehensive Metropolitan Plan and Metropolitan Implementation Plan, and the head of any relevant Si/Gun/Gu to establish and implement the Basic Implementation Plan (Articles 8 through 11).
C. Establish the Climate Change Committee under the Prime Minister to deliberate key policies concerning climate change response (Article 15).
D. Require the government to set greenhouse gas reduction targets to implement the Paris Agreement and establish and operate a comprehensive information management system to manage these efforts (Articles 17 and 18).
E. Require the government to introduce a greenhouse gas and energy target management system, impose on greenhouse gas emitting business entities and energy consuming entities the obligations to fill out statements and report their performance in complying with established targets, provide related information and fiscal or tax support to such entities (Article 19).
F. Allow operation of an emission permits trading system to achieve efficient national greenhouse gas reduction targets, and specify matters related to its operation separately in laws (Article 22).
G. Prepare systems related to climate change adaptation, including climate change monitoring and prediction, climate change impact assessment, climate change adaptation measures, and designation and operation of the National Climate Change Adaptation Center (Articles 23 through 28).
H. Establish the Climate Change Response Fund to efficiently seek domestic and international projects related to climate change response and require the Minister of Strategy and Finance to operate and manage the fund (Articles 29 through 31).
Notes
This Act rests on the premise that the Framework Act on Green Transition for Sustainable Society (Bill no. 6737), represented and proposed by National Assembly Member Han Jeoung-ae, and the Partial Amendment to the Energy Act (Bill no. 6726) and the Partial Amendment to the National Finance Act (Bill no. 6735), represented and proposed by National Assembly Member Lim Jong-seong, are passed. If the bills are not passed or are passed with modification, this Act must be adjusted accordingly.
