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Questions remain in Jeju's 'World Environment Capital' bidJNU Prof. Jang Sung-soo addresses ICLEI international forum in Jeju City, Dec. 17 |
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| ▲ JNU Prof. Jang Sung-soo sees Jeju’s World Environment Capital bid as a way to use the island’s tourism industry to help preserve the environment. Photo by Angela Kim |
Jeju National University Prof. Jang Sung-soo presented a talk entitled “Jeju’s Challenges Towards a World Environmental Capital” at a two-day International Forum for Sustainable Development held at the Jeju KAL Hotel on Dec. 17. In his speech, he gave the reasons why Jeju should become a World Environment Capital City (also known as Jeju World Environmental Hub Model City) and outlined the concerns that accompany this transition.
The event was hosted by the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI)-Local Governments for Sustainability, in association with the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province.
Chin Dae-Shik, director of the Korea office of the ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, said during his opening address that the purpose of this forum was to find solutions to the world’s environmental crises and concerns.
During his presentation, Prof. Jang pointed out that Jeju is not safe from the effects of climate change and environmental degradation. “[The] Jeju sea is rising,” he said, adding that the island’s marine life is slowly becoming less diverse, and the average land temperature is increasing faster than the national average.
“We have to find some method to mitigate climate change,” he told the forum attendees. “We have to come up with a solution.”
For Jang, utilizing Jeju’s tourism sector to turn the island into a World Environment Capital City will be a big step forward.
The idea of Jeju becoming a World Environment Capital City is a provincial initiative that will be submitted to members of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) during the World Conservation Congress (WCC) in Jeju next year. The members will discuss possible ways to implement this plan and “We [will] hear the[ir] voices … and then decide our future and establish a plan” to transform Jeju into a World Environment Capital City, Jang told The Weekly after his presentation.
But what exactly is a World Environment Capital City? “There is no objective standard,” he said, stating that for him it is a city that puts its environmental concerns above all else and that “the management of the city is by the environment standard.”
To continue Jeju’s economic growth while simultaneously becoming greener, he suggested that since tourism is the island’s cash cow, it should be utilized, specifically MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions) industry. Seeing that tourism is a service-heavy industry and that much of the island’s attractions are focused on Jeju’s natural assets, the environmental impact to grow its economy is lower than other industries.
“In terms of tourism we have to utilize what we have like the [UNESCO] ‘triple crown,’ our [natural] resources, and we have to utilize Olle and temple stays,” he said continuing that a “slow tourism city is our goal.”
He also said that MICE industry should be considered as a green growth vehicle, but before it can be truly effective to help the economy Jeju needs to be recognized the world over “as the best destination for green MICE.”
Another avenue that should be followed, Jang said, is through technology to create a greener infrastructure. He pointed to the Smart Grid currently being tested in Gujwa-eup, Jeju City. Embracing technological advancements, Jang said, will be an important factor in Jeju’s conversion and that the Smart Grid needs to be further implemented within the island’s infrastructure.
Currently, the government wants Jeju to fulfill the goal of becoming a green province by 2020 and rightfully claiming the title as the World Environment Capital City. Though Jang did not offer another date he said he does not think it will be possible to meet that timeline. With less than a year to go before the WCC, Jang said if they receive support from IUCN members, it will be a “very big chance” for the island to become the World Environment Capital City.
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