Sheila Viona Amelia
Staff, Research Division FPCI Chapter UPN Veteran Jakarta
Climate crisis has been something of a discussion over the decades and considered as a global phenomenon that poses a significant threat to the planet’s ecosystem and human survival. The hazardous disasters from the melting ice that causes the sea-level rise and major flooding to extreme heat waves which become more frequent day by day. It is worse, much worse, thank we think. These disasters also become an impassioned call to world leaders to call to action through their policies. Every country has their own approach to tackle the climate crisis. SO, Let’s see some countries’ policies that have been implementing climate crisis policy with their own approach to sustainability.
Spain
The Paris Agreement, signed in 2015, is an international treaty designed to combat climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Under the agreement, countries agreed to limit the rise in global temperatures to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Many countries are increasingly adopting renewable energy as a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, so is Spain. Spain has implemented several sustainable policies in recent years to tackle climate change and promote a more environmentally friendly and green economy. Such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, promoting renewable energy, sustainable mobility, circular economy and energy-efficient buildings. Climate Change and Energy Transition Law – In 2019, Spain enacted a law to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20% by 2030 and to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. The law sets out a framework for the transition to a low-carbon economy, with specific measures to promote renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable mobility. Besides being ambitious on renewable and energy transition, Spain is one of the tourism countries that is taking sustainability as a part of its plan. Spain has implemented an ecotourism concept. Ecotourism purposely to protect their land, wildlife, marine life, and more. Nearly a third of its land or 70 million acres of Spain are protected and 12% or more marine surface areas have been preserved. Spain’s Ecotourism concept is a stepping stone in sustainable development. This eco-friendly travel policy needs more recognition and should be implemented for more countries as well.
South Korea
Is the second country that has implemented various sustainable policies in recent years to address environmental and climate issues. Some of these policies include: Renewable energy, Carbon pricing, Energy efficiency, Waste management and Green Transportation. South Korea promotes green life to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in daily life. The goal of green life practice is the settlement of the low-carbon lifestyle of the 21st century, with a vision to the realization of low-carbon green growth through people’s participation. There are three strategies that are activating all citizens’ green life movements, strengthening the incentives for green life, and constructing a supporting system for green life practice. In order to achieve the goal and realize the vision, the government is carrying out some specific plans such as customizing green-life implementation, training core leaders of green life, providing incentives for green life, and constructing a cyber center for green life. The Green Start is driving the implementation of greenhouse gas reduction by the cooperative governance between the government, commerce, and civilian organizations. In 2009, the Korean government reaffirmed their strong will to expand the green life practice, by setting a five-year plan for green growth, in which they emphasized the Green Revolution of Life. Green life movement in Korea is implemented through the Green Start Movement, promoting green consumption, the Green Transportation Movement, reducing food waste, and making green homes. In order to motivate people to actively participate in the movement, incentives such as the carbon points systems are provided. The government plans to train leaders, construct a cyber center, and legislate necessary laws for green life and organize systems and institutions to support the movement. These are just a few examples of South Korea’s sustainable policies. The country has made significant efforts to address environmental and climate issues, and continues to explore new ways to promote sustainability.
Japan
I believe that everyone knows how clean and tidy most cities in Japan are. Japan has implemented a number of sustainable policies to address issues related to climate change, energy, and the environment. In Japan, since 1994 has enacted what is called the Basic Environment Law, which sets out basic principles and directions for formulating environmental policies. The Basic Environmental Law (BEL) is the principal piece of legislation which determines fundamentals such as general policies and guidelines. There are laws for the prevention and reduction of pollutants, laws for the conservation of nature, and last but not least laws for the management of the circulation system. The very typical of Japan when it comes to sustainability is Waste reduction: Japan has implemented policies to promote waste reduction and recycling including, among others, the Waste Management and Public Cleaning Act (WMPCA), which provides for the regulation of the methods of waste disposal, including business entities’ obligations to follow specified procedures for disposing of waste. It also provides for the licensing and regulation of waste management businesses and facilities. There are more regulations regarding prohibited activities, compensation, and penalties that apply strictly.
References
Environmental law and practice in Japan: overview. (2020). UK Practical Law. https://uk.practicallaw.thomsonreuters.com/6-502-8920?transitionType=Default&contextData=(sc.Default)&firstPage=true
Heggie, J. (2020). Spain: taking sustainable energy to the next level. National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/partner-content-setting-standard-for-sustainability
Korea’s Policies to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Daily Life. (2010, 3). Korea Environmental Policy Bulletin, VIII, 12. https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/9009/-Korea%20Environmental%20Policy%20Bulletin%20-%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20Policies%20to%20Reduce%20Greenhouse%20Gas%20Emissions%20in%20Daily%20Life-2010Korea%C3%AD%C2%BBs%20Policies%20to%20Reduce%20Greenh
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