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Seoul’s air is as polluted as Beijing`s

Posted December. 17, 2015 10:34,   

한국어

New NASA air pollution maps showed Seoul’s average nitrogen dioxide level at 18.6 ppb last year, ranking the 5th in the world. This is only slightly better than that of Beijing (19.9 ppb), which issued a smog red alert for the first time earlier this month. The maps marked highly polluted areas red and clean areas blue on NASA satellite images. Only China and South Korea were marked red in East Asia. It is striking to know that Seoul’s air pollution level is almost equivalent to that of smog-ridden Beijing.

Nitrogen dioxide is a type of pollutant emitted through automobile combustion or coal power generation, which develops ultra-fine dusts, often called as silent killers. Many tourist coaches and public buses that operate in the Seoul Metropolitan area run on diesel engines, emitting a huge volume of toxic chemicals. Volkswagen has sold the biggest number of vehicles of among foreign brands in Korea, despite the alleged test rigging scandal. This shows Korean consumers’ high interest in mileage rather than air pollution.

Coal produces 44 percent of all fossil fuel-generated carbon emissions worldwide. Korea is the world`s fourth-largest importer of coal and 6th largest coal power generator. Coal power accounted for 39 percent of domestic electricity in the country last year. In July this year, the government canceled its permission for four of the 24 coal power plants, which were planned to be constructed by 2021, and announced its new initiative to build two nuclear power plants, but is encountering strong resistance from civic and environmental groups.

The Paris climate change agreement will take effect in 2020 to replace the Kyoto Protocol. Therefore, a successful transition to a new energy regime is needed so that each member country effectively supports renewable energy to stop air pollution and global warming. Strengthened regulations for hazardous materials and new energy supply plan to meet the global trend of abolishing coal power plants will be some of the crucial steps.