Article content
(Bloomberg) — South Korea will give major industries a slightly easier target to curb emissions under new plans for climate action that emphasize the use of nuclear power, carbon capture technology and offsets.
Article content
The country’s industrial sector will be allowed to emit a total of 231 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2030, up from a previous target of 223 million tons, according to proposals published Tuesday and which follow President Yoon Suk Yeol’s year election last
Article content
Corporate polluters accounted for about 615 million tons of emissions in 2021 and decarbonizing South Korea’s industrial sector — which includes flagship technology and auto firms — is crucial for the nation to meet its targets for climate action, BloombergNEF ath said
The nation’s power grid is heavily dependent on fossil fuels. Industry leaders including Samsung Electronics Co. and Hyundai Motor Co. have struggled to switch to cleaner alternatives, partly because of a lack of land available for wind and solar.
Article content
Read more: Samsung Struggles to Go Green in Coal-Addicted South Korea
New proposals from the Presidential Commission on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth, which need to be approved by the country’s cabinet, aim to lift the role of nuclear energy and call for reactors to account for almost one-third of power generation by 2030. Renewable sources will make up about 22% by that date, according to the plans.
Yoon’s government is also aiming to use 37.5 million tons of offsets from overseas projects, up from 33.5 million tons under a previous plan. The proposals also call for an expanded role for carbon capture and storage.
South Korea’s previous administration in 2021 set tougher national targets to reduce emissions, aiming for a cut to 436.6 million tons by 2030, 40% lower than 2018 levels. Previously, the nation had planned for a 26.3% reduction.
financialpost.com