Impact of global warming in Korea20091602 Choi, Woo-jooThese days, the industrial working affects various aspects over the world as life style is getting a high technology. Have you noticed that the world has been getting warmer and warmer each year? It is because the mother earth is suffering from global warming. The global warming occurs because of the greenhouse effect. You might know that many machineries and technologies are being invented and used nowadays, compared to the olden days. Due to the excessive amount of machineries manufactured and therefore more carbon dioxide produced, the global warming is happening and being serious.As more and more carbon dioxide are produced, the gas gathers around the earth just like a blanket and as a result, in the day, the heat from the sun penetrates through the 'blanket' of carbon dioxide into the earth. Thus, the earth, containing too much heat energy, becomes hotter and hotter each day. From the last 100 years, the average temperature of the earth rise 0.74˚C. Due to the increasing temperature of the earth, the ices existing in the world are now MELTING. That results in animals living in cold climate such as polar bears losing their homes. In addition, because of the melting ice, the water level of the oceans and seas are now increasing, too. As a result, more floods would happen in the future and some small islands may drown, and many lives would be lost.In case of Korea, the average temperature rise twice, 1.5˚C because of urbanized phenomenon. If we are in the worst scenario such as a rapid growth, the most population of the world, dependency of the fossil fuels and etc, the average temperature of the earth will rise up to 6.4˚C in the end of 21st century. Because of the global warming, Korean government suggests that the summertime system start in next year. Do you know that a typhoon didn’t strike Korea this year? It is also caused by global warming. Because of no typhoon, this makes problems in marine ranch and resource. Ocean is needed to exchange the top and bottom for the supply of nutrients. So, no typhoon makes problems. A red tide is happening earlier as the year goes. And the number of a cold water fish such as the Alaska Pollack, a herring and a codfish is diminishing and the number of a warm current fish such as a cuttlefish, a mackerel and an anchovy is increasing. And the tropical night phenomenon is getting frequently in summer night. The day of the tropical night is increasing about 4 times.In this situation, Korean government suggests “Low-carbon and green growth” as a new paradigm. Government suggests “green growth” policies related to green technology. Some say that “green growth” becomes the core agenda and is made to put into practice based on consensus and cooperation of the public.However, there is the effort but no realization. Since inauguration of Lee,myung-bak as a President, there is no law about the green growth. We had a base but it is hard to do something because there are no legal bases. Hence, some say that we reinforce the “action plan” and sow effective “green seed” by completing the green related laws. In comparison with U.S. and China, Korea is a slow start. Many advanced nation already have laws about environment preservation and greenhouse gas. Korea is pressed by world-wide to reduce the greenhouse gas.Because of global warming, the Korean economy also had a shock. Most of energy comes from fossil fuels that cause to emit lots of carbon dioxide. It comes from foreign countries. So, we have to save the energy and make a green energy. The government encourages people to take a public transportation and gives incentives to company that reduce the emission of greenhouse gas. And to make the low-carbon life infrastructure, they plan to make green building and the first green building becomes the Blue House. An economy world require that total emission amount is limited in similar companies. And we the nation need a change of a way of thinking. We should think that our little save can make building.The earth is getting older and weaker. And human being used the earth thoughtless and this causes global warming. Global warming affects over the world. Korea cannot avoid this global warming. Global warming makes our society confused because of climate problems, energy problems and others. Korean government should get on the start to make these problems less effective. And, we also do the helpful things to protect our earth. We have to have a thought that I first do, not you first do. And do the small things. When we plan to big things, it is just hard to plan the project. So, we change just small things in our life. Take one step by one step. This one step and small changes make world change.