• Title/Summary/Keyword: International environmental convention

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Analyzing Environmental Impacts in Construction Project at Different Ownership - Focus on Express Road Pavement Process - (공공발주자와 민간기업 측면의 건설공사 온실가스 환경비용 영향분석 - 고속도로 포장공종을 중심으로 -)

  • Jang, Woo Sik;Park, Heedae;Han, Seung Heon;Jeon, Jong Seo
    • KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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    • v.31 no.1D
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    • pp.111-117
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    • 2011
  • In the wake of increased concerns on reduction of greenhouse emission which started with United Nation's Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Kyoto protocol, Korean government is making various efforts under the represented slogan "Low Carbon, Green Growth". Therefore, it is inevitable that construction industry also follow the Korea government's slogan and the international trend in environmental problems. This study identified several main construction materials and equipments of civil construction projects and suggested a environmental cost estimation method and related estimation standards (Public and private owners are distinguished). A case analysis of a real road construction project is also performed and characteristics according to the owner type is compared. This study analyzed the environmental impact to total construction cost variations. In the result, public owner required 11~16% of extra budget and private owner required 19~22% of extra costs. This study is limited in consideration of environmental factors and carbon trading prices.

A Study on the Role of United Nations Regional Group System for the London Protocol (런던의정서에서 유엔 지역그룹체제의 역할에 관한 연구)

  • Moon, Byung-Ho;Hong, Gi-Hoon
    • Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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    • v.13 no.3
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    • pp.135-150
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    • 2010
  • At the Intergovernmental Meeting held in 1972, the London Convention was adopted to prevent marine pollution from dumping of wastes and other matter. After that, at the special meeting held at the Headquarters of the International Maritime Organization in 1996, the London Convention was revised to consider advances in technology of treatment and disposal of wastes and to reflect changes in understanding of marine environment and then the London Protocol was concluded. The London Protocol states more concrete management system for ocean dumping than the London Convention and also provides that the Meeting of Contracting Parties shall establish those procedures and mechanisms necessary to assess and promote compliance with the Protocol. With the London Protocol in force since 24 March 2006, the Meeting of Contracting Parties adopted the 'Compliance Procedures and Mechanisms (CPM) pursuant to Article 11 of the 1996 Protocol to the London Convention 1972' and established the Compliance Group in 2007. According to the CPM, members of the Compliance Group shall be nominated by Contracting Parties, based on equitable and balanced geographic representation of the five Regional Groups of the United Nations, and elected by the Meeting of Contracting Parties. In 2009, the Republic of Korea nominated a member of the Compliance Group to be subsequently elected by the Meeting of Contracting Parties with the approval of other states in Asia Group. Through the United Nations Regional Group System based on geographical identity or political affinity, Contracting Parties to the London Protocol are expected to form a voting bloc or to exchange information in meetings on the London Protocol. In this sense, it is noteworthy that the London Protocol introduced marine environmental management system for comprehensive prohibition of ocean dumping with exception of the so-called 'reverse-list' which had been earlier adopted by the 'Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic, 1992 (OSPAR)' whose contracting parties belonged to Western European and Other States Group. In recent years, the jurisdiction of London Protocol has been extended to protect and preserve the marine environment from all sources of pollution. This will make the United Nations Regional Group System play more important roles in the activities associated with the London Protocol. For this reason, this article has considered characteristics of the United Nations Regional Group System and has analyzed influences of this Regional Group System in meetings on the London Protocol. This could provide preliminary information for the Republic of Korea to give due consideration to the United Nations Regional Group System on the activities associated with the London Protocol.

Outlook for a New International Agreement on Climate Change Adaptation: How to Approach (기후변화 적응의 신기후체제 합의: 전망을 위한 접근방법)

  • Lee, Seungjun
    • Journal of Environmental Policy
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    • v.14 no.3
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    • pp.75-94
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    • 2015
  • The purpose of this study is to analyze the major issues discussed among Parties and provide a framework for predicting the agreements on those issues, prior to the final negotiation on a new legally-binding agreement on climate change adaptation in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The analyses of documents, adaptation actions, and work of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP) under the UNFCCC informed that the adaptation issue has primarily been focused on the support of developed country Parties for the adaptation of developing country Parties following the principle of the Convention, Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC). Three-year work of the ADP acknowledged the major issues on adaptation in the new climate agreement, which would be categorized as long-term and global aspects, commitments/contributions/actions, monitoring and evaluation, institutional arrangements, and loss and damage. A final agreement on each issue could be predicted by setting a zone of possible agreement in-between the two extremes of developing and developed country Parties and considering three major elements affecting the Parties' positions, national priority, adaptation action, and social expectation, which are proposed in this study. The three major elements should be considered in a balanced manner by Parties to draw a durable agreement that will enhance global adaptation actions from a long-term perspective. That is, the agreement needs to reflect adaptation actions occurring outside the Convention as well as social expectations for adaptation. It is expected that the new agreement on climate change adaptation, from a long-term and global perspective, would be an opportunity to reduce vulnerability and build resilience to climate change by incorporating global expectations.

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International Legal Regulation for Environmental Contamination on Outer Space Activities (우주에서의 환경오염 방지를 위한 국제법적 규제)

  • Lee, Young-Jin
    • The Korean Journal of Air & Space Law and Policy
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    • v.24 no.1
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    • pp.153-194
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    • 2009
  • The resources of outer space are for the common exploitation of mankind, and it is a common responsibility of mankind to protect the outer space environment. With the rapid development of space science and technology, and especially with the busy space activities of some major space powers, environmental contamination or space debris is steadily increasing in quantity and has brought grave potential threats and actual damage to the outer space environment and human activities in space. Especially We must mitigate and seek out a solution to remove space debris which poses a threat directly to man's exploitation and use of outer space activities in the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and in the Geostationary Orbit (GEO), through international cooperation and agreement in the fields of space science, economics, politics and law, in order to safeguard the life and property of mankind and protect the earth's environment. While the issue of space debris has been the subject of scientific study and discussion for some time now, it has yet to be fully addressed within the context of an international legal framework. During the earlier stages of the space age, which began in the late 1950s, the focus of international lawmakers and diplomats was the establishment of basic rules which sought to define the legal nature of outer space and set out the parameters for space activities and the nature and scope of activities carried out in outer space were quite limited. Consequently, environmental issues and the risks that might arise from the generation of space debris did not receive priority attention within the context of the development international space law. In recent years, however, the world has seen dramatic advances in technology and increases in the type and number of space-related activities which are being carried out. In addition, the number of actors in this field has exploded from two highly developed States to a vast array of different States, intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations, including private industry. Therefore, the number of artificial objects in the near-Earth space is continually increasing. As has been previously mentioned, COPUOS was the entity that created the existing five treaties, and five sets of legal Principles, which form the core of space law, and COPUOS is clearly the most appropriate entity to oversee the creation of this regulatory body for the outer space environmental problem. This idea has been proposed by various States and also at the ILA Conference in Buenos Aires. The ILA Conference in Buenos Aires produced an extensive proposal for such a regulatory regime, dealing with space debris issues in legal terms This article seeks to discuss the status of international law as it relates to outer space environmental problem and space debris and indicate a course of action which might be taken by the international community to develop a legal framework which can adequately cope with the complexity of issues that have recently been recognized. In Section Ⅱ,Ⅲ and IV of this article discuss the current status of international space law, and the extent to which some of the issues raised by earth and space environment are accounted for within the existing United Nations multilateral treaties. Section V and VI discuss the scope and nature of space debris issues as they emerged from the recent multi-year study carried out by the ILA, Scientific and Technical Subcommittee, Legal Subcommittee of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space ("COPUOS") as a prelude to the matters that will require the attention of international lawmakers in the future. Finally, analyzes the difficulties inherent in the future regulation and control of space debris and the activities to protect the earth's environment. and indicates a possible course of action which could well provide, at the least, a partial solution to this complex challenge.

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The Experimental Study on the Application of the Insulated Glass PV Module in the Curtain Wall (단열 복층유리 PV의 커튼 월 적용 가능성에 관한 실험적 연구)

  • Oh, Min-Seok;Kim, Hway-Suh
    • Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
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    • v.26 no.3
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    • pp.63-69
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    • 2006
  • In order to positively cope with the international environmental regulations like UNFCCC (UN Framework Convention on Climate Change) and to overcome energy crisis Korea, who depends on import for more than 97% of required energy, needs to continuously proceed to development, spread and expansion of alternativeenergy and then, to cultivate the capacity to keep the balance of demand and supply of energy by itself. In this aspect, the technology of BIPV (Building Integrated Photovoltaic) is the field that the world is most interested in. However, at present, this technology is centered on increasing the efficiency of the module itself so it has lots of problems to be applied to buildings. Application of the integrated PV system in building external curtain wall can obtain much more generation of electric power than in roof-types whose area for installation is restricted, so it is excellent in terms of its possibility of application. Therefore, this paper intends to advance its practical use by proposing how to get integrated PV system which can be applied to building external curtain wall, and how to apply it.

Study on Function and Vegetational Assessment Values of Man-made Wetland in Gunsan City (군산시 인공습지의 기능평가 및 식생학적 가치평가 연구)

  • Kang, Eun-Ok;Choi, Young-Eun;Kim, Chang-Hwan
    • Journal of Environmental Science International
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    • v.21 no.8
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    • pp.997-1007
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    • 2012
  • This study was performed to assess functions of 10 man-made wetlands in Gunsan City, Jeollabuk Province by means of RAM (Rapid Assessment Method), a technique recommended by Ramsar Convention to appraise wetlands. The assessment of the wetlands value found Gunsan reservoir to have the highest function points while Bukchosan reservoir was estimated to have the lowest function among the wetlands surveyed. By detailed factors of valued 10 man-made wetland, the wetlands were found to function most favorably in terms of vegetational variety and as habitat for wild animals. They need to have more improved functions as habitats for fish and amphibians reptiles, for preservation and betterment of water quality as well as for supplement of underground water, though. From the assessment of vegetational naturalness of the surveyed reservoirs, Gunsan reservoir turned out to be the most favorable wetland from the viewpoint of vegetation science whereas, however, Anjeong wetland was rated as the lowest in the assessment of vegetational value due to simplicity in its vegetation and lots of dangers in its neighborhood threatening its vegetation and ecology. The assessment of vegetational values for Gunsan, Gongchang, Daewi, Bukchosan, Anjeong, Geumgul, Changan and Chuksan reservoirs showed the same orextremely similar results as RAM function assessment. Geumsan reservoir only, however, featured the opposite result.

A Study on Damage caused by Space Activity (우주활동으로 인한 손해배상에 관한 법적 고찰)

  • Cho, Hong-Je;Shin, Dong-Chun
    • The Korean Journal of Air & Space Law and Policy
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    • v.27 no.1
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    • pp.103-122
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    • 2012
  • Nowadays, advanced countries and international community in which provide many services and profits due to rapid progress space science and technology whereas there is rising possibility of damage by collision of space object and increase of space debris. I will propose the concept and range of damage in the basis of review of space treaty and space liability convention as form of international order to fair and complete compensate to victim of accident and hazardous space activity. And, I will try to discuss possibility of compensation on personal damage and mental damage, scope of material damage, possibility of compensation about environmental contamination, issue of satellite data sending, place of damage, and so on. Also, I would like to propose establishment of space tribunal and regional cooperative agency.

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A Study on the Recent Change in Korean Legislative System of Marine Environment Related Laws (최근 국내 해양환경법제도의 변화에 관한 고찰)

  • Park, Su-Jin
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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    • v.13 no.4
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    • pp.43-50
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    • 2007
  • Korea actively endeavors to improve the national marine environmental laws and regulations. Along with the growing global concern on the importance of marine environment, the concern is also increasing nationwide in Korea. These institutional changes in Korea have implications in that it has started to internalize the Sustainable Development Principle and the Precautionary Principle in the form of 'law' and 'policy.' The enactment efforts for conservation and sustainable use of marine environment will continue as the legal demand of public for coastal erosion prevention and climate change mitigation increases. This calls for robust revision for more logical framework and coherence of marine environment laws and regulations as well as efficient implementation of policies. In addition, it is strongly required that the systematical research and survey as well as the robust reversion of laws and policies should be taken accordingly for the effective conservation of marine environment.

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Japanese Measurement on Fine Particles(PM2.5) Emission Pollution and Cooperation of Korea -China-Japan to Reduce Fine Particles Pollution- (일본의 미세먼지 대책과 미세먼지 저감을 위한 한중일 협력)

  • Lee, Soocheol
    • Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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    • v.26 no.1
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    • pp.57-83
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    • 2017
  • The Japanese government's attempts to reduce fine particles (PM2.5) emission pollution in Japan have been largely ineffective. This is because PM2.5 in Japan originated from various sources including around half from oversea countries such as China. This prompts the Japanese government to start a new initiative to reduce PM2.5 at its origin by transferring local knowledge on air pollution reduction measures and technologies to China and working closely with the Chinese government. To promote further reduction in PM2.5, bilateral corporation between Japan and China should be extended to include Korea. It is recommended that an international convention should be in place to deal with transboundary air pollutants in East Asia. A successful East Asia corporation to reduce PM2.5 will not only contribute to clean air but also to future sustainable low carbon society in this region.

The Role of the Soft Law for Space Debris Mitigation in International Law (국제법상 우주폐기물감축 연성법의 역할에 관한 연구)

  • Kim, Han-Taek
    • The Korean Journal of Air & Space Law and Policy
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    • v.30 no.2
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    • pp.469-497
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    • 2015
  • In 2009 Iridium 33, a satellite owned by the American Iridium Communications Inc. and Kosmos-2251, a satellite owned by the Russian Space Forces, collided at a speed of 42,120 km/h and an altitude of 789 kilometers above the Taymyr Peninsula in Siberia. NASA estimated that the satellite collision had created approximately 1,000 pieces of debris larger than 10 centimeters, in addition to many smaller ones. By July 2011, the U.S. Space Surveillance Network(SSN) had catalogued over 2,000 large debris fragments. On January 11, 2007 China conducted a test on its anti-satellite missile. A Chinese weather satellite, the FY-1C polar orbit satellite, was destroyed by the missile that was launched using a multistage solid-fuel. The test was unprecedented for having created a record amount of debris. At least 2,317 pieces of trackable size (i.e. of golf ball size or larger) and an estimated 150,000 particles were generated as a result. As far as the Space Treaties such as 1967 Outer Space Treaty, 1968 Rescue Agreement, 1972 Liability Convention, 1975 Registration Convention and 1979 Moon Agreement are concerned, few provisions addressing the space environment and debris in space can be found. In the early years of space exploration dating back to the late 1950s, the focus of international law was on the establishment of a basic set of rules on the activities undertaken by various states in outer space.. Consequently environmental issues, including those of space debris, did not receive the priority they deserve when international space law was originally drafted. As shown in the case of the 1978 "Cosmos 954 Incident" between Canada and USSR, the two parties settled it by the memorandum between two nations not by the Space Treaties to which they are parties. In 1994 the 66th conference of International Law Association(ILA) adopted "International Instrument on the Protection of the Environment from Damage Caused by Space Debris". The Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee(IADC) issued some guidelines for the space debris which were the basis of "the UN Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines" which had been approved by the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space(COPUOS) in its 527th meeting. On December 21 2007 this guideline was approved by UNGA Resolution 62/217. The EU has proposed an "International Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities" as a transparency and confidence-building measure. It was only in 2010 that the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee began considering as an agenda item the long-term sustainability of outer space. A Working Group on the Long-term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities was established, the objectives of which include identifying areas of concern for the long-term sustainability of outer space activities, proposing measures that could enhance sustainability, and producing voluntary guidelines to reduce risks to long-term sustainability. By this effort "Guidelines on the Long-term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities" are being under consideration. In the case of "Declaration of Legal Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exp1oration and Use of Outer Space" adopted by UNGA Resolution 1962(XVIII), December 13 1963, the 9 principles proclaimed in that Declaration, although all of them incorporated in the Space Treaties, could be regarded as customary international law binding all states considering the time and opinio juris by the responses of the world. Although the soft law such as resolutions, guidelines are not binding law, there are some provisions which have a fundamentally norm-creating character and customary international law. In November 12 1974 UN General Assembly recalled through a Resolution 3232(XXIX) "Review of the role of International Court of Justice" that the development of international law may be reflected, inter alia, by the declarations and resolutions of the General Assembly which may to that extend be taken into consideration by the judgements of the International Court of Justice. We are expecting COPUOS which gave birth 5 Space Treaties that it could give us binding space debris mitigation measures to be implemented based on space debris mitigation soft law in the near future.