[Korea, International Climate & Environment Center]
We are currently faced with three different crises and three types of disasters. The three crises are the climate crisis that is becoming the biggest threat to humanity and the natural ecosystem, the inequality crisis that is spreading and deepening throughout society, and the job crisis caused by the fourth industrial revolution and COVID-19. Influencing one another, these three crises are manifesting in the form of unsustainability in environmental, social and economic aspects and are raising uncertainties to the levels beyond our prediction. These crises are jeopardizing our lives and humanity in general, combined with natural disasters such as typhoons, droughts and heatwaves that are perceivable and becoming commonplace, social disasters such as fine dust particles, and disasters related to infectious diseases such as COVID-19. The main culprit of these crises and disasters is the pursuit of endless material growth powered by fossil fuel. The energy transition can be a game-changer in achieving the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions pursued as a direct solution to climate change, resulting from excessive productivism. Digitalization in energy transition can catalyze energy transition by reducing energy demand and boosting efficiency. However, there is one more requirement: finding an answer to the question of how to strengthen resilience against disasters that are becoming all too commonplace. More specifically, this is about enabling local communities to build infrastructure to become more resilient against crises and disasters and more adaptive to climate change. In particular, the risks and impacts of climate change may vary depending on housing type, income level, and local residents’ response capacity even within the same region, which calls for the consideration of social vulnerabilities in climate change response through the engagement and cooperation with stakeholders such as communities and local residents. To improve the climate adaptation capacity of a region and avoid climate change risks, the most important requirements will be the participation of local stakeholders, horizontal and voluntary cooperation among the government, market and civil society. A social economy can play a pivotal role in climate crisis response with its emphasis on linkages with the pertinent region and pursuit of both economic and social values based on the spirit of solidarity and cooperation.
The Race to Resilience Campaign Powered
by a Social Economy
Kim, Tae-ho
[Korea, International Climate & Environment Center]
We are currently faced with three different crises and three types of disasters. The three crises are the climate crisis that is becoming the biggest threat to humanity and the natural ecosystem, the inequality crisis that is spreading and deepening throughout society, and the job crisis caused by the fourth industrial revolution and COVID-19. Influencing one another, these three crises are manifesting in the form of unsustainability in environmental, social and economic aspects and are raising uncertainties to the levels beyond our prediction. These crises are jeopardizing our lives and humanity in general, combined with natural disasters such as typhoons, droughts and heatwaves that are perceivable and becoming commonplace, social disasters such as fine dust particles, and disasters related to infectious diseases such as COVID-19. The main culprit of these crises and disasters is the pursuit of endless material growth powered by fossil fuel. The energy transition can be a game-changer in achieving the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions pursued as a direct solution to climate change, resulting from excessive productivism. Digitalization in energy transition can catalyze energy transition by reducing energy demand and boosting efficiency. However, there is one more requirement: finding an answer to the question of how to strengthen resilience against disasters that are becoming all too commonplace. More specifically, this is about enabling local communities to build infrastructure to become more resilient against crises and disasters and more adaptive to climate change. In particular, the risks and impacts of climate change may vary depending on housing type, income level, and local residents’ response capacity even within the same region, which calls for the consideration of social vulnerabilities in climate change response through the engagement and cooperation with stakeholders such as communities and local residents. To improve the climate adaptation capacity of a region and avoid climate change risks, the most important requirements will be the participation of local stakeholders, horizontal and voluntary cooperation among the government, market and civil society. A social economy can play a pivotal role in climate crisis response with its emphasis on linkages with the pertinent region and pursuit of both economic and social values based on the spirit of solidarity and cooperation.