Keynote Speech delivered at the Opening of a Conference on Security Implications

Security Implications of Climate Change in Asia-Pacific: Issues

?

Keynote Speech delivered at the Opening of a Conference on Security Implications of Climate Change in Asia-Pacific held in Seoul at the Global Green Growth Institute, on April 8, 2011, co-hosted by Ilmin International Relations Institute of Korea University and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI)

?

?

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen:

?

I would like to begin by thanking the two co-hosts, Professor Sung-Han Kim and Mr. Richard Samans. ?I thank them for inviting me to this conference for congratulatory remarks for its opening.

?

But, in my capacity as Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Green Growth, I should thank them more for having gathered leading thought-leaders from around the Asia-Pacific to this conference for an exchange of views on the very important topic of Security Implications of Climate Change in Asia-Pacific.

?

We, in Korea, or elsewhere in the world, have been giving many thoughts to the environmental, energy and resources policy, economic growth and developmental implications of climate change in recent years. ?The Korean government’s proposal of green growth as well as its launching of the Global Green Growth Institute have been an outgrowth of President Lee Myung-bak’s own deliberation on those dimensions of climate change, as well as far-sighted prescriptions on how to respond to climate change in addressing the concerns such analysis gives rise to.

?

It is obvious, however, that if we add up all those environmental, energy and resources policy, economic growth and developmental implications of climate change, we would end up with a Pandora’s box of security issues. And these are very important and very serious issues, not just to Korea but to every country in this world which Thomas Freedman very aptly describes as “hot, flat and crowded”, including to those which are in Asia-Pacific.

?

I am thanking the organizers of this conference for bringing this discussion to Seoul, in particular.

?

The thought-leaders around the world and in the Asia-Pacific region have begun to discuss those issues. ?But as far as I know, this is the first such discussion taking place in Korea. I welcome this very much because I expect this conference to help Korean thought-leaders to begin to think of climate change as well as green growth from the security perspective as well, and more fully realize the seriousness of climate change and the importance of green growth as a remedy.

?

And of course adding on to the discussions of the security implications of climate change in Asia Pacific which have been taking place elsewhere, this conference will further enrich the stock of such analyses and will hopefully impress on the political leaders in the region the critical importance of cooperating to launch an effective post-Kyoto climate change regime in 2012 which is the final year of the Kyoto regime.

In reality, the UN-sponsored negotiation on the post-Kyoto regime has been fraught with difficulties and obstacles.? The situation is already bad enough. And I am afraid that it may made even worsen further by the shocking nuclear crisis that is still unfolding in Japan, for it is likely to greatly diminish the country’s nuclear power generation capacity for decades to come and may deprive the Japanese government of the will to contribute to a successful climate change negotiation for some time to come.

?

What would be the consequences, and especially, the security implications, of an indefinite stalemate of the negotiation for the Asia-Pacific region, and Northeast Asia, in particular?? Is there any way out of, or around, this undesirable eventuality? ?What could be the future of nuclear power generation? ?Can the alternative clean energy sources be made good and enough to make up for the gap due to diminished nuclear generation?

?

While the global community is trying to moderate it through those negotiations, climate change will continue to happen, no matter what, although to a small degree or a large one. Consequent stresses and conflicts over energy resources, food, extreme weathers, consequent natural disasters, water stresses, health problems, and trans-border migration would certainly bring serious security and geopolitical challenges, both globally and regionally. ?How should the political leaders in the region especially those of the Asia-Pacific countries and those of Northeast Asia cope with these challenges?

?

As Chairman of Korea’s Presidential Committee on Green Growth, I particularly welcome this conference, and look forward to learning about the outcome of the conference, because the discussion to take place here is expected to highlight the potential role of green growth, seen both as Korea’s national strategy and as an internationalizes strategy, as a remedy to address some of the challenges of climate change. ?If so, in what way such potential role of the strategy of green growth as Korea’s national policy can be best exploited?

?

The Global Green Growth Institute which is meant to internationalize green growth for the benefit of developing countries. ?It may be considered to embody an international strategic response to the security challenges posed by climate change.? What should be the modus operandi of GGGI as such?

?

The Korean government is bidding to host COP 18 to be held later next year. It is competing with Qatar, and the winner of this bidding will be decided in June this year. Assuming that Korea wins this bid, what should be Korea’s ambition on the outcome of COP18?? Korea achieved a success at the Seoul G20 Summit in bridging the gap between the developing and the developed countries in regard to global cooperation for the development of the developing countries. Would the Korean government repeat this success as a bridge-building on climate change cooperation at COP18 if it would host and chair this? ?What should be Korea’s strategy as the chair country in steering the negotiation process?

?

I have said this much, and highlighted some specific issues which are on my mind, hopping that they will be dealt with at this conference.

?

I also did so in order to underline the timeliness and relevance of this conference and its theme.

?

So, I would like to congratulate the organizers on this conference. ?I also congratulate the speakers and the participants in the conference for having gathered to discuss all those issues of absolute importance.

?

I also hope that you will soon begin to enjoy your new settlement here in Korea. ?I am sure that all the participants, from Korea and from around the Asia-Pacific region, certainly including myself , will enjoy working with you and help you enjoy your new life in Korea and Asia Pacific?

?

In closing, I hope and am sure that you will enjoy those discussions, and also that this will be a very successful conference.

?

Thank you very much for your attention