The views expressed in this presentation are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the

views or policies of the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI),

the Asian Development Bank (ADB), its Board of Directors, or the governments they represent. ADBI does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this paper
and accepts no responsibility for any consequences of their use. Terminology used may not necessarily be consistent with ADB official terms.

Korea’s GHG Reduction

Policies in Agriculture
October 23, 2019
Youngah Lim
0. Background information
• Food self-sufficiency
– Grain production / Domestic consumption * 100
Unit: %
80

70 70.3

60
50.2
50

40

30

20

10

Source: Korean MAFRA (Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural

Affairs)
0. Background information
• Agricultural households and population ratios
– # of farm HH/total HH; # of farm pop./total pop.; aged people/HH people

50
Unit: %
44.7
45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10 5.2
5 4.5

0
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Farm Household (%) Farm Population (%) Aged (65 <) in the HH (%)

Source: Statistics Korea

1. GHG emission trend in agriculture sector
• Sources and Related GHG
– 3.1% of total national GHG emission
MtCO2-eq
Source GHG
(%)
4.0
Intestinal fermentation CH4
18.9
Livestock
5.4
Manure treatment CH4, N2O
25.4
6.1
Rice cultivation CH4
28.7
5.7
Crop Farmland soil N2O
26.9
0.020
Residue incineration CH4, N2O
0.1
Source: 2018 Korean National GHG Inventory Report
1. GHG emission trend in agriculture sector
• GHG emission trend by sources
Unit: MtCO2-eq
25.000

20.000

15.000

10.000

5.000

0.000

Intestinal fermentation Manure treatment Rice cultivation Farmland soil Crop residue incineration

Source: Korean Ministry of Environment, Greenhouse Gas Inventory

and Research Center
2. 2030 National GHG Mitigation Roadmap
• 1st Climate Change Counter-measurement Basic Plan was
set up in 2016
• 2030 National GHG Mitigation Roadmap was also planned
in 2016, and modified in 2018
– 37% reduction to BAU until 2030

Reduction in
emissions by sector

Residual
emissions

BAU in 2030 Current roadmap (2016) Roadmap revision plan

2. 2030 National GHG Mitigation Roadmap
Unit: MtCO2-eq
Original
Category Indicator
Plan
2030 Target 25.7% reduction to BAU 850.8 219
Ag & Livestock
(non-energy)
5.2% reduction to BAU 20.7 1.0

Water Management in Intermittent Irrigation 0.305

Paddy Fields Water-saving Irrigation 0.092
Manure Energization Utilities 0.016
Manure Treatment
Manure Fertilization Utilities 0.406
Improving Intestinal High-quality Forage Supply 0.109
Fermentation Low-Methane Feed for Livestock 0.060
Renewable Energy Greenhouse Infrastructure 0.232
Energy Saving Greenhouse Infrastructure 1.287
Source: Korea Rural Economic Institute (2018)
2. 2030 National GHG Mitigation Roadmap
• Changes in agricultural sector by modifying the roadmap
– Nothing much
– Most of reduction technologies are supported by national agricultural
policies  Policy targets were not changed
– Calculation methods were changed in ‘Energy-related’ technologies
2. 2030 National GHG Mitigation Roadmap
• Explanation about agricultural GHG reduction technologies
– Non-energy part

2030
Technologies Explanation
Target
A method of draining water from paddy
fields once (for 10 days after 30 days
since rice transplantation) or twice (for 10
days after 30 days since rice
Intermittent transplantation and for 10 days from 35 97%
Water Irrigation days prior to the ear formation stage)
during the growth process of rice to dry
Managing off paddies, thereby reducing methane
in Paddy gas emissions
Fields A management technique to keep water
in rice paddies to be equal to the depth (Organic
Water-saving of freshwater (2-3 cm) during the overall
growth process of rice except the Non-use)
Irrigation
complete drainage stage in the latter part 10%
of the growth process
2. 2030 National GHG Mitigation Roadmap
– (continued)

2030
Technologies Explanation
Target
A method of collecting methane
Manure produced during the rice’s anaerobic 32
Energization digestion of livestock excrement and Utilities
Manure using it as an energy resource
Treatment A method of reducing methane emissions
Manure generated during the process of turning 242
Fertilization livestock excrement into compost and Utilities
liquid manure
A method of reducing methane by
High-quality improving intestinal fermentation 4.1 mil. Ton
Improving Forage Supply
Intestinal A method of reducing methane by 1% of
Fermenta- Low-Methane improving intestinal fermentation
Intestinal
tion Feed for
Fermentat-
Cattle
ion
2. 2030 National GHG Mitigation Roadmap
– Energy part
2030
Technologies Explanation
Target
A device that uses shallow-depth ground
Geothermal heat
pump
heat for air conditioning 431ha
Renewable
A method of compressing and burning
Energy Wood pallet sawdust to use it as a renewable clean fuel
boiler resource that can generate heat or electric 917ha
energy
A type of curtain made by using multifold
Multifold thermal
curtain
thermal materials to enhance the thermo- 6,650ha
keeping quality of greenhouses
A technology of automatically opening and
Thermal tunnel closing the sheath of a small tunnel installed
Energy- opening/closing to keep greenhouses warm, thereby reducing 5,481ha
Saving device workforce and heating fuel consumption
Facilities
A technology of sprinkling groundwater on
Circulation-type the covering material of greenhouses to
water curtain enhance the thermo-keeping and insulation 1,120ha
system effects, thereby cultivating crops without
heating
3. Policy tools for GHG reduction in agriculture
<Table 2-7> Comparison of GHG Emissions Reduction Projects in the Agricultural Sector
Voluntary GHG Emissions
Low-Carbon Agricultural &
Reduction Project in the External Project for GHG
Project name Livestock Products Certification
Agricultural Sector and Rural Emissions Trading Scheme
System
Areas

Management rules for the Low-

Grounds for the project
Act on the Allocation and
Trading of Greenhouse-gas
Emission Permits
Act on the Allocation and
Carbon Agricultural & Livestock
Trading of Greenhouse-gas
Products Certification System
Emission Permits
(Announcement by MAFRA)

Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Ministry of Agriculture, Food and

Supervised by Ministry of Environment
Rural Affairs Rural Affairs

Foundation of Agri, Tech, Managing institution at each Foundation of Agri, Tech,

Managed by
Commercialization and Transfer ministry and department Commercialization and Transfer

Emissions reduction
Baseline emissions (A) – project emissions (B)
calculation method

(1) Previous emissions or (1) Previous emissions or Average emissions by

A (2) emissions when a common (2) emissions when a common commodity (5-year average
technology is used technology is used based on national statistical data)

A
Existing business sites Existing business sites National average (statistical data)
Grounds for data

Project emissions Project emissions

B Emissions of the entire process
(emissions at business sites) (emissions at business sites)

Emissions calculation Business registration Business registration Assessment of the entire process
methodology methodology (CDM-based) methodology (CDM-based) (LCA)

System boundary Technology Technology Product

Source: Data from the Foundation of Agri, Tech, Commercialization and Transfer (2018a, 2018b, 2018d).
3. Policy tools for GHG reduction in agriculture
• Voluntary GHG Emissions Reduction Project
– Carbon offset program
– (2012-2014) Pilot program  (2015) Program
– 10,000KRW per ton
– Plan to relate with the External Project for GHG Emissions Trading
Scheme  Change from Government-based program to Market-
based program
Registered farms Certified farms Reduction in Developed
Registered Certified
Year (number of farm (number of farm emissions methodology
(case) (case)
households) households) (tCO2) (case)

2012 5 60 - - - 6

2013 5 117 5 60 4,859 6

2014 6 108 9 171 9,779 3

2015 10 90 13 126 14,144 2

2016 9 47 17 191 16,480 -

2017 11 41 19 106 16,547 -

Total 46 463 63 654 61,809 17

Source: Data from the Foundation of Agri, Tech, Commercialization and Transfer.
3. Policy tools for GHG reduction in agriculture
• External Project for GHG Emissions Trading Scheme
– A project to reduce, absorb or remove GHG in accordance with international
standards in any emission-generating facilities or activities outside the boundary of
business sites subject to the allocation of emission credits, thereby certifying the
reduction in GHG emissions through such external projects
– MAFRA takes charge of supervising overall tasks, including feasibility assessment
for the approval for external projects, certification for reduction in emissions, and
approval for methodology, which are consigned to the Foundation of Agri, Tech,
Commercialization and Transfer.

<Table 2-9> Methodology for Emissions Reduction Projects in the Agricultural Sector
Incentive-type emissions reduction project
Category (Voluntary GHG emissions reduction project in the
agricultural sector and rural areas)
A methodology to reduce GHG emissions from
agricultural facilities by using discharged heated water
that is not used
A methodology to reduce fossil fuel consumption by
Energy use applying the circulation-type water curtain method for
efficiency cultivation
enhancement
project A methodology to reduce fossil fuel consumption in
agricultural facilities by installing LED lighting devices
A methodology to reduce energy consumption for
heating in agricultural facilities by using high-
efficiency thermal materials
Market-trade-type reduction project
(External project for GHG emissions trading scheme)
A methodology of a project to reduce fossil fuel
consumption by using unused geothermal energy in
rural areas
A methodology to reduce fossil fuel consumption by
applying the circulation-type water curtain method for
cultivation
A methodology of a project to install LED lighting
devices in rural areas
A methodology to reduce energy consumption for
heating in horticultural facilities by using high-
efficiency thermal materials
3. Policy tools for GHG reduction in agriculture
• External Project for GHG Emissions Trading Scheme (continued)
A methodology to reduce the use of nitrogenous
-
fertilizers by replacing them with green manure crops
Nitrogenous
A methodology to reduce the use of nitrogenous A methodology to reduce the use of nitrogenous
fertilizer
fertilizers by replacing them with slow-release fertilizers by replacing them with slow-release
reduction
fertilizers fertilizers
project
A methodology to reduce the use of nitrogenous A methodology to reduce the use of nitrogenous
fertilizers by replacing them with by-product fertilizers fertilizers by replacing them with by-product fertilizers
A methodology to reduce fossil fuel consumption in A methodology of a project to convert fuels by
Agricultural/
agricultural facilities by using woody biomass utilizing wood pallets in rural areas
livestock by-
product and A methodology to reduce GHG emissions by utilizing A methodology to produce and use energy by
biomass biogas plants utilizing biogas plants in rural areas
utilization
A methodology to replace heat sources of grain A methodology to convert fuels of grain dryers at
project
dryers at RPCs by utilizing rice husks RPCs by utilizing rice husks
A methodology to reduce GHG emissions by utilizing
-
the conservation tillage technique
Other
emissions A methodology to reduce GHG emissions by A methodology to reduce GHG emissions by
reduction controlling water for rice cultivation controlling water for rice cultivation
project
- Coffee waste pallets

Source: Data from the Foundation of Agri, Tech, Commercialization and Transfer.
3. Policy tools for GHG reduction in agriculture
• Low-Carbon Agricultural & Livestock Products Certification System
– A certification system for agricultural and livestock products
produced by applying farming methods and relevant technologies
that contribute to reducing GHG emissions and enhancing the
efficiency of energy use in the agricultural sector
– Goals: To achieve the national GHG emissions reduction target; to
spread the eco-friendly and ethical consumption; to increase the
income of farm households by facilitating the consumption of
certified agricultural and livestock products
– MAFRA supports the certification expenses, provides training and
consulting for the preparation of the GHG emissions calculation
report, helps consumers to save up 9% of the price as Eco-money
points when purchasing low-carbon agricultural and livestock
products using the Green Card, and grant the government subsidies
for the distribution of such products (100%)
– (2012) Pilot program  (2014) Program
– (2012) 60 farms  (2017) 2,763 farms
3. Policy tools for GHG reduction in agriculture
• Low-Carbon Agricultural & Livestock Products Certification System
(continued)
Category Low-carbon agricultural technology

Use of optimized fertilizers

Crop-livestock rotation farming

Technology for reducing the use of Use of homemade agricultural equipment

fertilizers and crop protectants Crop cultivation using green manure

Circulation-type water culture (culture media waste recycling system)

Weeding and insect pest control using biological resources

Technology for reducing the energy Direct seeding cultivation

consumption for agricultural
machinery Zero tillage and partial tillage

Multifold thermal curtains and automatic opening/closing device for thermal tunnel

Thermo-keeping device with a heat storage using water tubes on the soil surface

Water curtain cultivation system

Heat-recovery-type ventilator for farming

Technology for reducing heating
Exhaust heat recovery device with a warm-air heater
energy
Heater using wood pallets

Geothermal heat pump system

Waste heat recycling heating system

Electronic temperature control system sensitive to the amount of solar radiation

Technology for controlling water Rainwater recycling technology

resources for farming Water management technology for rice paddies

Source: Smart Green Food (http://www.smartgreenfood.org/jsp/front/business/b0203.jsp: October 3, 2018).

4. 2050 Low-Carbon Development Strategy
• 2050 National GHG Mitigation Plan for Low-Carbon Society is
under discussion

– (2050 Low-carbon Society Vision Forum) Explore the GHG emissions

reduction target for 2050, vision and key strategies with a consensus with the
participation of various stakeholders, including experts, civic groups, industries
and young generation
– 58 participants from 6 categories (supervision; conversion; industry; buildings and
transport; agriculture, livestock, fisheries, forestry and waste treatment; young generation)

– (2050 Low-carbon Society Technical Work Group*) Support the decision-

making process of the forum with the participation of national policy research
institutes that provide the results of technical and economic analyses
including the emissions reduction target plans
– 33 participants from GIR, KEI, KIET, KEEI and KOTI

– (Achievement of Social Consensus) Reach a social consensus by openly

discussing relevant issues with experts, companies, organizations and civic
groups from various perspectives for a long period (around 6 months from
late 2019 to early 2020)