'말로만 온실가스 감축' 한국 1인당 석탄소비 세계 5위
At a time when advanced countries have been working to cut back on their use of fossil fuels... Korea′s become more dependent on coal， specifically over the last two decades.
So much so... that a new report shows... it′s emerged as one of the biggest coal consumers in the world.
Kim Min－ji reports.
Koreans are big consumers of coal.
According to the International Energy Agency，... the country′s per person coal consumption is the fifth largest in the world，... consuming almost two－point－three ton coal equivalent or TCE which is the unit representing how much energy is generated by burning one metric ton.
Topping the list is Kazakhstan，... followed by Australia and Taiwan.
Korea even outpaces China and the U.S. themselves big consumers of coal， as a country.
While major OECD countries have seen their coal consumption go down... Korea′s has been going in the opposite direction for the last 25 years.
In 1990，... the OECD average stood at one－point－four－three，... dropping to one－point－two－four in 2010.
Korea′s corresponding figure came to zero－point－eight－five in 1990，... but since then it has been growing more than four percent annually.
Many advanced countries have been opting for ″coal－free″ policies，... as coal accounts for almost half of greenhouse gas emitted while burning fossil fuels.
But Korea′s coal consumption is only set to increase further.
The country currently generates over 27－thousand megawatts of energy from its coal power plants.
By 2023，... the government plans to increase that figure by about 18－thousand which is roughly two－thirds more than what is being produced now.
Korea recently agreed at the Paris Climate Conference to reduce greenhouse gas emissions，... but critics say the country′s pledges on emissions ring hollow as Korea′s energy policies are heading in the wrong direction.
Local environmentalists are calling for fundamental discussions on how Korea can meet such goals.
Kim Min－ji， Arirang News.
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