Drew Summers
North Korea
2.4 Economics of Global Warming
Evaluation of Kyoto Protocol
Global climate change has become a more relevant topic on an international scale as developed
countries work to prevent future climate change and reducing the future effects of climate change while
encouraging developing countries to do the same. The first international effort addressing climate change was
the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1992. This established a guideline for future discussions
and lead to The Kyoto Protocol, in 1997. Since then the treaty has become the standard for the reduction of
emission levels in industrialized counties, which is now supported by the country of North Korea.
Initially the Korean Peninsula was governed by the Korean Empire until it was annex in the RussoJapanese War by Japan. After Japans defeat in WWII Japan ended its occupation of the Korean Peninsula, which
was then divided by a UN arrangement, setting the Soviet Union as the benefactor of the north to the US to the
south. North Korea would not participate in a UN supervised election held in the south in 1948, which led to the
creation of the two separate governments between the two occupation zones. Both counties claimed the
peninsula leading to the Korean War of 1950, an armistice has ended the fighting but technically the two
countries are still at war. North Korea entered the UN in 1991. It is now a single party state under the Korean
Workers’ Party, and is a self-reliant state. The country currently maintains close relations with the Russian
Federation and the Peoples’ Republic of China but otherwise holds a largely isolationist policy, highly restricting
foreign trade and influence.
Currently much of the international discussion on global climate change is centered on the Kyoto
Protocol, a protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The treaty
holds the primary goal of, “stabilization greenhouse gases concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that
would minimize dangerous… interference with the climate system.” Initially drafted in 1997 in Kyoto, Japan, it
did not enter into force until 2005. As of November 2009, 187 countries, including North Korea, have signed the
protocol. The primary goal is to reduce the effects and to prevent future climate change, primarily in industry.
However, it has become clear that, while some argue the treaty does not do enough to reduce emissions,
emission targets will not be reached by the deadline of 2012.
North Korea, while trying to maintain a state of self-reliance, supports the presented measures of the
Kyoto Protocol and the efforts of the UNFCCC in reducing the effects of global climate change. The county feels
that the common goal of stabilizing emission levels should be sought after by all countries. However, there is
room for improvement in the terms of the treaty. It is known that the seven countries in the Asia Pacific
Partnership on Clean Development and Climate support the resolution as well, but as they produce more than
half of the world's carbon dioxide emissions there should be a greater enforcement of emission goals as none of
these countries are scheduled to meet there pledged goal. These along with other developed countries should
also give further aid to countries trying to reduce emissions but are unable to logistically do so. It is projected
that adaptation to climate change will cost $75-100 billion (usd) per year from now until 2050, a figure that
North Koreas $40 billion (usd) GDP is unable to provide for. Countries with privatized business should also
further pressure their business to meet their national emission guidelines.
Recently many countries have slowed their funding for environmental protection in wake of the global
recession. This has led to countries falling even farther behind in their emission goals. Those countries that were
hurt the greatest have the largest percent of their economy invested in industry, and often have the highest
emissions per capita. In seeing this North Korea has limited the growth of its industrial sector to stimulate over
an 8% growth in the agricultural sector, leading to a 3.7% growth in GDP while slowing development of sites of
future emissions. Another recent event leading to greater support of climate protection is a recent draught in
the Peoples’ Republic of China. North Korea is unable to domestically produce enough food to satisfy the
population and the Peoples’ Republic of China is the largest donor of food aid. The Peoples’ Republic of China
was unable to offer as much aid as was required and the people of North Korea were forced to ration food.
Steps must be taken to protect the world’s food supply from disasters similar to this one, primarily by stabilizing
then reducing the emission levels of greenhouse gasses.