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Morning features and interviews. A morning story over a cup.
‘Energy transition’ refers to the long-term structural shift from fossil fuel-centered energy systems — based on coal and oil — to low-carbon energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydrogen. The energy transition company currently in the spotlight, GE Vernova, was established when the energy division of General Electric (GE) was spun off as an independent company in 2024. It has a portfolio spanning the full range of power generation and transmission and distribution, from gas power generation equipment, wind turbines, and nuclear and hydroelectric power facilities to electrification software. On April 22, GE Vernova’s stock price surged by over 13% in a single day on the New York Stock Exchange, hitting an all-time high. Its Q1 2026 earnings released the same day far exceeded Wall Street expectations, with revenue up 16% year-on-year to USD 9.3 billion. GE Vernova’s growth is a signal that the structure of the energy industry itself is changing. As the explosive power consumption of AI data centers simultaneously drives up orders for both gas power generation and power grid equipment, companies serving as a bridging role in the decarbonization transition process are drawing the attention of both investors and the industry.[View of GE Vernova’s UK operations, a key hub for power conversion and transmission technology © GE Vernova Official Website]The Paradox of Energy Transition Created by AIEnergy transition companies place the transition process itself at the center of their business: maintaining reliable power supply while progressively lowering carbon emissions. The global energy transition market was valued at USD 3.08 trillion as of 2024 and is projected to reach USD 5.56 trillion by 2030, growing at an annual average rate of 10.3%. The reason this market is drawing particular attention now is the ‘paradox of AI.’ As AI technology advances, the power consumption of data centers increases exponentially. In this situation, weather-dependent energy sources such as solar and wind cannot reliably supply hundreds of megawatts around the clock. Ultimately, companies supplying power to Big Tech — Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Meta — have begun to move to simultaneously secure generation capacity without abandoning their renewable energy targets. This is the background for the dual effect in which the AI revolution has explosively driven up not only demand for renewable energy transition but also demand for energy generation infrastructure.[Amazon data center sourcing over 95% of its power from renewable energy © Amazon News Official Website]GE Vernova and Siemens: Energy Transition Companies Racing TogetherThe areas that energy transition companies actually cover are broadly divided into three pillars: power generation, power grids, and renewable energy. What is interesting is that all three areas are expanding simultaneously under the single impetus of surging AI demand. The hottest area is the gas power generation equipment market. Since being spun off from GE in 2024, GE Vernova has emerged as the biggest beneficiary in the gas power equipment market. In Q1 2026 alone, its Power segment achieved USD 10 billion in orders, a significant portion of which are contracts for securing power for data centers. Siemens Energy, which competes in the same market, also announced in its February earnings release that its net profit had roughly tripled year-on-year. The simultaneous benefit accruing to both companies shows that the gas power equipment market has now shifted into what is known as a ‘seller’s market.’ Long-term contract structures in which actual delivery takes years after equipment orders have become commonplace, and pricing initiative is shifting to the supplier side.The Long-Term Goal Is Renewable EnergyPower grid infrastructure is another key area. GE Vernova strengthened its grid supply capability last quarter by fully acquiring the remaining 50% stake in transformer specialist Prolec GE. In its Electrification segment alone during Q1, equipment orders for data center support reached USD 2.4 billion — a figure that surpassed the previous year’s full-year performance in just a single quarter. Siemens Energy is also moving in the same direction, putting its Grid Technologies division forward as a core growth engine. The renewable energy sector is a different story. GE Vernova’s Wind segment saw Q1 revenue fall 23% year-on-year, with losses expanding to approximately USD 382 million. GE Vernova has stated that the Trump administration’s offshore wind regulatory changes are creating a challenging business environment, though there is no issue with project execution. While raising the share of renewable energy is the long-term goal, in the short term, gas power generation and power grids are the structure driving growth. [GE Vernova Wind Turbine © GE Vernova Official Website]GE Vernova has set a target of achieving an order backlog of USD 200 billion by 2027 — a goal advanced by one year from the original plan. However, there are also variables. GE Vernova estimates cost increases from the 2026 global tariff shock at USD 250 to 350 million. U.S.-China trade conflict and supply chain uncertainty could affect both equipment parts procurement and pricing. A more fundamental question is alignment with climate goals. The role publicly claimed by energy transition companies is that of a temporary bridge reducing carbon, not one that perpetuates fossil fuel use. Yet currently, their profits are concentrated in gas power equipment, while the renewable energy segment is still generating losses. The direction of the transition is clear, but the pace and center of gravity are still pointing elsewhere. by Editor L
The Green Transformation International Week (GX Week) and UNFCCC Climate Week, which kicked off on April 20 at the Yeosu Expo Convention Center, is nearing its close. Beginning with an opening ceremony that brought together approximately 800 participants including ministerial-level climate officials from major countries and senior figures from international organizations, a total of 67 sessions ran nonstop throughout the event period. At the negotiating table, the current state of Paris Agreement implementation — covering mitigation, adaptation, finance, and implementation — was officially reviewed, while outside the venue, Earth Day lights-out events and eco-friendly experience programs served as a bridge connecting citizens’ daily lives with the climate agenda. ESG Today examines the significance that this GX Week and UNFCCC Climate Week has left for South Korean climate diplomacy through the flow of the week.Climate Negotiations and Energy Transition in One VenueThe UNFCCC Climate Week — held for the first time in South Korea — was jointly convened in conjunction with GX Week. Climate Week is a forum in which the 198 Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change gather in one place to officially review the current state of Paris Agreement implementation. To this end, a total of 67 sessions were operated throughout the event period: 25 thematic events related to climate and energy, 11 citizen participation events, and 31 UNFCCC sessions. The government and industry jointly created a venue for cooperation on diverse themes, including a discussion forum on the electrification of transport modes for carbon neutrality in the transport sector, a forum on promoting local government carbon neutrality, and a forum on climate-tech innovation and transition finance. One citizen who visited Yeosu during Climate Week expressed that it was meaningful to glimpse the efforts being made by the nation and institutions amid the climate and energy crisis through the variety of programs. [GX Week Opening Ceremony at the Yeosu Expo Convention Center © ESG.ONL]UNFCCC Climate Week Opens, Entering the Substance of NegotiationsAt 9:00 AM today, the official plenary opening ceremony of the UNFCCC Climate Week was held at the Expo Hall of the Yeosu World Expo site. At the event, attended by key figures from the international community including UNFCCC Deputy Executive Secretary Noura Hamladji, representatives of the COP Presidencies from Brazil and Türkiye, and delegations from the Parties, Vice Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment Lee Ho-hyun announced plans to accelerate carbon neutrality, including building an ‘energy expressway’ and expanding renewable energy installed capacity, stating that “the Republic of Korea, as a leading actor in climate action, will make renewable energy the central pillar of the future energy system.” [UNFCCC Climate Week Opening Ceremony held this morning © Jeollanam-do]While GX International Week was a forum dealing with the Korea-led green transformation agenda, the UNFCCC Climate Week is a separate international negotiating stage at which the 198 Parties officially review the progress of Paris Agreement implementation. At this gathering attended by officials from international organizations and non-governmental organizations, pending issues are reviewed ahead of the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) to the UNFCCC, to be held in Türkiye this November. In addition, a global forum on Green Taxonomy and transition finance, as well as a Korea Exchange roundtable for upgrading the carbon emissions trading market (K-ETS), still remain on the agenda through the event’s close.Climate Action Practiced at the VenueDuring Climate Week, various scenes encouraging citizen practice unfolded both inside and outside the venue. The use of disposable products was restricted and reusable containers were encouraged throughout all areas of the venue, and eco-friendly hydrogen electric buses operated in circulation between major hotels and the event site. Yeosu City reduced paper printouts and introduced a digital information system to promote administrative efficiency and carbon neutrality. [Eco-friendly hydrogen electric buses operated near the event venue © ESG.ONL]On Earth Day, April 22, during the event period, major cities and landmarks across the country — including Yeosu City, the government complexes in Gwacheon and Sejong, Suwon Hwaseong Haenggung, and Busan’s Gwangan Bridge — participated in a simultaneous lights-out event for ten minutes starting at 8:00 PM. If approximately 10,000 households participate in the lights-out event, two tons of greenhouse gases can be reduced, an effect equivalent to planting about 200 thirty-year-old trees. For that moment, the carbon neutrality being discussed in the conference halls was connected through a single switch across the nation.[Yeosu Expo Convention Center, where GX Week and UNFCCC Climate Week were jointly held © ESG.ONL]The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment stated that through this event it plans to build international consensus on the ‘Republic of Korea Green Transformation Promotion Strategy,’ scheduled to be announced in June, and further solidify South Korea’s role in the climate and energy field. What the soon-to-conclude Climate Week has left in Yeosu is not a consensus document but possibility. Let us look forward to the fruit that the agendas exchanged at the negotiating table will bear at the COP31 plenary this November, and to South Korea’s climate diplomacy as it leaps toward becoming a global standard-setting nation for green transformation. by Editor L
‘Earth Day’ is the world’s largest environmental commemorative day, established to raise awareness of the seriousness of environmental pollution and encourage the practice of environmental protection. Every year on April 22, Earth Day, buildings and landmarks around the world participate in a lights-out event, turning off their lights for ten minutes. In that moment when everything is immersed in darkness, the Earth takes a brief rest alongside a brightly shining night sky. Let us learn about Earth Day — a day to recall the meaning of the environment that the Earth bestows upon us and to practice environmental protection. [Earth Day Official Poster © Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment]Sympathy Leading to Action: Why 20 Million People Took to the StreetsAn oil spill occurred in the United States. In January 1969, an offshore drilling facility of the Union Oil Company exploded off the coast of Santa Barbara, California, releasing approximately 11.36 million liters of crude oil. The sight of oil-covered shorelines and dying marine life sent a huge shock across the United States, and a social consensus to confront environmental issues was formed.Spurred by this accident, then-U.S. Senator Gaylord Anton Nelson declared April 22, 1970, as ‘Earth Day’ to galvanize nationwide attention to environmental issues. That year, Denis Hayes, then a Harvard University student, led Earth Day-related events and drove their spread across the nation. Around 20 million American citizens participated in these events. Citizens took to the streets and parks in a nationwide demonstration for a sustainable environment. Following this, from 1990 onward, Earth Day events expanded internationally.[Gaylord Anton Nelson, who led the establishment of Earth Day © Earth Day Organizing Committee]Environmental legislation discussions were also activated in other countries, and substantial policy changes followed, including a succession of corporate sustainability management declarations. In the year Earth Day was declared, 1970, the Clean Air Act was amended in the United States, and in 1972, the Clean Water Act was enacted and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established.Ten Minutes of Lights Out, Ten Minutes of Consciousness OnIn 2022, the domestic environmental media outlet Greenium calculated just how effective the Earth Day lights-out event could be. First, referencing a Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment press release, the number of Earth Day participants was assumed to be approximately 3 million. Then, each participant was assumed to represent one household, and each household was estimated to have 4 lights at a fluorescent lamp standard power consumption of 60W. According to the results, the 10-minute lights-out saves approximately 120 MWh (megawatt-hours) of electricity — equivalent to the annual generation of a 91 kW solar power plant. Converted to greenhouse gas reductions, this also amounts to approximately 55 tons CO₂eq. The results of the small actions practiced on Earth Day do not seem so small after all. [N Seoul Tower exterior lighting turned off for Earth Day 2020 © Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment and Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Public Communication Office]However, compared to South Korea’s total greenhouse gas emissions, this figure becomes modest. Out of the 2024 provisional national greenhouse gas emissions of 691.58 million tons CO₂eq, the reduction from a 10-minute lights-out accounts for only about 0.000008%. This is because ten minutes later, the lights of all buildings return to normal, failing to translate into permanent energy reduction activities.Thus, compared to the total amount of greenhouse gases we actually emit, the impact of the Earth Day event may not seem large. But there is a clear reason why numerous institutions participate in Earth Day events: the Earth Day event cannot be evaluated solely by the number of greenhouse gas reductions. Just as plogging — picking up trash while running or walking — makes environmental issues feel like more of an everyday concern, Earth Day events likewise prompt us, in a moment when daily life briefly pauses, to reflect on the relationship between the energy we use and the Earth.Along with the ten minutes of darkness we accept on Earth Day, let us reflect on what this light and warmth that we take for granted right now has been exchanged for. If we use even just those ten minutes out of the year to think about the debt we owe the Earth, our daily lives will begin to change, little by little. by Editor L
The 3rd United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Climate Change Week is being held for the first time this year in Yeosu, Jeollanam-do, South Korea. UNFCCC Climate Change Week is an international environmental event that pre-coordinates the official agenda of the annual Conference of the Parties (COP), held each November. At the COP, the 198 countries that have acceded to the UNFCCC gather to discuss climate change response measures and determine greenhouse gas reduction targets. In conjunction, the government is hosting the ‘Republic of Korea Green Transformation International Week (GX Week)’ during this Climate Change Week. We report from the field on the significance of GX Week, which shares the direction of South Korea’s energy transition policy with the international community.[Yeosu Expo Convention Center, venue for UNFCCC Climate Change Week and GX Week © ESG.ONL]Yeosu’s Determination Reaches All the Way to BrazilThe road to hosting Climate Change Week in Yeosu was, in fact, preceded by a long preparation period. In September 2025, Yeosu in Jeollanam-do was selected as the host candidate through a nationwide open call by the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment. Then in November of the same year, the city of Yeosu went so far as to form a delegation and fly directly to the COP30 venue in Brazil. The delegation held a policy presentation at the COP30 Korea Pavilion, explaining the strategy and response measures for attracting Climate Change Week, as well as Korea’s carbon neutrality vision, while conducting a panel discussion. At the same venue, Jeollanam-do Governor Kim Young-rok personally delivered a letter to UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiell, succeeding in securing the bid.What It Means for South Korea to Stand on the International StageSince launching the nation’s first Climate Protection Week in 2008, Yeosu issued the ‘Yeosu Declaration’ urging marine ecosystem conservation at the 2012 World Expo. In 2021, it created a forum through the Yeosu Summit of the Urban Environment Convention to discuss carbon neutrality with city leaders from around the world. It was the history of climate action built up over some 20 years that brought Yeosu to this position. Fittingly, at the GX Week opening ceremony held this morning alongside the start of Climate Change Week, one could savor the significance of Yeosu as the key stage setting the climate agenda for the Asia-Pacific region. The opening ceremony was attended by approximately 800 people, including Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment Kim Sung-hwan, UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiell, Japanese Vice Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Takehiko Matsuo, EU Ambassador to Korea Ugo Astuto, ministers and vice ministers of climate and energy ministries from various countries, senior officials from international organizations, academic experts, and citizens. Prime Minister Kim Min-seok and Jeollanam-do Governor Kim Young-rok also added to the significance of the event through their congratulatory remarks and attendance. [Participants taking part in the GX Week Declaration © ESG.ONL]The World’s Resolve Gathered in YeosuSpeakers participating in the Yeosu GX Week opening ceremony and discussions pointed to the crisis arising from fossil fuel dependence. At the same time, they emphasized that, given the global energy crisis including the surge in super-scale power demand in the AI era, energy transition has become a core task that determines national competitiveness and future survival, going beyond environmental protection. In their presentations, each country shared the current state and pace of their concrete implementation strategies. The South Korean government is speedily advancing green transformation as a core national strategy, including expanding the renewable energy ratio to 20% by 2030 and spreading solar and wind income nationwide. Jeollanam-do is stepping forward as a leading hub for low-carbon transition through the hydrogen conversion of the Yeosu World Petroleum Complex and the expansion of blue carbon. Japan is accelerating decarbonization with its GX2040 vision, the introduction of an emissions trading system, and a 150 trillion yen investment over 10 years. The EU is legally driving forward a 55% reduction in greenhouse gases and 45% expansion of renewable energy by 2030 under ‘Fit for 55.’ [GX Week opening ceremony discussion © ESG.ONL]In the second part of the opening ceremony’s panel discussion, senior figures from various countries — including GGGI Director-General Kim Sang-hyup, UNFCCC Deputy Executive Secretary Noura Hamladji, the Norwegian Ambassador to Korea, and vice ministers from Bolivia and Vietnam — engaged in in-depth discussion on the theme of how to simultaneously achieve energy transition and security. With a shared recognition that energy security and climate policy are inseparable and must be pursued simultaneously, substantive implementation strategies were discussed, including resolving geopolitical risks through diversification of renewable energy sources, establishing stable regulatory frameworks such as carbon pricing, and measures to attract private investment. The need for expanded international technology cooperation in offshore wind and hydrogen sectors was also emphasized.[Outdoor event booths at the Yeosu Expo Convention Center © ESG.ONL]A Sustainable Everyday Life Encountered at the Exhibition HallOutside the Expo Hall where the agenda was presented, exhibitions and hands-on programs conveying the message of green transformation are underway. At the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment booth, a quiz was held through which recycled umbrellas and turtle-shaped bottle openers made from discarded fishing nets were given as souvenirs, raising interest in marine waste upcycling. The Sudogwon Landfill Site Management Corporation, which leads the eco-friendly treatment and resource recovery of Seoul metropolitan area waste, directly demonstrates the possibilities of resource circulation in everyday life through a craft activity making pot holders from sock toe offcuts left over from sock manufacturing.At an exhibition hall lined with government and public institution booths, H&M stood out as a private fashion brand, sharing information on its Stella McCartney collection based on innovative materials to present the direction of sustainable fashion, as well as its supply chain management in which 91% of all materials are procured through recycled or sustainable methods. All the booths at the event venue share a common significance in demonstrating that carbon neutrality is not a grandiose policy goal but is already being practiced across everyday life and throughout industry.Starting with today’s opening ceremony, Yeosu GX Week continues through the 25th. During this period, a total of 67 sessions will be held sequentially, including the AI Era Energy Strategy Dialogue on the 21st, the Climate Technology Innovation Forum on the 23rd, and the Green Taxonomy and Transition Finance Global Forum on the 24th. Through this event, the government plans to preemptively build international consensus on the ‘Republic of Korea Green Transformation (K-GX) Promotion Strategy’ scheduled for announcement in June, and to concretize the foundation for global climate and energy cooperation. With Yeosu standing at the center of international agenda-setting, attention now turns to what resolutions and outcomes will fill this one week. by Editor L
April 11 is ‘Urban Agriculture Day,’ a day to raise awareness of the importance of urban agriculture. Designated as a statutory commemorative day in 2017, the date was chosen by combining April, when spring farming begins, with 11, symbolizing soil (土). Urban agriculture, literally the fusion of ‘urban’ and ‘agriculture,’ refers to the act of utilizing land, buildings, or various living spaces within the city to cultivate crops, trees, or flowers, or to raise insects such as beekeeping. From tending rooftop gardens to growing lettuce on the balcony, we encounter agriculture in the city far more often than we think. As Urban Agriculture Day marks its 10th anniversary this year, let us explore the effects and examples of how urban agriculture is closely linked with ESG in daily life.The History and Value of Urban AgricultureUrban agriculture in South Korea began with the weekend farms of the Seoul Metropolitan Government Agricultural Technology Center in 1992. Entering the 2000s, as leisure time increased with the five-day workweek and wellness culture gained popularity, urban agriculture activities began to gradually increase. In the 2010s, amid concerns over imported agricultural products, controversies over genetically modified foods, and the mad cow disease scare, more people began to consume or directly grow eco-friendly organic produce. In 2011, the Act on the Promotion and Support of Urban Agriculture was enacted, establishing the legal basis for national and local government support of urban agriculture, and from 2017, the Urban Agriculture Manager certification system began fostering specialized urban agriculture personnel. [Urban Garden Participation Status © Everyone Is an Urban Farmer (Korea Agency of Education, Promotion and Information Service in Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries)]The total economic, social, and environmental value of urban agriculture exceeded KRW 5 trillion as of 2023. Urban agriculture is assessed to have generated not only economic effects from consuming agricultural products and creating related jobs, but also social value worth KRW 1.3416 trillion and environmental value worth KRW 768.1 billion. Social value includes strengthening bonds and building community, environmental education, and mental relaxation. Environmental value includes promoting biodiversity, reducing carbon, and mitigating the urban heat island effect. Additionally, utilizing waste heat for farming or converting building rooftops into gardens can cut heating and cooling costs by 16.6%, so the value of urban agriculture is by no means small.Urban Agriculture Sites: From Subway Stations to RooftopsVarious forms of urban agriculture sites exist around us, from school gardens to rooftop gardens of public institutions. There are three representative examples of urban agriculture. First, let us examine ‘Metro Farm,’ the smart farms in subway stations that we frequently encounter. The Seoul Metropolitan Government and Seoul Metro have created Metro Farms in unused spaces within subway stations, using ICT technology to cultivate and supply crops regardless of season or climate. Metro Farms are currently located in five stations: Sangdo, Dapsimni, Cheonwang, Chungjeongno, and Euljiro 3-ga. The farms primarily grow leafy vegetables and herbs, a choice designed to avoid causing harm to farms that grow leafy wrap vegetables.[Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Song Mi-ryung visiting the Sangdo Station Metro Farm © Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs]Incheon Metropolitan City’s ‘Ieum Garden’ pursues not only farming but also climate crisis response, community building, and social contribution. Created on idle land in Songdo-dong, Incheon, the Ieum Garden is operated by citizens who have formed their own steering committee. While there is no participation fee, community operation education is mandatory, and participants must carry out required activities including shelter maintenance, drainage repair, and volunteer work on donation garden farming. The operation office uses electricity generated through solar and small-scale wind power, and farming is done using rainwater instead of tap water or groundwater — points also worthy of note. In 2025, the Ieum Garden had 334 citizen participants and 26 organizations, and spread the value of urban agriculture by donating a total of 872 kg of produce to the local community over 14 occasions. Finally, ‘urban beekeeping’ is also a representative example of urban agriculture. Urban beekeeping may be a somewhat unfamiliar concept, but it is making a significant contribution to urban ecosystem restoration. Paradoxically, as the overall bee population declines due to the climate crisis, cities have become a favorable environment for small honeybees, with lower risks from pesticides and the like. The Seoul Metropolitan Government operates urban beekeeping training programs in each autonomous district. Gwanak-gu has installed and operated an urban apiary at the Nakseongdae garden since 2015, harvesting a total of 1,597.5 kg of honey by 2022. Meanwhile, companies are also turning their attention to urban beekeeping as part of ESG activities. Last year, IKEA conducted urban beekeeping projects on the rooftops and outdoor spaces of its Gwangmyeong and Goyang stores in collaboration with the urban beekeeping social venture Urban Bees Seoul, and the harvested honey was sold at pop-up stores inside IKEA. [IKEA, which carried out an urban beekeeping project © IKEA Korea]Each year, on the occasion of Urban Agriculture Day, government-level commemorative events and various hands-on programs are held. During the Urban Agriculture Day commemorative week from April 7 to 12, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is promoting Urban Agriculture Day events in collaboration with the Sejong National Arboretum. Various companion plant and seed sharing events will also be held in conjunction with local governments.Let us enjoy the coexistence of the city and nature around us by participating in the diverse events demonstrating that urban agriculture is expanding beyond the environment into community and culture, and by taking part in urban agriculture sites. by Editor L
The greenhouse gases emitted by the global healthcare sector account for approximately 4.4% of net emissions. ‘Medical waste,’ which makes up roughly 5% of those emissions, refers to waste discharged from healthcare institutions and veterinary hospitals that poses a risk of infection. While this may seem like a small percentage, its environmental impact is significant. Let us imagine visiting a hospital for a cold. After the consultation, how much disposable waste was generated? A mask, syringe and needle, the vial containing the injection solution, the bag that held the sterilized medical instruments, and alcohol swabs — the amount visible to the naked eye alone is considerable. It is also easy to imagine that countless amounts of medical waste are being generated in the unseen spaces of the hospital. Medical Waste Treatment Through Incineration and Sterilization ShreddingSouth Korea’s medical waste regulations are somewhat stringent compared to other countries. In 2022, domestic medical waste generation was approximately 230,000 tons, of which 97.5% was incinerated. There are currently 13 medical waste incinerators nationwide. While not a small number, there are no incinerators in Seoul or Jeju, where the most medical institutions are concentrated, leading to significant carbon emissions and infection risks from the long-distance transportation of medical waste. Building new incinerators is also difficult due to resident opposition. Some argue that with medical waste generation decreasing to 190,000 tons as of 2024, there is now some slack in incinerator operations. However, compared to a decade ago, the volume has increased by 23%, so reducing medical waste and pursuing eco-friendly treatment remain issues requiring deliberation.[Medical Waste Generation Trends in South Korea Over the Past 10 Years © Korea Environment Corporation]Beyond incineration, another treatment method is sterilizing medical waste at high temperature and pressure, then shredding it and discharging it as general waste. This method can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 70% compared to incineration. Overseas, methods such as high-pressure sterilization or chemical treatment of medical waste are common. In South Korea, this method had been used at only four large hospitals, but with the recent adjustment allowing sterilization shredding facilities to be installed even at small and medium-sized hospitals, various domestic research teams and companies are actively developing related technologies.Proper Segregation: The First Step to Reducing Medical WasteWhat everyone emphasizes for reducing medical waste is proper segregation. The WHO has also highlighted segregation, noting that approximately 85% of hospital waste is non-hazardous. In 2019, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment estimated that medical waste could be reduced by about 20% through proper segregation.Domestic hospitals are undertaking various efforts to reduce medical waste, with Samsung Medical Center as a representative case. According to the 2025 Samsung Medical Center ESG Report, the hospital reduced medical waste by a remarkable 791 tons. Compiling the content shared by hospital officials at a forum and the ESG report, first, at nursing stations where nurses handle their tasks, packaging for medical supplies — which accounted for a large share — was segregated as general waste.Additionally, upon confirming that 70–80% of the contents in medical waste bins placed at each bed were general waste, the positions of general waste bins and medical waste bins were changed. Through such simple methods, the hospital reduced the amount of medical waste generated in a short period. Furthermore, based on nurses’ input that a significant amount of recyclable medical waste or general waste is generated among operating room waste that is conventionally treated as medical waste, Samsung Medical Center is currently conducting a pilot test on the segregation of operating room medical waste. [Samsung Medical Center © Samsung Medical Center]From Disposable to Reusable: The Eco-Friendly Transformation of Medical SettingsMost gowns worn by doctors and nurses in operating rooms are disposable. The WHO has stated that there is no difference in safety, including infection rates, between disposable and reusable medical gowns. Reusable gowns are already widely used overseas. The University of Maryland Medical Center has been using reusable gowns since 2000, reducing medical waste by 690 tons. The domestic company SteriCare, which provides hygiene services to medical institutions, has also developed reusable gowns from new medical materials and supplies them to domestic hospitals. Changes toward the reuse of medical devices are also underway in endoscopy rooms. The medical communities in Europe and the United States began analyzing the environmental impact of endoscopy procedures around 2020. The annual carbon emissions of gastrointestinal endoscopy units across the United States alone amount to 86,000 tons, and an average of 3 kg of medical waste is generated per bed per day. To address this, Europe has issued the ‘Green Endoscopy Guidelines,’ which refer to activities that minimize environmental pollution by reducing the medical waste, carbon emissions, and energy consumption generated during gastrointestinal endoscopy procedures.Domestically, the Korean Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy has followed suit by launching a Green Endoscopy TF to reduce medical waste generated during endoscopy procedures and is running an eco-friendly endoscopy campaign. The content of the campaign includes thoroughly disinfecting and reusing the tubes used for endoscopes, and guiding Koreans — who undergo an unnecessarily high number of endoscopies — to receive only the necessary examinations appropriate to their life stage. The domestic Green Endoscopy TF aims for a strategy of pursuing sustainable endoscopy examinations through eco-friendly endoscopy. Not all of us can be well-versed in the specialized field of medical procedures. Yet we cannot afford to lose interest, because its impact is connected to the health and lives of all of us. If we understand and welcome the efforts being made in the field, change in hospitals and policy institutions can also begin. by Editor L
A life form that breathes oxygen and a life form that evolved in an ammonia atmosphere shared no biological commonality. Their sensory organs, methods of communication, and the physical conditions of their existence were all different. Yet in the film ‘Project Hail Mary,’ the two beings — Ryland Grace (played by Ryan Gosling, hereinafter Grace) and Rocky — cooperated. They shared a single commonality: the fact that their respective home stars were on the verge of extinction from the same threat.[Scene 1 from the film ‘Project Hail Mary’ © Sony Pictures]‘Project Hail Mary’ is based on the 2021 novel of the same name by American author Andy Weir. When humanity faces extinction due to the microbe ‘Astrophage,’ which consumes solar energy, science teacher Grace is dispatched on a mission to save humankind. Waking up alone light-years away in space, he encounters the alien being Rocky, and the two communicate through the medium of mathematics and frequency. This film contains questions too precious to be consumed merely as a sci-fi blockbuster. Is cooperation possible even when the conditions of existence differ? And that question points precisely to the point at which international ESG governance is currently stuck. A Reality Different from the FilmIn the film, Grace and Rocky could not communicate at first. There was no common language between a being that speaks through sound waves and one that speaks through light. The two invented their communication system from scratch, using mathematics and frequency as intermediaries. There was one premise that made that cooperation possible: the shared crisis that if the stars died, both would perish. Real-world ESG governance satisfies only half of that premise. Developed and developing countries recognize the shared threat of the climate crisis, but for 30 years they have been unable to narrow their differences over ‘who should reduce first and by how much.’ While IPCC reports urge immediate action, the nations gathered at the negotiating table first pull out safety nets for protecting their own industries. When Europe introduced the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), developing countries pushed back, calling it ‘climate colonialism.’ In effect, the crisis was shared, but no common language was created to solve it together.[Scene 2 from the film ‘Project Hail Mary’ © Sony Pictures]A Half-Baked Common Language Amid Countless StandardsWhen the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) issued the IFRS S1 and S2 standards in 2023, many welcomed it, saying “at last a common language for global ESG disclosure has emerged.” But adoption was left to each country, and the mandatory application timeline, disclosure scope, and third-party verification requirements all varied. The European Union (EU) began phased mandatory disclosure from 2024 through the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had its climate disclosure rules suspended by litigation after introduction. The Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) released a biodiversity disclosure framework, but corporate adoption rates remain at an early stage. It is not that standards are lacking; it is that there are too many, and no one is reconciling how they differ from one another.The absence of a common language manifests identically at the corporate level. Korean export companies are experiencing ESG fatigue as they face different disclosure standards from each client. For the ISSB framework to function, regulatory authorities and companies in each country must submit comparable data, but if standards exist without data, the common language exists only in the dictionary. The solution is not unification into a single standard but the establishment of ‘interoperability.’ The ISSB is already working with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) to reduce duplicative disclosures. The direction is right; the problem is speed.A Climate Crisis That Does Not WaitIn the film, Grace was on a deadline. He had to find a solution before the Astrophage consumed all the sun’s energy. There was no leisure to deliberate over cooperation, so cooperation was not optional. Climate science sends the same warning. The IPCC Sixth Assessment Report specifies that mitigation actions by 2030 will significantly determine climate risks in 2100. This means there is not much time to sort out the fragmentation of ESG governance. Now, with regulations in each country, global supply chains, and the ESG demands of capital markets all changing rapidly at the same time, what Korean companies need is a strategy not for ‘which standard to follow’ but for ‘how to flexibly connect between the standards.’ The fact that beings who share a crisis reached out their hands is sometimes, in itself, a sufficient beginning. by Editor L
Few titles in the Pokémon series have ever put forward such a somber starting point. The world the gamer will encounter is withered; humans have vanished, leaving only ruins and wasteland. Yet paradoxically, this game is showing signs of being regarded as a masterpiece of the Pokémon series. This is the story of ‘Pokémon Pokopia,’ the game series released on March 5. Pokémon Pokopia is the first slow-life simulation game in the Pokémon franchise, selling 2.2 million copies worldwide and one million in Japan alone within four days of release. It received a favorable 89 points on the game review site Metacritic and, with sell-outs continuing at major retailers, it even drove a reverse momentum surge for the Nintendo Switch 2 console. Ecosystem Crisis Becomes the Game’s SettingThe basic premise is also quite different from the familiar grammar of Pokémon games up to now. The game user becomes a Ditto in human form and must restore a land that once was home to Pokémon and humans together but has now withered and been abandoned. Gathering materials to craft items and building houses and habitats, the player creates an environment to which Pokémon can return. The in-game time is linked to real time, and weather and day-night changes are reflected as well. It is not a game about catching stronger Pokémon or raising captured ones as in the existing series. It is simply a game about rebuilding a world where humans and Pokémon can live.Previous entries in the Pokémon universe had already hinted at climate change and ecosystem threats through the cases of certain Pokémon such as Koffing and Corsola. The traces of industrialization spewing air pollutants and bleached coral reefs showed that the shadow of the ecological crisis was seeping into an IP beloved by children and the public. Pokémon Pokopia took that implication one step further. This time, climate and ecosystem issues did not remain as background decoration but became the very rules of gameplay. The gamer comes to realize how the world was devastated through dialogue, diaries, letters, and books. The story does not move forward unless the withered world is restored. [Pokémon Pokopia © Pokémon Pokopia Official Website]The Game Teaches the Grammar of SymbiosisWhat makes this game interesting is that its core loop itself can be read as a metaphor for environmental management. The more you restore the devastated village and create habitats where Pokémon can thrive, the more Pokémon come to visit. The game features an ‘environmental level’ indicator; as you maintain the village, restore nature, and make Pokémon comfortable, the value rises. This unlocks new materials and opens up facilities. In short, the more livable an environment you create in the game, the more the world comes back to life, and the more rewards return to the gamer.In this respect, Pokémon Pokopia displays a different ethic from existing Pokémon games. Whereas past Pokémon games were closer to the logic of capture, battle, and the growth narrative of becoming stronger than opponents, Pokémon Pokopia centers on building a good home for Pokémon to live together. For instance, instead of borrowing Pokémon’s moves to fight, Ditto uses them to grow grass, draw water, and clear terrain. Bulbasaur adds vegetation to barren land, and Squirtle breathes vitality into that greenery. In this way, the ‘moves’ that Pokémon possess perform the role of tools for stewardship and restoration, not as means of destruction or competition. Another impressive aspect is the way it handles diversity. Each Pokémon prefers a different environment. Some prefer dry places, some prefer the waterside, and some prefer greener, more humid settings. Therefore, instead of building a uniform village, the game user must design multi-layered habitats where different conditions can coexist. It is not about making all environments the same, but about harmonizing so that different beings can live together under their own conditions. At this point, Pokémon Pokopia portrays not only the restoration of ecosystems but also the value of diversity — of different beings living together — in a very gentle grammar.[Pokémon Pokopia gameplay scene © Nintendo Official YouTube Channel]Conveying a Way of Embodying CoexistenceOf course, there are clear limitations. Pokémon Pokopia is not a game that directly accuses the climate crisis. What the official introduction and core systems emphasize is not the language of real-world politics — ‘carbon, fossil fuels, energy transition, responsible agents’ — but the language of restoration: ‘restoration, gardening, habitat creation, comfort level.’ So rather than sharply criticizing the problems of cause, power, and capital, this work is closer to a healing-type reconstruction narrative that repeatedly instills the intuition that “when you nurture the environment, life returns.” Yet it is precisely because of this that it can reach a broader audience. This is because it persuades through resonance and experience rather than direct criticism. Ultimately, the achievement of Pokémon Pokopia lies here. Rather than delivering environmental issues in a heavy and difficult manner, it makes the sensation that “when you create a good environment, more life returns, more diverse beings can live together, and the community also becomes richer” something that is learned through gameplay. It has transformed Pokémon from targets to be caught into neighbors to live with, moves from means of attack into tools of restoration, and growth from competition into action for coexistence. Content that deals with climate and the environment need not always mobilize the fear of disaster or guilt. Sometimes, this kind of imagination of gentle recovery can emerge from the most somber worldview. The educational potential is also great, in that it is a case of seamlessly integrating climate crisis and ecosystem collapse into gamification. Pokémon Pokopia, in that sense, can be called both a transformation of Pokémon and a clever evolution of climate and environmental communication. by Kim Won-sang (Climate Solutions, Media Communications)