Ministry of Environment Launches 'Wind Power Environmental Assessment Task Force' to Conduct Environmental Diagnosis and Review

Opening Ceremony Held on the Afternoon of the 22nd to Commence Operations

Briefing Session for Offshore Wind Power Operators to be Held on the 26th

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Joo Sang-don] The Ministry of Environment announced on the 22nd that it will launch a 'Wind Power Environmental Assessment Task Force' within the ministry. The task force will provide proactive environmental diagnostics (consulting) for wind power generation and conduct swift and thorough environmental reviews.

On the afternoon of the same day, the task force held a plaque ceremony at the Government Complex Sejong and officially began its operations. The team consists of one senior secretary at the manager level, two administrative officers, two clerks, and three personnel dispatched from review agencies.

The role of the task force is to carefully review and resolve environmental issues that have arisen during the development process of onshore and offshore wind power through an efficient consultation system, and to provide comprehensive diagnostic (consulting) services throughout the entire process.

It will operate as a single window within the Ministry of Environment for environmental reviews of wind power generation (under the Office of Natural Conservation Policy), lead proactive natural ecological status surveys of planned wind power sites, and prepare wind power evaluation guidelines to support operators in pre-assessing the environmental suitability of prospective sites.

During the consultation process, it will present consistent consultation procedures and predictable consultation opinions, and after completion, it plans to monitor compliance. In case of issues, immediate improvement measures will be developed together with the operators.

Additionally, the task force will continuously communicate with local activists from various sectors such as carbon neutrality and natural ecology, as well as the industry, while addressing difficulties faced by local residents and the industry. It also plans to launch a wind power environmental assessment information system within the first half of this year to make environmental information easily accessible to everyone.

As its first external activity, the task force will hold a briefing session for offshore wind power operators at the LW Convention Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 26th. Additional briefing sessions will be held as needed depending on the COVID-19 situation.

The first briefing will provide guidance on environmental impact assessment consultation procedures and evaluation methods, along with key points based on offshore wind power consultation cases. It will also collect difficulties faced by the power generation industry and review improvements.

Choi Han-chang, head of the Ministry of Environment’s Wind Power Environmental Assessment Task Force, said, "Carbon neutrality is a crucial task not only for future generations but also for our generation. We will strive to ensure that environmental impact assessment consultations, which were previously perceived only as regulations, are recognized as comprehensive diagnostic services through meticulous natural ecological surveys before wind power development plans are established, pre-site diagnostics from the development planning stage, consistent and efficient procedures and consultations, and strict and detailed post-management."

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