‘Blue Carbon’ on the Roundtable... Busan Urban Corporation Holds Expert Meeting on Creation and Expansion of New Carbon Sinks

Response to Carbon Neutrality: Green to Blue Carbon Roundtable

Exploring Blue Carbon Application Strategies for BMC Project Sites

An expert roundtable discussing ways to utilize not only plants but the entire marine ecosystem as a carbon sink has drawn attention.

Busan Metropolitan Corporation (BMC, President Kim Yonghak) announced that it held the "Expert Roundtable on Exploring Strategies for Establishing and Expanding Blue Carbon in the Coastal Areas of Busan" on the 30th, aiming to build green infrastructure to mitigate damage from natural disasters and to proactively secure carbon sinks that absorb greenhouse gases.

To respond to the intensifying climate crisis caused by global warming, efforts are underway to expand forest areas and increase carbon sinks. However, of the carbon absorbed globally, 57.6% is absorbed on land, while 42.4% is absorbed by the oceans, highlighting the need to secure new carbon sinks. In this context, the potential of "blue carbon," known for its excellent carbon capture and storage effects, is drawing attention as a new carbon sink.

"Blue carbon" refers to the carbon absorbed by coastal ecosystems, including tidal flats, salt-tolerant plants, and seaweed, as well as the sediments in which they reside. Compared to green carbon, which refers to the carbon sinks of terrestrial plants, blue carbon is absorbed at a rate more than 50 times faster and has a much higher storage capacity. It is also known to have a greater carbon absorption capacity than the Amazon rainforest, which produces 20% of the world's oxygen.

The roundtable brought together five domestic experts from academia and related institutions in the blue carbon field. After individual presentations, they discussed with BMC executives and staff the strategies for establishing and expanding blue carbon in the coastal areas of Busan and the potential for application to BMC projects.

Busan Urban Corporation is hosting an expert roundtable to explore plans for the creation and expansion of blue carbon in the coastal areas of Busan.

The first presenter, Professor Hong Jiweon of the Department of Hydrogen and Renewable Energy at Kyungpook National University, presented the value and utilization strategies of blue carbon resources along the East Sea coast. He also introduced plans to establish the "East Sea Rim Blue Carbon Center" in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, to serve as a research, education, and policy hub for blue carbon ecosystems.

Lee Bora, a researcher at the National Institute of Forest Science's Subtropical and Warm Temperate Forest Research Center, introduced research on verifying the adaptability and establishing the foundation for mangrove forests, which are one of the IPCC officially recognized blue carbon sources. Through the study of mangrove forests as carbon sinks, she verified their applicability in Korea and concluded that Jeju Island and the southern coast are suitable for mangrove establishment.

Heo Jongbae, head of the Busan Carbon Neutrality Support Center, introduced the "First Busan Carbon Neutral Green Growth Basic Plan" and explained the current status and utilization strategies for blue carbon in Busan. He presented diverse strategies and policies for achieving Busan's carbon neutrality goals, emphasizing the protection and restoration of marine ecosystems centered on blue carbon resources.

Park Changuk, CEO of Oceanic Co., Ltd., introduced research on climate change-adaptive coastal formation for expanding blue carbon. He explained the important role of coastal wetlands such as tidal flats in carbon absorption, as well as various coastal restoration cases and technology development methods based on these wetlands. He also emphasized that these efforts can help respond to climate change and create sustainable coastal ecosystems.

Park Jinsun, Professor of Marine Science and Technology Convergence at Korea Maritime and Ocean University, introduced research and the current status of international certification for "tidal flats," a strong IPCC-certified blue carbon candidate, conducted by the Blue Carbon Project Group under the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. Professor Park emphasized the need for international certification of blue carbon, suggested future research directions, and highlighted the importance of protecting and managing blue carbon ecosystems through international cooperation.

In the subsequent discussion, the five invited experts and BMC staff held a roundtable on "Strategies for Establishing and Expanding Blue Carbon in the Coastal Areas of Busan and the Applicability to BMC Project Sites," exchanging a wide range of opinions.

Kim Yonghak, President of Busan Metropolitan Corporation, stated, "Through in-depth discussions with experts in the blue carbon field, we were able to explore strategies for establishing and expanding blue carbon as a new carbon sink in the coastal areas of Busan."

President Kim added, "We will review the matters discussed at this roundtable and do our utmost to ensure that Busan, as a marine city, can respond to the climate crisis and establish itself as a leading city for carbon neutrality."

Busan Urban Corporation

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