GFI/BCCR Seminar: Climate change adaptation strategies for sustainable water-food-energy supply chain in Korean Peninsula and Mid-Latitude.

Woo-Kyun Lee (OJeong Eco-Resilience Institute, Korea University)

Abstract:

Korean peninsula is located over the latitude of 38 in Asia. This region is characterized as temperate climate zone with relatively low precipitation. South Korea can be also characterized as high-densed country with population density of 400 people per square km.And almost 25 % of Korean People live in Seoul and 40 % in Seoul and surrounding area. While South Korean forest with 65% of land area and agricultural area with 20% of land area is intensively managed and relatively well maintained, North Korean forest is severely degraded and causing negative impact on agricultural area and livelihood. Mid-latitude region including Korean peninsula, northern China, Central Asian countries, and mediterranean region has same problems of water shortage, food and energy supplywith low precipitation in temperate climatic zone. This water-food-energy shortage bring about land use conflicts and has caused to land cover degradation.Severe climatic conditions as drought, heat, and heavy rain with climate change also is worsening condition in land cover and ecosystem degradation in Mid-latitude ecotone.We found that most of Mid-latitude countries is still in degradation phase in terms of land cover development, while European countries manage their land use and cover with sustainable strategies. So we recognized that the climate change adaptation strategies in Mid-latitude should be prepared with sustainable land use or land cover management strategies focusing on sustainable water-food-energy supply chain.