A Comparative Study on South Korea’s Response to the UN Climate Change Convention and the Biodiversity Convention

Abstract

Climate change and biodiversity loss are intricately linked, and as the severity of these challenges intensifies, the need for a cohesive international response has become increasingly evident. Since 1992, South Korea has developed relevant legal and institutional frameworks; however, its initiatives addressing biodiversity loss have received less recognition and prioritization compared to its efforts concerning climate change. In this context, this study aims to analyze the disparities in South Korea’s policy responses to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), while proposing an integrated policy direction. To achieve this, the study compares key policies related to both conventions by utilizing the OECD’s Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development (PCSD) indicators and evaluation criteria derived from previous research. Furthermore, the analysis incorporates variables identified in earlier studies, including legal enforceability, economic incentives, financial support, and industry participation, to enhance the depth of the analysis. Additionally, a review of international best practices was conducted to extract actionable insights for policy enhancement. The analysis reveals several challenges in biodiversity policies, including fragmented governance systems, low policy prioritization, weakened policy momentum, imbalanced financial support, and limited corporate awareness. Moreover, difficulties in quantitative evaluation hinder the verification of policy effectiveness due to the complex nature of biodiversity goals. This research aims to assess South Korea's responsiveness in accordance with the integrated approach promoted by the international community.