녹색성장과 국토법제의 대응

Abstract

Discussion about the so-called 'Green Growth' has started since the President Lee Myung-bak's remark from his Liberation Day's address in 2008. He argued that Green Growth should be a paradigm for a new state development. 'Green Growth' has been presented as a comprehensive concept as well as a new vision for the future of Korea, encompassing such diverse problems as energy, environment, creation of jobs, expansion of further economic growth, improvement of business competitiveness and revolution for everyone's life. In fact, the question of Green Growth was originally discussed as a response to the problem of climate change. In other words, the question is related to climate change from greenhouse gas emissions, which has become a critical international agenda for the survival of humankind. Although 'Green Growth' is basically a strategy coping with climate change, diverse and careful efforts on the basis of 'green development', particularly in the area of territorial or land development, must be undertaken. Land is the object and foundation for Green Growth. Land is the place where various policies and projects within the framework of Green Growth are implemented and relevant desired results can be materialized. Green Growth is possible only if the land in question can be effectively used and changed. According to a master plan for Green Growth issued by the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs, the establishment of foundation for land use by reduction of greenhouse gas in the area of urban, building construction, transport and maritime affairs is considered essential. While coping with constant flooding and using water resources as much as possible, the creation and exploitation of land with disaster preventive system is also critical. For this purpose, the government plan presents main policy issues as follows: (1) the creation of the space for land use on the principle of green development, (2) efficiency of logistics, transport and distribution system, (3) and the recreation of land by using water resources. For this purpose, low carbon and environment friendly urban areas should be developed and the revision of relevant rules and regulations will be necessary for the improvement of energetic capacity for apartment houses. Overall regulatory system for land development based on Land Development Act, including use district, should be simplified according to the function of the land in question. Transport and distribution occupy nearly 21 percent of energy consumption and constitute roughly 20 percent of carbon dioxide emissions in Korea, which has been given a great deal of weight. In particular, as it has been so heavily dependent on fossil fuel, it has not been easy to deal with adequately the problem of climate change. Thus, legal and institutional mechanism must be provided for the correction of existing logistics, transport and distribution system, so that the current system may be transformed into more environment friendly, energy-saving and sustainable one. With this background, the government is now trying to enact the Act for the Promotion of Sustainable Logistics, Transport and Distribution. The Four Major Rivers Restoration Project designed to secure a stable water supply and better prepare for flooding, is fundamentally different from previous river-refurbishing project in terms of dimension and scale. This Project, beyond traditional value for prevention of flooding and guarantee of efficient water management, seeks to obtain desirable effect of balanced regional development by building tourism-leisure complexes and recreational facilities along the major rivers, including the promotion of cultural industry and restoration of environment. Lastly, considering that climate change has been a result from the misuse of land and failed exploitation and has become as a background for Green Growth, it would be desirable that relevant legislation for future land development should be aimed at providing room and space for natural development of the land.