Busan City Corporation is moving forward with the registration of an 'external carbon absorption project' aimed at reducing greenhouse gases at the Osiria Ecological Forest located in Gijang County.
The external project registration is a system that officially certifies the carbon absorption capacity of existing forests and ecological parks by a government-designated expert organization. The corporation aims to secure greenhouse gas reduction achievements and enhance its capacity for managing eco-friendly urban spaces.
According to a Busan City Corporation official, the organization has been selected as a recipient of free consulting for the external carbon absorption project led by the Korea Forest Service and is currently in the initial preparation stages, including drafting a project plan and collecting basic data.
Initially, during the extension of the application period by the Forest Service, Busan City Corporation participated in the project and began to refine it with the support of free consulting. Other regional city corporations, including Daejeon City Corporation, also participated in this application.
An official from the corporation stated, "We are currently at the starting line, receiving consulting and have not yet completed formal registration or final certification. We aim to complete the necessary data supplementation and review application by next year, with a target of final registration in the first half of 2028."
The total area of the Osiria Ecological Forest, which is the subject of registration, is 14 hectares (approximately 140,000 square meters) and was completed in 2021. This project will not create new forests but will formalize the carbon absorption value of the existing site through an 'in-boundary approach,' similar to the external project registration method pursued by Haeundae Arboretum last March.
Regarding the estimation of carbon absorption, the corporation conservatively estimates an annual reduction effect of about 70 tons of greenhouse gases.
The official explained, "Based on standard calculation formulas and rough estimates of the number of trees planted, we expect an annual reduction of about 70 tons. The exact reduction amount will be determined through precise calculations and monitoring procedures in the future."
Concerning the transfer of management rights for the Osiria green space in Gijang County, the corporation plans to establish a consultation mechanism to ensure that project implementation and performance maintenance are not disrupted.
The corporation confirmed through inquiries with relevant departments that even if ownership or management rights change to local governments (Busan City and Gijang County), future business continuity and carbon absorption performance distribution can be maintained through a memorandum of understanding.
Additionally, regarding costs incurred after project registration, including monitoring and verification, the corporation will conduct a pilot project for free consulting to assess the necessary budget and gradually incorporate it into the budget for execution.
Lee Sang-yong, head of the Strategic Business Division at Busan City Corporation, stated, "The selection for this project will enhance the public value of the green assets created by the corporation and serve as an important opportunity to contribute to the government's carbon neutrality policy. We will establish the experiences gained during the registration and certification process as a standard model and expand its application to future restoration projects and park and green space development initiatives."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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