南韓政府近日宣佈,市場上部分指定商品將會貼上標有碳足跡排放量的標籤,在實驗階段約有10種商品會貼上碳足跡標籤,若實施成效不錯,則可能廣泛應用。
南韓環保局27日表示,標籤上將標示出產品從生產、配送、使用到丟棄這段生命週期中所排放的二氧化碳量。
二氧化碳是最會吸熱的一種溫室氣體,也是全球暖化的主要原因。
環保局表示,為了最後的批准認證,自8月起將進行產品核可檢驗,此機制也將在2009年正式引進。
在英、美、瑞典和加拿大等國皆已採行碳標籤機制,讓企業向消費者證明他們管理及降低碳排放的承諾。
Timberland是第一個在美國店內架位放置碳標籤的企業,其他類似Wal-Mart的重要企業也開始針對產品碳排放量進行清查,並考慮在商品上做出標示。
假如此項方案能為韓國民眾所接受,碳標籤將可讓消費者選擇最小量碳足跡的商品,並且能夠就當地所生產的產品和進口商品、有機產品或是傳統農產品做比較。
在此同時,南韓環保局25日也發起一項名為「綠色啟動」的環保活動,用以推廣政府「減少碳排放,韓國更環保」的政策方案,其目的是在日常生活中降低溫室氣體排放量。
環保局也計畫在8月架構「綠色啟動網絡」,透過中央政府、地方政府、企業、宗教團體和民間團體的合作,來推廣南韓政府「綠色啟動」減碳運動。
The South Korean government has decided that selected products will carry labels in the marketplace to show the size of their carbon footprints. During the testing phase, just 10 products will get carbon labels, but if the program is successful, it will be used more widely.
The labels will show the amount of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide emitted during the products' lifecycle - production, distribution, use and disposal of the goods, the Environment Ministry said Sunday.
Carbon dioxide is the most abundant heat-trapping greenhouse gas that is responsible for global warming.
Product validation inspections will be conducted next month, in order to grant final permission, the ministry said. The system will be officially introduced by January 2009.
The carbon labeling system has been implemented in places such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Sweden and Canada to enable businesses to demonstrate to consumers their commitment to managing and reducing carbon emissions.
Timberland was the first in the United States to place the tags on store shelves, and major corporations like Wal-Mart are conducting inventories of their products' carbon emissions and considering labeling merchandise.
If the idea gains popularity in Korea, carbon labels will allow shoppers to choose the products with the smallest carbon footprints and permit them to compare locally produced with imported goods, organic products with traditionally farmed foods.
Meanwhile, the South Korean Environment Ministry launched its Green Start campaign last Friday, an environmental action designed to promote the government's initiative entitled "Low Carbon, Green Korea" that aims to reduce greenhouse gases in everyday life.
The ministry plans to organize "Green Start Network" in August in cooperation with the central government, local government entities, industries, religious groups and civic groups in order to promote the government's "Green Start" carbon reduction campaign.
全文及圖片詳見:ENS