Background
The world selected reduction of greenhouse gases as a global agenda to adapt to environmental changes caused by climate change, and implements compulsory reduction of greenhouse gases through international conventions. The agricultural sector of Korea should establish and promote policies for expanding low-carbon emission agriculture based on evaluation of economic effects of low-carbon emission agriculture to effectively adapt to reducing greenhouse gases. Prior studies related to low-carbon emission agriculture focus mainly on calculating the volume of emitted greenhouse gases and analyzing potential reduction thereof. It is hard to find prior studies suggesting an analysis of economic effects and effective reduction strategies thereof. This study has been promoted to design a strategy for vitalizing low-carbon emission agriculture on a systematic basis to successfully reduce greenhouse gases in the agriculture sector after the Climate Change Conference in Paris.

Method of Research
The world selected reduction of greenhouse gases as a global agenda to adapt to environmental changes caused by climate change, and implements compulsory reduction of greenhouse gases through international conventions. The agricultural sector of Korea should establish and promote policies for expanding low-carbon emission agriculture based on evaluation of economic effects of low-carbon emission agriculture to effectively adapt to reducing greenhouse gases. Prior studies related to low-carbon emission agriculture focus mainly on calculating the volume of emitted greenhouse gases and analyzing potential reduction thereof. It is hard to find prior studies suggesting an analysis of economic effects and effective reduction strategies thereof. This study has been promoted to design a strategy for vitalizing low-carbon emission agriculture on a systematic basis to successfully reduce greenhouse gases in the agriculture sector after the Climate Change Conference in Paris.
Results and Implications
The result of the survey by questionnaire to examine recognition of and response to low-carbon emission agriculture reveals difficulties in applying low-carbon emission agriculture: ‘no price difference of low-carbon emission agricultural products’ (32.3%), ‘reduced volume per unit area after applying low-carbon emission agriculture’ (24.8%), and ‘increased labor input including complicated documentation procedures’ (15.9%).
The result of estimated marginal abatement cost of the technology for reducing greenhouse gases in the agricultural sector reveals no-tillage is the most cost-effective technology, followed by multiple insulation curtains, geothermal heat pumps, water-curtain system, cultivation with green manure, optimum application of fertilizers, and intermittent irrigation.
The result of the consumer survey reveals many consumers value the necessity for low-carbon emission certification, and highly trust the certification. However, just a half of the consumers who have bought low-carbon emission products answered they know details of low-carbon emission certification, suggesting the necessity for public relations in the future. More than 80% of people who have or have not bought agricultural products certified as low-carbon emission products gave a positive answer to future purchase thereof. This implies it is necessary to diversify agricultural products certified as low-carbon emission products, find ideal markets to enable consumers to easily access thereto, and lower the price premium approximately 25% lower than the agricultural products certified as GAP and pesticide free to promote future purchase.
It is needed to vitalize low-carbon emission agriculture to accomplish the target of reducing greenhouse gases under the new climate regime. To this end, it is necessary to promote key projects including further expanding major low-carbon emission agriculture technology, encouraging consumers to buy low-carbon emission agricultural products, promoting greenhouse gas reduction projects by using the Emission Trading Market, and establishing a strategy for introducing the Environmental Cross Compliance Scheme of the EU.


Researchers: Jeong Hakkyun, Kim Yeanjung, Lee Hyejin
Research period: 2015. 12. ~ 2016. 5.
E-mail address: hak8247@krei.re.kr