The Koreas | Atmosphere | East Asia
Inexperienced pledges abroad are of little use when greater than 70 p.c of Samsung’s whole electrical energy consumption happens in South Korea, fueled primarily by coal and fuel.
In South Korea, local weather activism is on the rise. In 2019, a nationwide coalition of greater than 300 organizations got here collectively to kind the Local weather Disaster Emergency Motion Community. The next spring, youth local weather activists filed a lawsuit in opposition to the South Korean authorities to demand extra dramatic emissions cuts, arguing that their elementary rights have been at stake. In October 2020, activists noticed a significant victory when President Moon Jae-in pledged that the nation would obtain carbon neutrality by 2050.
However Samsung Electronics, the biggest company in South Korea, has managed to dodge strain to scale back emissions. In contrast to its rivals Sony and Apple, Samsung has but to decide to 100% renewable power worldwide, leaving the corporate’s international operations reliant on fossil fuels.
As the only greatest electrical energy client in South Korea, Samsung Electronics’ home carbon footprint is immense and has solely continued to develop. Greater than 70 p.c of the tech conglomerate’s whole electrical energy consumption happens in South Korea, fueled primarily by coal and fuel. In 2019, Samsung Electronics alone consumed sufficient energy to satisfy the wants of greater than 4 million South Korean households, or almost one-fifth of the nationwide whole.
Samsung Electronics’ failure to undertake renewable electrical energy has enabled the corporate’s home greenhouse fuel (GHG) emissions to rise unchecked, hovering by 137 p.c over lower than a decade. In 2020, Samsung Electronics’ GHG emissions (scope 1-3) amounted to roughly 30 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equal, roughly equal to Norway’s whole GHG emissions. Until drastic modifications are made, Samsung’s continued reliance on fossil gas sources threatens to undermine South Korea’s nationwide GHG emission discount objectives.
Whereas Samsung’s emissions proceed to rise in South Korea, the corporate has taken a special route overseas, revealing a double normal at play. In 2018, activists have been optimistic when the tech large pledged that it might decide to 100% renewable power use in america, Europe, and China.
However almost 4 years on, the pledge has not been adopted by a world 100% renewable power dedication, as many had hoped. As a substitute, the announcement is more and more seen as a performative gesture geared towards defending the model’s picture within the U.S. and Europe.
Samsung’s operations in america, Europe, and China comprise only a small fraction of the corporate’s whole electrical energy consumption. Extra than 80 p.c of Samsung Electronics’ whole electrical energy use happens exterior these three areas, powered predominantly by coal and fuel.
Among the many world’s greatest tech firms, Samsung stands out for its failure to decide to 100% renewable power worldwide. In recent times, a rising cadre of tech giants have signed on to RE100, an initiative that brings collectively firms in a dedication to 100% renewable electrical energy use throughout their operations. Each Apple and Sony have already pledged to make the most of 100% renewable power and obtain carbon neutrality throughout their very own operations, and Apple has additional expanded its dedication throughout its provide chain. Against this, Samsung has but to signal onto RE100 or to situation a world carbon neutrality pledge.
Ample alternatives exist in South Korea for renewable electrical energy procurement. Because the finish of 2020, 5 new procurement strategies have grow to be out there within the nation, together with inexperienced premiums, buy of renewable power certificates (RECs), and energy buy agreements (PPAs). The brand new renewable electrical energy procurement strategies allow firms like Samsung to extend their clear power use.
As Samsung pushes its environmental initiatives in america and Europe, it continues to garner constructive press protection and accolades for its efforts. In April 2021, Samsung Electronics acquired an award from the U.S. Environmental Safety Company for the corporate’s renewable power use in america. Extra just lately, the BBC reported on Samsung’s use of discarded fishing nets in some small parts of its telephones, mentioning that “consultants welcomed the inexperienced initiative.”
However the trivial scale of those achievements is overshadowed by the double normal at work as Samsung depends on climate-change inflicting fossil fuels to generate astronomical earnings, significantly on its residence entrance. As a number one firm in South Korea, it’s time for Samsung to cease taking part in by two units of guidelines and decide to 100% renewable electrical energy by 2030 throughout its total international provide chain, together with at residence.