Environmental and Resource Economics Review (자원ㆍ환경경제연구)

Korean Resource Economics Association (한국자원경제학회)
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Korean Companies' Understanding of Carbon Pricing and Its Influence on Policy Acceptance and Practices

한국 기업의 탄소가격 정책에 대한 이해가 정책 수락 및 대응에 미치는 영향

  • Suk, Sunhee (Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES))
  • 석선희 ((공익재단법인) 지구환경전략연구기관)
  • Received : 2017.06.21
  • Accepted : 2017.11.22
  • Published : 2017.12.31
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Abstract

In response to climate change, Korea is attempting to shift the paradigm of energy and climate change policies by introducing carbon pricing based on market mechanisms. While policy adoption is proceeding at a rapid pace, the introduction of carbon pricing has been faced with great opposition from industry. This study measures to what extent Korean companies understand and accept carbon pricing, using data from a questionnaire survey covering energy consuming companies in 2012, when discussions between the government and such companies about the introduction of a domestic emission trading system were active. It further identifies how preparations and practices for carbon and energy management of companies correlate with their policy understanding and acceptance. The analysis results show that the surveyed companies indicate moderate understanding of, as well as resistance to carbon pricing policies, while appreciating the economic incentives and accepting the mandatory regulations in this phase. Companies' understanding is more related to characteristics, i.e., sector, size, etc. than external pressures. This study found that the extent to which companies understand policy is the essential factor in their policy acceptance and related practices. In particular, understanding of carbon policy significantly influences their managerial practices and voluntary activities for carbon and energy practices. This study substantiates the correlation between the level of policy understanding of a company and its carbon and energy practices - something that all countries seeking to introduce carbon pricing in response to climate change should consider prior to policy actually being implemented; in other words, enhancing the understanding of major policy subjects of the new instrument is a key policy strategy that should be elaborated as it will lead to better performance of companies and smoother policy implementation.

한국은 시장 메커니즘에 기반한 탄소가격정책 도입을 통해 에너지 및 기후 변화 정책의 패러다임 전환을 시도하고 있다. 그러나 정책 도입이 진행되는 동안 탄소가격정책은 정책 대상인 산업계로부터의 큰 반대에 직면해 왔다. 본 연구는 국내 배출권거래제도의 도입에 대한 논의가 활발했던 2012년 초에 에너지 다소비 기업을 대상으로 실시한 설문 조사 결과를 토대로 한국 기업의 탄소가격정책에 대한 이해도와 수용정도를 측정하였다. 또한 기업의 탄소 및 에너지 관리를 위한 활동과 정책 이해 및 수용 정도와의 관계, 나아가 주요 결정요인을 분석하여 정책 시사점을 제시하고자 하였다. 분석 결과에 따르면, 한국 기업은 에너지 절약 및 온실가스 저감을 위한 경제적 인센티브 정책에 보다 우호적이며 기존의 관련 규제정책을 일부 수용하나, 탄소가격정책에 대해서는 현 시점에서 보통정도의 이해도와 낮은 수용정도를 보였다. 각 기업의 정책 이해 정도는 외부 압력보다는 기업의 특성, 즉 업종이나 규모 등과 더 관련이 있는 것으로 확인되었으며, 이는 정부 정책에 기업 특성이 고려되어야 한다는 시사점을 제시하고 있다. 한편, 이 연구는 기업의 정책 이해도는 정책 수락을 높이고 관련 활동을 촉진하는데 중요한 요소이며, 특히, 탄소 정책에 대한 높은 이해도는 기업의 탄소 관리 및 자발적 활동에 유의미한 영향을 미치고 있다는 점을 밝히고 있다. 본 연구 결과에 비추어 한국 정부는 시장 메커니즘에 대한 충분한 이해가 대상기업 전반에서 얻어지도록 지원 방안을 강구 해야 한다. 한편, 기후 변화에 대응하여 탄소가격정책을 도입하려는 국가 및 지역이 늘어나고 있는 가운데, 기업의 정책 수용과 참여를 높여 제도의 원활한 도입과 시행 그리고 본연의 성과를 거두기 위해, 본 연구의 결과는 해당 지역의 정부에게도 의미가 있는 것으로 보인다.

Keywords

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