• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.123-125
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• 2013

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), ocean warming and acidification are accelerating as a result of the continuous increase in atmospheric $CO_2$. This may affect the function and structure of marine ecosystems. Recently, changes in marine environments/ecosystems have been observed (increase in SST, decrease in the pH of seawater, northward expansion of subtropical species, etc.) in Korean waters. However, we still don't understand well how climate change affects these changes and what can be expected in the future. In order to answer these questions with regard to Korean waters, the project named 'Assessment of the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems in the South Sea of Korea' has been supported for 5 years by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and is scheduled to end in 2013. This project should provide valuable information on the current status of marine environments/ecosystems in the South Sea of Korea and help establish the methodology and observation/prediction systems to better understand and predict the impact of climate/marine environment changes on the structure and function of marine ecosystems. This special issue contains 5 research and a review articles that highlight the studies carried out during 2012-2013 through this project.

• Land and Housing Review
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.171-180
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• 2017

In 1990s, as the extreme weather events according to the global warming climate change are occurred frequently all around the world and the scale of the damage increases, the developed countries are promoting various policies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions setting the goal of greenhouse gas reduction with the level of State and local government. Especially for the greenhouse gas reduction of buildings and the inducement of eco-friendly design, the green certification system is strengthened with the assessment of energy and greenhouse management, and recently, according to the policy change of climate and energy, the certification system expanded from the buildings to the level of city and district is piloted. So this research is to understand the main contents and the assessment system of domestic green building certification system implemented in March 2013 in response to the policy change of climate and energy and to suggest the basic data for the improvement of present domestic greenhouse certification standard through the analysis of actual certification and the main case analysis of international green certification system. Recently in developed countries, in 1990s, for the reduction of building's greenhouse gas emission and the inducement of eco-friendly design, from the building of LEED, BREEAM, DGNB to the level of city and district such as LEED Neighborhood Development, BREEAM Communities, DGNB Stadtquartiere, the system is expanded and piloted. On the contrary, as for the domestic standard of green building certification system, the distribution ratio according to the assessment items in each category consists of the assessment system based on the buildings, and just the simple adjustment of some items and the improvement of weighted value are performed. Actually, as a result of selecting the 30 districts of apartment housing with the most certification performance by use among the 49 buildings certified by Institute of Land & Housing from December 2014 to July 2016 and analyzing the assessment score, the certification level is determined by the sectors of high distribution like indoor environment and energy not by the ineffective sector of external environment with low distribution so this system has a limitation to perform the practical means for the policy change of climate and energy. Thus for the national green building certification standards, the assessment system in the sector of external environment is to complemented and furthermore, reflecting domestic reality, through the introduction of certification system and the assessment system with the level of city and district, this system should be improved to meet the international certification standard.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.891-905
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• 2011

Climate vulnerability index is usually defined as a function of the climate exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity, which requires adequate selection of proxy variables of each variable. We selected and used 9 proxy variables related to climate exposure in the literature, and diagnosed the adequacy of them for application in Korean peninsula. The selected proxy variables are: four variables from temperature, three from precipitation, one from wind speed, and one from relative humidity. We collected climate data over both previous year (1981~2010) and future climate scenario (A1B scenario of IPCC SERES) for 2020, 2050, and 2100. We introduced the spatial and temporal diagnostic statistical parameters, and evaluated both spatial and time variabilities in the relative scale. Of 9 proxy variables, effective humidity indicated the most sensitive to climate change temporally with the biggest spatial variability, implying a good proxy variable in diagnostics of climate change vulnerability in Korea. The second most sensitive variable is the frequency of strong wind speed with a decreasing trend, suggesting that it should be used carefully or may not be of broad utility as a proxy variable in Korea. The A1B scenario of future climate in 2020, 2050 and 2100 matches well with the extension of linear trend of observed variables during 1981~2010, indicating that, except for strong wind speed, the selected proxy variables can be effectively used in calculating the vulnerability index for both past and future climate over Korea. Other local variabilities for the past and future climate in association with climate exposure variables are also discussed here.

• Entomological Research
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.505-513
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• 2018

The red imported fire ant is considered one of the most notorious invasive species because of its adverse impact on both humans and ecosystems. Public concern regarding red imported fire ants has been increasing, as they have been found seven times in South Korea. Even if red imported fire ants are not yet colonized in South Korea, a proper quarantine plan is necessary to prevent their widespread distribution. As a basis for quarantine planning, we modeled the potential distribution of the red imported fire ant under current climate conditions using six different species distribution models (SDMs) and then selected the random forest (RF) model for modeling the potential distribution under climate change. We acquired occurrence data from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and bioclimatic data from WorldClim. We modeled at the global scale to project the potential distribution under the current climate and then applied models at the local scale to project the potential distribution of the red imported fire ant under climate change. Modeled results successfully represent the current distribution of red imported fire ants. The potential distribution area for red imported fire ants increased to include major harbors and airports in South Korea under the climate change scenario (RCP 8.5). Thus, we are able to provide a potential distribution of red imported fire ant that is necessary to establish a proper quarantine plan for their management to minimize adverse impacts of climate change.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.189-197
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• 2021

Climate change effects are particularly apparent in many cool-season grasslands in South Korea. Moreover, the probability of climate extremes has intensified and is expected to increase further. In this study, we performed climate change vulnerability assessments in cool-season grasslands based on the analytic hierarchy process method to contribute toward effective decision-making to help reduce grassland damage caused by climate change and extreme weather conditions. In the analytic hierarchy process analysis, vulnerability was found to be influenced in the order of climate exposure (0.575), adaptive capacity (0.283), and sensitivity (0.141). The climate exposure rating value was low in Jeju-do Province and high in Daegu (0.36-0.39) and Incheon (0.33-0.5). The adaptive capacity index showed that grassland compatibility (0.616) is more important than other indicators. The adaptation index of Jeollanam-do Province was higher than that of other regions and relatively low in Gangwon-do Province. In terms of sensitivity, grassland area and unused grassland area were found to affect sensitivity the most with index values of 0.487 and 0.513, respectively. The grassland area rating value was low in Jeju-do and Gangwon-do Province, which had large grassland areas. In terms of vulnerability, that of Jeju-do Province was lower and of Gyeongsangbuk-do Province higher than of other regions. These results suggest that integrating the three aspects of vulnerability (climate exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity) may offer comprehensive and spatially explicit adaptation plans to reduce the impacts of climate change on the cool-season grasslands of South Korea.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.459-472
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• 2019

The increasing variation in climatic conditions under climate change directly influences plant-microbe interactions. To account for as many variables as possible that may play critical roles in such interactions, the use of an integrated modeling approach is necessary. Here, we report for the first time a local impact assessment and adaptation study of future epidemics of kiwifruit bacterial blossom blight (KBB) in Jeonnam province, Korea, using an integrated modeling approach. This study included a series of models that integrated both the phenological responses of kiwifruit and the epidemiological responses of KBB to climatic factors with a 1 km resolution, under the RCP8.5 climate change scenario. Our results indicate that the area suitable for kiwifruit cultivation in Jeonnam province will increase and that the flowering date of kiwifruit will occur increasingly earlier, mainly due to the warming climate. Future epidemics of KBB during the predicted flowering periods were estimated using the Pss-KBB Risk Model over the predicted suitable cultivation regions, and we found location-specific, periodic outbreaks of KBB in the province through 2100. Here, we further suggest a potential, scientifically-informed, long-term adaptation strategy using a cultivar of kiwifruit with a different maturity period to relieve the pressures of future KBB risk. Our results clearly show one of the possible options for a local impact assessment and adaptation study using multiple models in an integrated way.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.62 no.2
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• pp.111-120
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• 2020

This study assessed the reliability of the agricultural water supply based on future climate change scenarios, and suggested plans to improve the reliability in order to promote the adaptability of irrigation water in agricultural reservoirs to climate change. The assessment of agricultural water supply reliability was performed on reservoirs which had a lower water quantity than their design basis and which had recently been subject to drought. In other words, from the irrigation districts of main intake works among the reservoirs managed by the Korea Rural Community Corporation, 1~2 districts in each province-that is, a total of 13 districts -that were recently designated as a district for securing agricultural water (drought prevention district) were selected. Climate change scenarios were applied to the selected districts to analyze their future water supply reliability compared to the current level. All districts selected showed a drought frequency of 4 years or shorter, which demonstrated the need to establish climate change response plans. As plans for responding to climate change, a plan that utilizes supplemental intake works to reduce the area of the irrigation districts of main intake works, and another one that increases the capacity of main intake works were adopted to reanalyze their water supply reliability. When the area of the irrigation districts of main intake works was reduced by about 30~40%, the drought frequency dropped to more than 10 years, securing the reliability of water supply. To secure the reliability by increasing the capacity of main intake works, it was calculated that about 19,000~2,400,000 tons need to be added to each reservoir. In addition, climate change response plans were suggested to improve the reliability of the water supply in each district based on the results of economic analysis.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.1-22
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• 2019

This study aims at deriving the implications for adaptation policy and research target regarding climate change risk assessment in ecosystem sector in Korea. The common ground of exemplary cases of "world leaders" in terms of adaptation policies and researches was that they emphasize nationwide study on climate change on biodiversity and ecosystem in target of establishing scientific evidence-bases and reducing uncertainty for their national adaptation policies and plans. In light of this trend, Korean government should settle down more successful adaptation structure by leading adaptation system in further national policy-settings to observe UNFCCC and CBD integratedly and effectively, considering the economic value of adaptation in policy, and strengthening scientific research programs and technology developments. Moreover, risks assessment based on diagnoses and analysis on the risk factors (hazard, exposure, and vulnerability) for climate change in nationwide habitats and species and consolidations with subsequent adaptation strategies could make adaptations in ecosystem sector more effective and successful.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2017.05a
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• pp.182-182
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• 2017

Many small island nations rely on groundwater as their only other source of freshwater in addition to rainwater harvesting. The volume of groundwater resource of small island nations are further limited by their smaller surface area and specific hydrogeology. The rapid growth of population and tourism has led to increasing water demands and pollution of available groundwater resources. The predicted climate change effects pose significant threats to the already vulnerable freshwater lens of small islands in the form of rise in sea level, coastal inundation, saltwater intrusion, varied pattern of precipitation leading to droughts and storm surges. The effects of climate change are further aggravated by manmade stresses like increased pumping. Thus small island water resources are highly threatened under the effects of climate change. But due to the limited technical and financial capacity most of the small island developing states were unable to conduct detailed technical investigations on the effects of climate change on their water resources. In this study, we investigate how well small island countries are preparing for climate change. The current state of freshwater resources, impacts of predicted climate change along with adaptation and management strategies planned and implemented by small island countries are reviewed. Proper assessment and management practices can aid in sustaining the groundwater resources of small islands under climate change.

• Journal of Climate Change Research
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.371-384
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• 2013

The appearance of abnormal weather caused by climate change have both direct and indirect impact on the society. Especially, agriculture is brought up as a socially important interest having direct impact of climate change in growth and harvest of crops. This study aims to perform vulnerability assessment for the South Korea's two main imported grains, maize and wheat. The production vulnerability assessment of maize and wheat in USA and China to temperature variability, which has a great impact in production, is performed. First, grain cultivation period which affects productivity of main grain production country was selected based on the main cultivation period from several references and previous studies. Then, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change AR5 greenhouse gas scenario RCP(representative concentration pathways)8.5 scenarios was used to select the future climate that correspond to the cultivation period of maize and wheat for each producing country. According to the result of production vulnerability analysis using adaptation (temperature changing trend) and sensitivity(temperature variability), the productivity of wheat was higher in USA, while productivity of maize was higher in China. In the future, the result showed that productivity of all two grains will be favorable in USA. The result of production vulnerability assessment through this study can later be used as a preparation data for the coming fluctuation in grain price due to climate change.