• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.37-48
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to assess the climate change vulnerability of coastal and offshore fisheries in the South Sea of Korea using the RCP scenarios. Based on the vulnerability defined by IPCC, the indicator-based method was applied. Exposure indicator was calculated through weighted sum of the sea temperature and salinity forecasted by National Institute of Fisheries Science, and the weights were obtained from the time-space distribution of each fisheries. Sensitivity indicator was determined by applying the catch proportion of fisheries to the sensitivity of fish species. The adaptive capacity was measured by survey of fisheries which represent the ability of the fishermen well. As a result of summarizing the above indicators, vulnerability of coastal fisheries is higher than offshore fisheries. This shows that measures against coastal fisheries are needed. In addition, the results of each scenario are somewhat different, so it is considered that accurate prediction of climate change is important for adaptation measures.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.240-246
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• 2017

Objectives: This study was conducted to evaluate the vulnerability of the human health sector to $PM_{10}$ due to climate change in Incheon over the period of 2005-2014. Methods: Vulnerability to $PM_{10}$ consists of the three categories of climate exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. The indexes for climate exposure and sensitivity indicate positive effects, while adaptive capacity shows a negative effect on vulnerability to $PM_{10}$. The variables in each category were standardized by the rescaling method, and respective relative regional vulnerability was analyzed through the vulnerability index calculation formula of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Results: Regions with a high exposure index were the western and northern urban areas with industrial complexes adjacent to a highway, including Bupyong-gu and Seo-gu. Major factors determining the climate exposure index were the $PM_{10}$ concentration, days of $PM_{10}$ >= $100{\mu}g/m^3$, and $PM_{10}$ emissions. The regions showing a high sensitivity index were urban regions with high populations; these commonly had a high mortality rate for related diseases and vulnerable populations. Conclusions: This study is able to support regionally adjusted adaptation policies and the quantitative background of policy priority since it provides information on the regional health vulnerability to $PM_{10}$ due to climate change in Incheon.

• Journal of Climate Change Research
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.339-346
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• 2017

The Korea Adaptation Center for Climate Change (KACCC) located in Korea Environment Institute has serviced a climate change vulnerability assessment support tool (VESTAP) since 2014 in order to help local governments to establish their own adaptation plans. Owing to its easy usage, the VESTAP has been utilized by not only local governments but also academia for examination of climate change vulnerability in various fields. However, the KACCC has not suggested a standard usage how to compose indices for climate exposure, sensitivity, and adaptation capacity which are main components of vulnerability although the KACCC manages operation and application of the VESTAP. Many users had no choice but to compose indices based on their own interpretation on the components of vulnerability. This technical note suggests the standard usage of VESTAP by reevaluating some vulnerability assessments previously developed. This may help users to correctly compose indices for climate change vulnerability assessment, and may minimize possibility of inter-user inconsistency in definition of vulnerability assessments.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.239-247
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• 2011

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the corresponding national low-carbon policy should be grounded on the scientific understanding of climate sensitivity to the increase in CO2 concentration. This is, however, precluded by the fact that current estimates of the climate sensitivity highly vary. To understand the scientific background, limitations, and prospects of the climate sensitivity study, this paper reviews, as objectively as possible, the most recent results on the sensitivity issue. Theoretically, the climate sensitivity hinges on climate feedbacks from various atmospheric and surface physical processes. Especially cloud and sea-ice processes associated with shortwave radiation are known to have largest uncertainty, resulting in an inaccurate estimation of climate sensitivity. For this reason, recent observational studies using satellite data suggest sensitivity lower than or similar to those estimated by climate models (2-5 K per doubled CO2).

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.1-18
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to analyze sensitivity of forest ecosystem to climate change using spatial analysis methods focused on 6 national parks. To analyze, we constructed MODIS NDVI and temperature of Korea Meteorologic Administration based on 1km spatial resolution and 16 days. And we conducted time-series and correlation analysis using MODIS NDVI and temperature. A most sensitive region to climate change is Jirisa National Park(r=0.434) and Seoraksan National Park(r=0.415), there is the highest mean correlation coefficient. The sensitivity of forest ecosystem varied according to habitat characteristics and forest types in national park. In Abies koreana of Hallsan Nation Park, temperature has raised, but NDVI has decreased. these results will be based data of climate change adaption policy for protecting forest ecosystem.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.677-693
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• 2013

IPCC showed that calculation of climate vulnerability index requires standardization process of various proxy variables for the estimation of climate exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. In this study, four different methodologies of standardization methods: Z-score, Rescaling, Ranking, and Distance to the reference country, are employed to evaluate climate vulnerability-VRI (Vulnerability-Resilience Indicator) over Korean peninsula, and the error ranges of VRI, arising from employing the different standardization are estimated. All of proxy variables are provided by CCGIS (Climate Change adaptation toolkit based on GIS) which hosts information on both past and current socio-economic data and climate and environmental IPCC SRES (A2, B1, A1B, A1T, A1FI, and A1 scenarios) climate data for the decades of 2000s, 2020s, 2050s, and 2100s. The results showed that Z-score and Rescaling methods showed statistically undistinguishable results with minor differences of spatial distribution, while Ranking and Distance to the reference country methods showed some possibility to lead the different ranking of VRI among South Korean provinces, depending on the local characteristics and reference province. The resultant VRIs calculated from different standardization methods showed Cronbach's alpha of more than 0.84, indicating that all of different methodologies were overall consistent. Similar horizontal distributions were shown with the same trends: VRI increases as province is close to the coastal region and/or it close toward lower latitude, and decreases as it is close to urbanization area. Other characteristics of the four different standardization are discussed in this study.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.444-452
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• 2012

This study aims at assessing vulnerability of water quality and aquatic ecosystem to climate change by using proxy variables. Vulnerability to climate change is defined as a function of exposure to climate, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. Detailed proxy variables were selected considering availability and then standardized by re-scaling concept. After adequate weights were assigned to standardized proxy variables by Delphi technique, vulnerability index was calculated. As results, vulnerability of adjacent regions to coastal areas include water quality and aquatic ecosystem is relatively higher than that of inland areas, and especially adjacent region to the western and southeast seas, and Jeju show high vulnerabilities. Vulnerability in the future was performed based on A1B scenario (IPCC, 2000). Temporally, the increase of vulnerability from 2050s to 2100s may be larger than the increase from 2000s to 2050s. Because vulnerability index was estimated through the relationship among various proxy variables, it is important to consider characteristics of local region with measurements and policies for reduction of sensitivity and enhancement of adaptive capacity on climate change. This study is expected to be useful in planning adaptation measures and selecting priority to the policy on climate change.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.100 no.2
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• pp.256-265
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• 2011

This study was aiming at assessing the vulnerability of forest distribution by the A2 and B1 climate change scenarios of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The vulnerability of forest distribution was assessed using its sensitivity and adaptation to climate change with the help of the simulations of Korean-specific forest distribution model, so-called the Thermal Analogy Group (TAG), and the Plant Functional Type (PFT) defined in the HyTAG (Hydrological and Thermal Analogy Groups) model. As a result, the vulnerable area occupied 30.78% and 2.81% of Korea in A2 and B1 scenario, respectively. When it comes to the administrative districts, Pusan in A2 and Daegu in B1 appeared the most vulnerable area. This study would be employed into preparation of adaptative measures for forest in future in terms of using climate change scenarios reflecting different future development conditions.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.158-169
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• 2024

This study investigated the effects of climate change project learning on elementary students' attitudes toward climate change and environmental literacy. Climate change project learning was conducted on 174 sixth-grade elementary school students in a metropolitan city (77 male, 97 female), after which their perceptions and attitudes toward climate change and environmental literacy were assessed. The climate change project learning had a positive effect on the students' perceptions and attitudes toward climate change, which was surmised because of the climate change content sharing and discussions during the project learning. The climate change project learning also had a positive effect on the students' environmental literacy, especially their environmental attitudes, values, and behavior; however, there were no statistically significant changes found for environmental sensitivity. This study highlights the educational effects and implications of environmentally focused climate change projectbased education for elementary school students.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.29-45
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• 2016

This study identified vulnerable regions in the national parks of the Republic of Korea (ROK). The potential vulnerable regions were defined as areas showing a decline in forest productivity, low resilience, and high sensitivity to climate variations. Those regions were analyzed with a regression model and trend analysis using the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) data obtained from long-term observed Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and gridded meteorological data. Results showed the area with the highest vulnerability was Naejangsan National Park in the southern part of ROK where 32.5% ($26.0km^2$) of the total area was vulnerable. This result will be useful information for future conservation planning of forest ecosystem in ROK under environmental changes, especially climate change.