Ecology

For thousands of years, rice has been more than food. It has been culture, memory, and survival. In South Korea, a few farmers are bringing back native rice varieties lost to history. Their rainbow-colored fields tell a story of a future rooted in the past.

Let’s peel away the assumption we have long taken for granted—that “digital = eco-friendly.” We will trace the three layers that sustain the digital society: action (interfaces), infrastructure (data centers, energy generation, cooling water), and networks (terrestrial and submarine cables). Beneath these, we will examine the materiality of devices, the corporate power embedded in design, the profit structures of the data economy, and the points where institutions begin to collapse. Finally, we will reflect on the small but resilient practices and institutional shifts we can choose to pursue.

The Climate Youth Council held a meeting with members of the National Assembly to petition for the revision of the Carbon Neutrality Act, which was the first petition case since the enactment of the law in 2021. Students experienced democracy while recognizing the stakes of the climate crisis, and continued the campaign with the social cooperative Party. Future tasks suggested include expanding openness, improving participatory design, assigning responsible authority, and reorganizing the evaluation system.  

The "Climate Citizens' Assembly (CCA)", which served as the foundation for this project, critiqued the failures of democracy and climate policies, proposing a platform for citizens to actively participate in addressing the climate crisis. Kyung Hee University's "Climate Youth Council" allowed students to engage in legislative processes within the National Assembly, influencing climate policy. Through flipped learning and question-based learning, the assembly enhanced the students' climate crisis literacy.

Today, we are all experiencing the severity and impact of the climate crisis in real time through the constant global climate disaster news flooding in. 'Climate Youth Council 2024', led by Kyung Hee University students, an innovative experiment in democracy to tackle the climate crisis. In this course, students have learned about climate issues, engage in debates, and develop direct action plans to drive social change. 

With the popularity of Korean Wave all over the world, K-Agrifoodtech is also leaping forward on the world stage. The Korean author shared about his recent visit to the AFRO 2023 in Seoul.

Pakistan is in the middle of the demographic transition. The right investment in young people is required to realise the “demographic dividend”.

As long as hydrogen production relies heavily on fossil fuels, the policy will distract South Korea from its 2050 carbon neutrality strategy and end up emitting enormous additional greenhouse gases. To keep the net-zero pledge on track, South Korea should adopt a renewable-energy based hydrogen scheme by drastically cutting down its reliance on fossil fuels.