Ecology

기후위기와 빈곤, 불평등, 차별, LGBTQ의 권리 침해, 선주민의 권리 침해 등 우리 사회에는 해결해야 할 다양한 과제가 있지만, 시민사회운동을 해 나감에 있어 나에게 소중하고도 중요한 것은 ‘연대’다. 약 15년간, 학생 자원봉사자로서, 환경단체의 활동가로서 환경정의 문제를 다루어 왔다. 대규모 화석연료 개발에 반대의 목소리를 높이는 지역의 주민들, 물이나 땅을 지키기 위해 목숨걸고 싸우는 선주민들, 일본 내에서 탈원전이나 화석연료 개발 반대에 끈질기게 활동해온 사람들. 세계 각지에서 계속되는 분쟁, 우경화하는 정치, 이민자에 대한 배제와 심화하는 불평등, 그리고 기후위기의 영향 속에서, 바로 지금, 연대가 위협받고 있다. 

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”.