Current Status of the Climate Change Impact Assessment System in Korea and Its Linkage with Urban Greenhouse Gas Observation for Sustainability: A Systematic Review and Case

In 2022, Korea became the first country to introduce a climate change impact assessment (CCIA) system that requires prior analysis and evaluation of climate impacts for major development projects, delivering a relevant analysis and management framework for such purposes. This study reviews Korea’s CCIA system from a policy perspective, organizing its structural components, assessment procedures, and reporting methods according to the domains of greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation and climate crisis adaptation. The system’s characteristics and assessment procedures of this system are also analyzed via a case study review of urban development projects. In the GHG mitigation category, emissions and absorptions should be investigated at each project stage and quantitative reduction amounts and targets established based on scientific and statistical evidence. Regarding climate crisis adaptation, regional climate risks should be analyzed and adaptation strategies for priority management areas developed based on impact prediction results. CO2 concentrations recorded in Seoul’s central and background areas confirmed spatial differences in city-level GHG concentrations, proposing the CCIA’s potential practical use for enhancing future monitoring frameworks. To enhance the effectiveness of the CCIA and its consequences for future sustainability, the opinions of various stakeholders and linking the system with existing environmental impact (EIA) assessment frameworks are paramount.