A greener, circular world through innovation

The Innovation Centre Denmark at the Danish embassy in Korea co-hosted the Circular City International Conference, where the respective mayors of Gwangmyeong, Hanam and Hwaseong jointly declared their intent to cooperate in becoming circular cities, on Jan. 24. Courtesy of the Embassy of Denmark

The world is facing a climate crisis and only through joint action can we offset global warming. Therefore, Denmark is active in launching partnerships and joining international calls to action so that we may inspire each other and speed up the decarbonization process around the world in a just, efficient and economically viable manner.

One of the Danish actors facilitating this joint effort is the Innovation Centre Denmark (ICDK), a collaboration by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Higher Education and Science. Headquartered in Copenhagen, the ICDK has seven offices around the strongest innovation hubs in the world, including Korea. In Seoul, the ICDK bridges Danish and local businesses, research institutes, universities and public entities to create synergy in innovation. It has many areas of expertise under its belt, but its main focus area in recent years for Korea has been building a greener tomorrow.

Over the past eight years, we have been engaged in a number of meaningful projects within a variety of green sectors, including green shipping, marine resources, the bio economy and more. In regards to green shipping, in recent years the Danish company, Maersk, the world's largest shipping and logistics company, ordered from Korea 1 feeder of 2,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) and 12 large-sized ocean-going vessels that will operate on carbon-neutral fuels.

"This was fantastic news that reaffirmed Denmark and Korea as being extraordinarily compatible partners in the green transition. It also was a clear sign of the changing times: There are carbon-neutral solutions already available today. Market demand for the stable supply of green fuels is growing, as is the need to develop land-based energy infrastructure in ports that can handle these new fuels and batteries. These are areas where seafaring nations like Denmark and Korea are respectively leading the world, so it only makes sense to collaborate," said Peter Vangsbo, the executive director at ICDK Seoul.

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But as important as new energy solutions may be, they are only half the story. Studies show that strategies such as switching to renewable energy and enhancing energy efficiency will be insufficient in achieving full carbon neutrality by 2050. The missing puzzle piece? The shift to a circular economy. According to studies, resource extraction and processing account for 90 percent of biodiversity loss and water stress. At the same time, the production and consumption of materials are said to account for almost 50 percent of total carbon emissions. The world has long preferred the linear model of "take, make, waste," but it is the path of "reduce, reuse, recycle" of the circular economy that will lead us to the future.

"The future is circular. Now is the time to come up with next-generation ideas that will ensure we can be more regenerative and resilient," Vangsbo said.

The ICDK has developed a two-year-long program supporting the circular transition of cities in Korea. It includes activities such as the capacity training of city officials; the exploration of greener building materials, such as those based on seaweed; the evaluation of asset managers and construction companies building with 100-percent reused materials; and so on.

Also included is its Circular City Network. In Korea, the network is currently comprised of Hanam, Gwangmyeong and Hwaseong cities. Their mayors came together to sign a Circular Cities Declaration this January, announcing their goal jointly to find ways to integrate circularity into their cities' growth, job creation, social inclusiveness and investment.

"With the success of this network, we are now working on a Circular Innovation City Challenge. It aims to help cities build back better, greener, more resilient and inclusive as we bounce back from the pandemic. The ICDK envisions a network of public-private partnerships, where stakeholders can actively reshape supply chains and systems of production and consumption. To this end, we are working to identify cities to participate, as well as companies, investors and asset managers interested in exploring circular solutions in the construction sector to join us on this journey. Those interested are welcome to contact the ICDK at the embassy," Vangsbo said.

This article is provided by the Embassy of Denmark in Korea.

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