Conference
Green Official Development Assistance in North Korea
The Conference was divided into four sessions discussing global trends in green Official Development Assistance (ODA), climate change, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), developing countries, the role of international organizations or universities in green ODA. In the third session, distinguished guests such as Grazyna Pulawska, Acting director of the Sustainability Development and Public Health Department of Asia Europe Foundation, Ruben Lubowski, Chief Natural Resource Economist of the Environment Defense Fund, Jin Young Kim, Director of Asia in the Global Green Growth Institute, Sarwat Chowdhury, Policy Specialist at UNDP Seoul Policy center as well as Dr. Bernhard Seliger, who is the Resident Representative of the Hanns Seidel Foundation Korea, highlighted the role of international organization in green ODA.
Dr. Bernhard Seliger introduced the foundation’s work and pointed out its focus on North Korea. In his presentation he put a significant stress on the ‘Great disintegration’. He pointed out that North Korea has not always been isolated to the extend it is today. In fact, according to Dr. Seliger, North Korea has become one of the most isolated and disintegrated countries in the world for the reason that it had to self-isolate or was forced to by sanctions. He underlines the goal of reintegrating the North, at least in certain contexts of green policy regimes. The HSF engages in helping to make changes, open up North Korea and simply treat the country as a partner. It is aimed to reduce tension through the environmental dialogue. He further points out that interactions should be transparent and describes how HSF Korea raises awareness through meetings, workshops, activities, restoration projects, etc. not only in South Korea but also in the North and neighboring regions such as Mongolia. Dr. Seliger particularly highlights that the environmental issue is not only a question of sustainability and long durability but for the people in the DPRK it is indeed a question of life and death in the first place considering all the natural disaster that made whole villages disappear. Climate change and afforestation is of significant interests for everybody.