In this brief, explore the direct employment impacts of a coal-to-renewable transition in South Korea in line with a Paris compatible coal phase out before 2030. Compare this with the projected outcomes under current policies.

In this work present two unit-level decommissioning schedules that are aligned with a Paris Agreement compatible CO2 emission reduction pathway. Both of these schedules require 4.2 GW of coal capacity to be retired each year, and units currently under construction would only be able to operate for four years at the most.

Today’s policymakers designing economic stimulus packages to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic can draw lessons from the most recent point of comparison, the global financial crisis.

Korea needs to phase-out unabated gas by 2050 in a Paris-aligned scenario or potentially risk $60 billion in stranded assets. As much as 13.7 GW of coal capacity may be retired between now and 2034 and risks being replaced with gas power.

The disruption of the media industry, with the rise of social media, the digitization of content and the increase in mobile consumption has changed traditional funding models beyond recognition. The role of media historically has been central to the making of society and the construction of identity.

The Asia-Pacific country profiles provide a snapshot of the energy policy highlights of the ESCAP regional member states.