Companies share tips to go green

Ten large companies agreed to share their know-how on reducing greenhouse gas emissions with 40 SMEs yesterday at a meeting hosted by Minister of Knowledge Economy Hong Suk-woo.

The companies said they would spend 2 trillion won ($1.69 billion) this year to cut greenhouse gas emissions at the meeting at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI).

Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor Group, Posco, GS Caltex, LG Chem and five other large companies set up an advisory panel of their technical experts, which will work with the smaller companies.

“Around 85 percent of greenhouse gas emissions comes from energy consumption,” said Chairman Sohn Kyung-shik of the KCCI at the meeting. “Large and small companies will cooperate not only to cut greenhouse gas emission but also to save energy.”

Of the 2 trillion won in promised spending, 1.4 trillion won will be used to upgrade manufacturing facilities to be more efficient in energy sue. “For very small businesses, upgrading their facilities is essential but it cannot be done without help from large companies or the government,” said Chairman Seo Young-ok of Fine Technology, which works with Samsung Electro-Mechanics.

The businessmen also expressed concerns about a new greenhouse gas emission trading system to Minister Hong. Under the system, the government will decide maximum greenhouse gas emission levels for each company starting in 2015. Companies will be able to buy emission credits from other companies that don’t hit their limits.

Posco’s Chief Technology Officer Kwon Oh-joon said more advantages should go to export companies, while vice president Kim Myung-hwan of GS Caltex’s community relations division said that the ministry should be flexible when evaluating the companies that have proven energy efficiency.

By Moon Byung-joo, Lee Sun-min [summerlee@joongang.co.kr]