Dr. Park Eung-kyuk, right, president of the Korea Institute of Public Administration, shakes hands with Park Moo-jong, president-publisher of The Korea Times, after signing an agreement to launch a 50-part series in the English daily on environmental realities and the need for improved risk governance at the latter’s office in downtown Seoul. The first part of the collaborative series runs Friday.

KIPA, KT begin 50-part series on risk governance

There is no denying that the Earth, as we know it, is in danger. The entire planet is suffering from environmental devastation, including climate change, every conceivable type of pollution, ecological destruction and the depletion of natural resources.

The results are mind-numbing. There is widespread flooding and droughts, typhoons and tsunamis, heat waves and a wide range of other natural disasters.

As if the environmental predicament was not enough, the world is facing every conceivable type of threat and instability, from the breakdown of the global financial system to economic recession in all corners, and the subsequent damage to the most basic quality of life.

Increasingly, there is recognition that the Earth and its inhabitants no longer have the luxury of waiting and hoping for the best. It is high time that the realities are accepted at face value and the world must make concerted efforts to determine in more exact terms what the current situation implies for mankind and bring this information to people everywhere.

This is no longer a set of problems that can be effectively addressed by a handful of powerful countries; it requires the undivided attention of every single element here on Earth.

Korea, for its part, must play an active role as a prominent member of Northeast Asia and help identify environmental problems as they exist and build a case for turning things around.

As part of facing up to this enormous challenge, The Korea Times, in collaboration with the Korea Institute of Public Administration (KIPA), is launching an intensive series of contributions from experts from around the world, to review the nature of the problem and through their experience, research and wisdom identify viable solutions at local and global levels.

The 50-part series kicks off on Feb. 10 with an in-depth introduction from KIPA President Park Eung-kyuk to be carried on through the end of July. The series hopes to carry insights from not only prominent individual experts in respective fields but such distinguished international organizations such as the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Economic Forum.

The installments will be published twice a week with all contents being compiled online at www.koreatimes.co.kr for both current and future reference.