On May 11th, there was a lecture by the Environment Minister Lee Maan-ee at the Grand Lecture Hall in the University Center. He said that although people used to think environmental pollution is mandatory in order to produce economic development, reducing environmental pollution is a way of ‘sustainable growth’ and the ‘new paradigm’ in this 21st century.

He also said that ‘green technology’ is a ‘technology of harmony,’ meaning that environmental growth should follow after economic growth. More importantly, this kind of atmosphere is being widely adapted throughout the world. According to his speech, environment is the ‘green account, economy and marketing’ that produces job positions and solves energy loss problems.

The three main elements of ‘Green Development’ are minimizing the use of energy or natural resources, reducing environmental pollution, and developing green technology and energy into a new growth power.

Then, why is the color ‘green’ so strongly emphasized? For this question, he answered that the color green symbolizes nature, and ‘Green Development,’ subsequently; environmental policies are the only way to solve the energy problem. He said that we need diplomacy for securing and developing natural resources in order to make the country affluent.

He also made us to recognize that we are reaching the limitation of resources, and therefore the ‘Green Development’ is the only way we could escape from this economic depression.