(123rf)
대한상의 “산업계 부담 줄이는 보완책 우선 돼야”
정부가 2일 온실가스 배출권거래제를 내년부터 시행하겠다는 방침을 확정한가운데 산업계는 부담을 줄일 수 있는 보완책 마련이 우선돼야한다는 입장이다.
대한상의는 2일 공식 논평을 통해 “경쟁 상대국보다 먼저 제도를 시행하는 만큼 국제경쟁력에 대한 산업계의 부담이 최소화되도록 시행에 앞서 적절한 보완대책이 마련해야 할 것”이라고 밝혔다.
대한상의는 또 “우리 경제계는 기후변화 대응을 위한 온실가스 감축의 필요성에는 공감한다”며 “산업현장에서는 저탄소·고효율 기술개발을 위해 최선을 다하고 있다”고 강조했다.
배출권거래제는 업체별로 배출권을 할당해 지정된 범위 내에서 온실가스를 배출하도록 하고, 여분이나 부족분을 다른 업체와 거래할 수 있게 하는 제도다.
정부는 이날 경제관계장관회의에서 효율적인 온실가스 감축을 유도하고자 예정대로 내년부터 배출권거래제를 시행하기로 했다. 하지만 저탄소차협력금제는 배출권거래제와 동시에 시행할 경우 국내 산업에 지나친 부담이 될 것으로 판단해 2020년 말까지 시행을 연기하기로 했다.
이를 접한 누리꾼들은 "저탄소차협력금제 연기, 잘 한 일인 듯" " 저탄소차협력금제 연기, 너무 길게 연기 한 것 아닌가" "저탄소차협력금제 연기, 국내산업 보호가 이유인 듯" 등 다양한 반응을 보였다.
Korea to delay low-carbon car incentive plan
South Korea will delay implementing its low-carbon vehicle incentive system until 2020 to minimize the fallout for customers and the automobile industry, government policymakers said Tuesday.
The announcement, reached at a meeting of economic ministers, indicated that while the government would avoid burdening carmakers and consumers, it would encourage people to buy green cars by offering various incentives.
The move will help improve the average greenhouse gas emission mileage standard for the country so it can be on par with other industrialized economies by 2020, the top officials said.
Economic ministers said that while the launch of the vehicle incentive system has been put on hold for a few years, the main goal of supporting green cars will not be affected in any way.
It said subsidies given for electric vehicles will be expanded to 1,600 vehicles in 2015, from 800 this year, while tax breaks for hybrid electric vehicles, which could reach 2.7 million won ($2,650), will be extended even though they were originally slated to be discontinued at the end of 2015.
In addition, the government will start giving subsidies of 1 million won to people who buy cars with CO2 emission levels of under 100 grams per kilometer.
Also, the country’s emissions-trading system will go into effect next year as planned.
The emissions-trading system is designed to control pollution by providing economic incentives to industries that achieve emissions reductions.
The government sets the cap on the amount of emissions, and the limit is allocated to firms in the form of emissions permits granting the right to emit a specific volume of greenhouse gases.
In 2009, South Korea’s government set a goal of reducing the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions by 4 percent in 2020 and devised relevant laws to be enforced in 2015.
However, the implementation has been uncertain as industries have strongly opposed the move on account of the high financial burden of reducing emissions.
“The government decided to go ahead with the original plan as it would be difficult to reverse the existing laws. We would lose our credibility in international society (should we back down from it),” said Jeong Eun-bo, deputy finance minister, at a press briefing on Monday.
By Shin Ji-hye and news reports
(shinjh@heraldcorp.com)
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