Evaluation of Climate Change Response R&D Programs

Published on Nov. 13, 2024
Published by Economic Industrial Program Evaluation Division, Budget Analysis Department

   As the climate crisis caused by global warming intensifies, the importance of effective government policies to address climate change is increasing. Many countries including Korea, recognize technological innovation as the most effective means of tackling climate change and are committing substantial investments in the necessary R&D.
    In 2021, Korea enacted the “Climate Change Response Technology Development Promotion Act” to establish a foundation for systematically fostering and developing greenhouse gas reduction and climate change adaptation technologies. In line with this this commitment, the government allocated a total budget of 2.6 trillion won for climate change response R&D in its 2025 budget bill preparation.
   However, despite the government’s continued investment in climate-related R&D, assessments indicate that the practical dissemination, on-site application, and contribution of these technologies toward greenhouse gas reduction remain somewhat inadequate. In light of this, this report examines the scope and scale of climate response R&D programs and investments, assessing key issues and recommending improvements.
   The review suggests that the government needs to consolidate climate change response R&D programs and funding under clear criteria, as well as develop and utilize a climate technology roadmap to enhance R&D investment efficiency. It also underscores the importance of developing an R&D investment strategy aligned with energy transition policies that can increase greenhouse gas reduction performance, along with an effective climate adaptation R&D investment strategy to address the social challenges posed by climate change. Efforts should be made to accurately calculate the greenhouse gas reduction potential of these R&D programs, provide effective commercialization support for promising climate technologies, and devise measures to attract private sector investment into climate solutions.