Ms Sohui Jeon1
1UNSW Sydney, Australia
Biography:
A PhD candidate at UNSW's School of Social Sciences, specialising in research titled "Diversified Environmental Transition: A Comparative Study of Forestry and Ocean Fishery in South Korea and Taiwan’s Journey towards Carbon Neutrality." Holds an MSc in Tropical and International Forestry from Georg-August Universität Göttingen, Germany. The master’s thesis, along with a published paper, explored "Forest Issues and Policy Initiatives by Regional Governances: A Comparative Study between ASEAN and the Montreal Process" under the Department of Forest and Nature Conservation Policy.
Abstract:
In recent years, South Korea (hereafter Korea) and Taiwan have committed to carbon neutrality, signalling a shift towards integrating climate change mitigation into their economic growth models. While energy transitions and green technologies have dominated the strategies for achieving carbon neutrality in both countries, nature-based solutions have received comparatively less attention. However, integrating these solutions into economic policy deserves closer examination, as they can contribute to national carbon neutrality targets and play a crucial role in carbon pricing mechanisms such as carbon markets and offset programs. Additionally, the successful implementation of nature-based solutions depends not only on their alignment with economic policy but also on the state's capacity to realise transformative visions within existing natural resource governance systems. This study explores the dynamic interplay between agents (actors and organisations) and institutional contexts in natural resource governance, focusing on how historically shaped institutions influence agents' behaviour and strategies and how agents, in turn, drive institutional evolution. Focusing on forest governance in Korea and Taiwan—where forests have been recognised as natural carbon sinks—the analysis reveals that integrating carbon neutrality goals is shaped by the interplay between agents and historical institutional contexts. While both states have committed to ambitious climate goals in forest governance, the extent to which these commitments translate into actionable policies depends significantly on historical legacies, institutional capabilities, inter-agent relationships, and evolving strategies.