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The objective of this study was to predict the potential distribution change for vulnerable and endangered tree species (Picea jezoensis, Abies koreana, Abies nephrolepis, and Pinus pumila) under climate change. To this end, HyTAG (Hydrological and Thermal Analogy Groups), the Korea-specific forest cover distribution model based on hydrological and thermal indices, was used to predict the potential spatio-temporal distribution changes in tree species. As a result, the optimal habitat of vulnerable and endangered tree species (Picea jezoensis, Abies koreana, Abies nephrolepis, and Pinus pumila) under the potential impact of climate change is expected to shrink rapidly and is going to appear only in Gangwon Province in the future. Also, comparing the distribution range of tree species, Picea jezoensis has the largest distribution range compared to the other tree species. On the other hand, the optimal habitat of Pinus pumila is the smallest. This means that physical environment for Pinus pumila tends to be rapidly reduced. These results show that these tree species are facing a great risk due to climate change, and this is expected to be an important input or tool for decision-making with respect to establishing management and conservation measures to reduce the negative impact of climate change.

The Republic of Korea (ROK) has made many efforts to reduce greenhouse gases through a legal framework, making obligations to reach domestic and overseas targets via the Paris Convention in 2015. China recently launched a nation‐wide emission trading system (ETS) and has considered extending this ETS to include the ROK. This study examines the possibility of linking the ETS between ROK and China by considering the institutional design elements of the ETS. Additionally, this study provides policy implications to reach Koreaʹs overseas reduction target. For the research methodology, the design elements of both the ROK and China policies were analyzed by categorizing their standard design elements based on the International Carbon Action Partnership. This paper focuses on four main barriers (cap type, borrowing, offset and price ceiling) based on their environmental benefits and analyzes the challenges to combining the design elements between the ROK and China systems. The two ETS commonly share the same cap types, and there is similar institutional progress regarding the offset and price ceiling. In addition to this, note that China has a borrowing system that is opposite to the borrowing system in ROK. According to these findings, there are major challenges to linking the ROK and China systems due to differences in the major design elements. Thus, it is necessary to modify the Korean domestic borrowing system and understand the Chinese institutional processes related to environmental negotiation to achieve further cooperation.

This study analysed the linkage between national forest policy in Korea, namely the 5th National Forest Master Plan, 2016 Korea Forest Service Performance Management Plan, the 3rd National Sustainable Development Plan, and UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The 7 strategies of the 5th National Forest Master Plan were related to 11 Goals of SDGs, and 5 strategies of 2016 Korea Forest Service Performance Management Plan were associated with 7 areas of SDGs, and 4 strategies within 3rd National Sustainable Development Plan were linked to 7 Goals of SDGs. Among 87 national forest indicators compiled from three respective forest-related policies of Korea, 45 national indicators were related to 18 SDGs indicators. This indicates that 52% of national indicators of Korean forest policy are reflecting the language of SDGs. However, seeing from SDGs perspective, only 18 out of 241, which accounts for 7.8% of SDGs indicators are related to national indicators. The findings imply that a number of national forest-related indicators do not meet the diverse dimension of SDGs which provides potential areas for forest to contribute. Based on the findings, following recommendations were suggested: 1) the term used in forest policy should be aligned to SDGs targets so that it can be embedded in national policies, and 2) indicators should be further contextualized as well as in its assessment system. Lastly, it suggests for leveraging 3) ‘5 Processes of sub-national climate change adaptation plan’ and the core concept of REDD+ MRV which could provide fundamental background for implementing SDGs framework to national forest policy.