Over 1.8 million people have joined the carbon-neutral point system since its launch three years ago. (iClick) *This photo is protected under copyright law and unauthorized reproduction and redistribution are strictly prohibited.

By Koh Hyunjeong

More than 1.8 million people have joined the carbon-neutral point system since it was launched three years ago.

 
The Ministry of Environment on Dec. 24 said 1.8 million had joined this year as of this month.

This system offers points usable like cash to people practicing a green lifestyle daily by conserving electricity, water or gas. Launched in January 2022, it saw 270,000 people join that year with point payments of KRW 2.45 billion.

This year, the cumulative number of subscribers ballooned to 1.8 million, an almost seven-fold increase from the first year, with payouts shooting up to KRW 14.8 billion.

The surge in participation was thanks to the addition of incentive categories from six in 2022 to 10 last year, as well as improved user convenience thanks to the introduction this year of the mobile app Carbon Pay.

"This system helps people to actively participate through green lifestyle activities daily and feel rewarded for it," said Kim Jung-Hwan, director general of the ministry's Climate Change Policy Bureau. "We hope for more people to actively take small steps to respond to the climate crisis."

hjkoh@korea.kr