A bottom-up emissions inventory is one of the most important data sets needed to understand air quality (AQ) and climate change (CC). Several emission inventories have been developed for Asia, including Transport and Chemical Evolution over the Pacific (TRACE-P), Regional Emission Inventory in Asia (REAS), and Inter-Continental Chemical Transport Experiment (INTEX) and, while these have been used successfully for many international studies, they have limitations including restricted amounts of information on pollutant types and low levels of transparency with respect to the polluting sectors or fuel types involved. To address these shortcomings, we developed: (1) a base-year, bottom-up anthropogenic emissions inventory for Asia, using the most current parameters and international frameworks (i.e., the Greenhouse gas—Air pollution INteractions and Synergies (GAINS) model); and (2) a base-year, natural emissions inventory for biogenic and biomass burning. For (1), we focused mainly on China, South Korea, and Japan; however, we also covered emission inventories for other regions in Asia using data covering recent energy/industry statistics, emission factors, and control technology penetration. The emissions inventory (Comprehensive Regional Emissions inventory for Atmospheric Transport Experiment (CREATE)) covers 54 fuel classes, 201 subsectors, and 13 pollutants, namely SO₂, NO_x, CO, non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC), NH₃, OC, BC, PM₁₀, PM_2.5, CO₂, CH₄, N₂O, and Hg. For the base-year natural emissions inventory, the Model of Emissions of Gases and Aerosols from Nature (MEGAN) and BlueSky-Asia frameworks were used to estimate biogenic and biomass burning emissions, respectively. Since the CREATE emission inventory was designed/developed using international climate change/air quality (CC/AQ) assessment frameworks, such as GAINS, and has been fully connected with the most comprehensive emissions modeling systems—such as the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Chemical Manufacturing Area Source (CMAS) system—it can be used to support various climate and AQ integrated modeling studies, both now and in the future.

A wind corridor forest is defined as an urban forest for utilizing the functions of a wind corridor that allow “cool and fresh air (cold air)” generated in forests at night to flow to urban development areas. This study aims to provide planning strategies for implementing a wind corridor forest by analyzing current conditions in Haengbok City (HBC region), Sejong, South Korea. The HBC region had many wind-generating forests (WGF), wind-spreading forests (WSF), and wind-connecting forests (WCF), and secured the connections among the target areas of each wind corridor forest. Despite the favorable conditions for a wind corridor forest, cold air flow showed that there are regions with unfavorable wind conditions in the HBC region. In order to strengthen the functions of a wind corridor forests in the HBC region, four zones were distinguished according to the functional characteristics. Additionally, the planning strategies of a wind corridor forests suitable for each zone were provided, and the strategies for establishing a wind corridor forest were proposed. The results of this study can be used as the fundamental data for establishing guidelines for a wind corridor forest and utilized as resources for selecting regions suitable for a wind corridor forest.

The aim of this study is to suggest planning strategies for managing comfortable thermal environments in urban areas by local cold air generated in mountains, which finally contributes to making sustainable and eco-friendly cities. For this purpose, we selected urban areas in the Honam Jeongmaek in Korea and analyzed the nighttime cold airflow and altitude of the cold air layer generated in mountains, by using the KALM (Kaltluftabflussmodell) model which calculates the amount of cold air generated during the nighttime without winds. The results of analysis found that the local airflows generated in Mt. Chuwol, Mt. Mudeung, Mt. Cheonun, Mt. Byeongpung and Mt. Geum influenced the entire study site from across Gwangju Metropolitan City to adjacent areas. Therefore, the mountains generated major cold airflows should be designated as the management area for securing cooling function. As a result of detailed analysis, most developed areas, such as Buk-gu, Seo-gu and Nam-gu, as well as industrial areas, did not have a smooth flow, so management strategies were needed. In particular, Mt. Mudeung and Mt. Cheonun were the source areas of the local cold air generation and the generated flows from the mountains could influence into developed areas of Gwangju Metropolitan City. Thus, thorough preservation policies are required for Mt. Mudeung and Mt. Cheonun from development that causes damages to mountainous terrain and topography. This study could support the establishment of systematic management plans of the Honam Jeongmaek in preparation for climate change. In addition, it is expected to be used to develop policies related to the quantitative expansion of mountain areas with cooling functions and the conservation of sustainable mountain areas.

한국조경학회지(Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture)