South Korean Supreme Court rules in favor of eco-damaging seawall
In a bitter defeat for a worldwide coalition of environmentalists, the South Korean Supreme Court has ruled that construction can continue on what will become, if finished as planned, the world’s longest seawall. Begun in 1991 and about 90 percent complete, the 20-mile-long wall will convert over 99,000 acres of wetlands into filled land and a reservoir. Conservationists point out that the wall will affect migratory birds from Mongolia to New Zealand by disrupting a crucial feeding area. The filled land was initially going to be used for rice paddies, but as South Korea is currently producing a rice surplus, plans have been floated for a tourism site with the world’s largest … wait for it … golf course. The government says it will encourage eco-friendly development, use the land for raising livestock, and establish marshes and a bird sanctuary. Don’t you feel better?
