Pusan National University researchers show how Korea’s emission trading reforms would impact its power sector

Researchers show changes to benchmarking method, auctioning ratio, and carbon pricing impact different types of power generation companies differently

Pusan National University

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A simulation study revealed that for Korea’s electricity market, an integrated policy approach combining a uniform benchmark, a higher auctioning ratio, higher carbon pricing, and complementary supportive measures is critical to achieving decarbonization without placing an excessive burden on power generation companies.

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Credit: Assistant Professor Dowon Kim from Pusan National University, Korea

South Korea has ambitious climate goals, with a strong focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from its electricity sector. To this end, Korea launched the Korean Emissions Trading Scheme (K-ETS) in 2015: a policy that sets limits on companies’ emissions and allows them to trade emission permits or allowances. However, the K-ETS has faced structural challenges, prompting the government to propose reforms in the fourth implementation phase (2026-2030). Importantly, the K-ETS and the proposed reforms are largely based on the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU-ETS). So, whether the reforms will deliver EU-like outcomes in Korea’s electricity sector is uncertain, as market conditions in the EU and Korea are vastly different.

To explore further, a research team from South Korea, led by Assistant Professor Dowon Kim from Pusan National University, analyzed how the proposed K-ETS reforms would affect the electricity market, specifically the power generation sector. Prof. Kim emphasizes, “The power sector is expected to contribute nearly 44.3% of Korea's total national emissions reduction target, making it critical to understand the interaction between K-ETS reforms and electricity market operation.” Their study was made available online on April 24, 2026, and published in Volume 215 of Energy Policy in August 1, 2026.

Researchers first developed a computational model of the Korean electricity market. They then applied it to multiple scenarios containing different combinations of three policy variables: first, a fuel-specific versus a uniform benchmark (the standard for receiving free emission allowances varies for power plants depending on their energy source, whereas the proposed reform suggests a single standard for all plants); second, the current versus the proposed increase in auctioning share (or percentage of allowances that companies must buy through auctions); and third, the current versus the proposed increase in carbon pricing (or cost charged for producing emissions).

Analysis revealed that shifting from a fuel-specific to a uniform benchmark reduced free emission allowances and profits of fossil fuel-based power generation companies. Coal-based companies faced sharp profit declines, whereas natural gas-based companies were less affected. Furthermore, increasing the auctioning share raised the cost of generating an additional unit of electricity, particularly for coal-based companies. It thereby provided a gentle nudge toward lower-emission fuels like gas. However, the effects of these two reforms were small.

The strongest impact came from increasing carbon pricing, which raised both electricity generation and emissions costs more for coal than for gas, leading companies to partially shift from coal to gas.

In conclusion, Prof. Kim emphasizes, “The proposed K-ETS reforms should be implemented along with complementary measures, like targeted investment and transitional support, to maximize their impact, mostly because Korea’s electricity market is highly centralized and limits companies' ability to recover rising costs by charging consumers more.” Integrated policies are thus necessary to drive electricity decarbonization while protecting the stability of the power sector.

 

Reference
Title of original paper: Impact of changes of allocation and price in emission trading scheme on the electricity market: Korean case study
Journal: Energy Policy
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2026.115331

 

About Pusan National University
Pusan National University, located in Busan, South Korea, was founded in 1946 and is now the No. 1 national university of South Korea in research and educational competency. The multi-campus university also has other smaller campuses in Yangsan, Miryang, and Ami. The university prides itself on the principles of truth, freedom, and service and has approximately 30,000 students, 1,200 professors, and 750 faculty members. The university comprises 14 colleges (schools) and one independent division, with 103 departments in all.

 

About Professor Dowon Kim
Dr. Dowon Kim is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering at Pusan National University. He also serves as Vice Director of the Safe & Clean Supply Chain (SCSC) Research Center and leads the Risk Analytics Lab. His research lies at the intersection of stochastic modeling, mathematical optimization, and machine learning, with applications in energy systems and maritime logistics. Through his work, he is dedicated to solving complex, real-world industrial problems and driving practical artificial intelligence (AI) transformation for enterprises.
Website: https://sites.google.com/view/riskanalyticslab
ORCID id: 0009-0007-0870-5418

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Journal

Energy Policy

DOI

10.1016/j.enpol.2026.115331 

Method of Research

Computational simulation/modeling

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Impact of changes of allocation and price in emission trading scheme on the electricity market: Korean case study

Article Publication Date

1-Aug-2026

 

Assessing hurricane wind damage from above

Image analysis of blue-tarped rooftops underscores the effectiveness of stronger building codes

Kyoto University

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Color and shape in the drone image on the left are analyzed through region segmentation, and the RGB information from image segments identified as blue tarps is then used to predict the entire damage on the right.

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Credit: KobeU / David Wolf

Kyoto, Japan -- Massive storms like the 2005 Hurricane Katrina, that cause over $100 billion in damage, were once considered once-in-a-lifetime events. Increasingly, however, they are becoming the norm: a direct result of climate change, which has made large storms more frequent, intense, and slower-moving, deepening their impact.

Hurricanes can damage homes through flooding and strong winds, and insurance claims target both. After the 2022 Hurricane Ian, for example, 44 percent of insurance claims were for flooding and 56 percent were for wind damage. Yet most economic research focuses on flooding because elevation data and hydrological models can predict flood extent, whereas identifying the location and severity of wind damage across a wide area has posed a particular challenge.

Unlike flooding, there is nothing like a dam or levee that can shield an entire community from wind, so the responsibility falls almost entirely on individual homeowners. To mitigate wind damage, Florida enacted the 2001 Florida Building Code -- 2001 FBC -- which required new and re-roofed homes to use stronger roof-to-wall connections, thicker roof decking, and even impact-resistant windows and doors in some areas. Many homeowners had to spend thousands of dollars to reinforce a roof or install impact-resistant features, yet whether these preventative measures proved to be worth the average cost of about $4,930 had remained unclear.

This motivated a collaborative team of researchers from Kyoto University and Kobe University to develop a new method of identifying wind damage and assessing the benefit of these measures. The team observed high-resolution drone and satellite imagery taken after a hurricane to locate homes with blue tarps -- the temporary sheeting used to cover damaged roofs -- as a proxy for wind damage.

Applying their research to Hurricane Irma, which struck Florida in September 2017, the team tested how much 2001 FBC reduced wind damage to homes. They used tarp size as a measure of damage severity and corroborated these results with building-permit records, making it possible to map wind damage across hundreds of square miles. With data on more than one million homes across eight southern Florida counties, they then applied a regression discontinuity design to compare homes built just before and after 2001 FBC took effect.

The results revealed that homes built under the new code were about 22 percent less likely to suffer wind damage, and when damage did occur its severity was roughly 27 percent lower. Additionally, damaged homes that were sold before being repaired were both harder to sell and, when they did, sold for around 13.3 percent -- or about $29,400 -- less than undamaged homes.

"This study provides large-scale evidence that stronger building codes are effective for reducing wind risk and adapting to climate change," says co-author Kenji Takeuchi. "I hope this research will provide useful insights for disaster preparedness and the development of effective climate change adaptation policies."

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The paper "Are Building Codes an Effective Adaptation to Wind Risk? Evidence from Remotely Detected Blue Tarps" appeared on 1 August 2026 in American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, with doi: 10.1257/pol.20240544

About Kyoto University

Kyoto University is one of Japan and Asia's premier research institutions, founded in 1897 and responsible for producing numerous Nobel laureates and winners of other prestigious international prizes. A broad curriculum across the arts and sciences at undergraduate and graduate levels complements several research centers, facilities, and offices around Japan and the world. For more information, please see: http://www.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en

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Journal

American Economic Journal Economic Policy

DOI

10.1257/pol.20240544 

Method of Research

Data/statistical analysis

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Are Building Codes an Effective Adaptation to Wind Risk? Evidence from Remotely Detected Blue Tarps

Article Publication Date

17-Aug-2026

 

One in 20 Australian women now receiving iron IVs

Flinders University

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Associate Professor Luke Grzeskowiak, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University

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Credit: Flinders University

The number of Australian women receiving intravenous iron treatments has surged dramatically over the past decade, with new research revealing that one in 20 women of reproductive age received intravenous iron in 2024.

The new study by researchers at Flinders University, SAHMRI and collaborating institutions found a 17-fold increase in intravenous iron use among women aged 18 to 44 years between 2013 and 2024, with government and patient spending on the medication alone rising from $1.1 million to more than $82 million.

Out-of-pocket costs for women can also be substantial, with some clinics charging hundreds of dollars for an infusion.

Iron deficiency is one of the most common health issues affecting women, particularly during the reproductive years. Heavy menstrual bleeding, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding can all increase the body's demand for iron.

Left untreated, iron deficiency can cause debilitating fatigue, poor concentration, reduced physical capacity and decreased quality of life.

The researchers analysed Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) data from 2013 to 2024 and found intravenous iron use increased from 0.3 women per 100 in 2013 to 5.0 women per 100 in 2024.

The researchers also found almost one in four women did not complete their prescribed treatment course, raising questions about whether some women may be receiving less treatment than intended. Possible explanations include women feeling better after an initial dose or the financial burden associated with additional treatment.

The study found that ferric carboxymaltose, a newer form of intravenous iron, now accounts for almost 94 per cent of all prescriptions. General practitioners were responsible for more than 60 per cent of prescriptions in 2024.

Senior author Associate Professor Luke Grzeskowiak says the findings reflect growing awareness of the impact iron deficiency can have on women’s health.

“For women struggling with iron deficiency, particularly when oral iron tablets are ineffective or cause troublesome side effects, intravenous iron can be an important treatment option,” says Professor Grzeskowiak from Flinders University's College of Medicine and Public Health.

“It can replenish iron stores more quickly and help women feel better sooner, which can make a real difference to their daily lives.”

However, the study also identified substantial differences in overall treatment rate, as well as the type and dose of intravenous iron received, depending on where women lived, their age, concession card status and who prescribed the treatment. In some parts of Australia, rates of use were more than three times higher than others.

Lead author, Dr Gizat Kassie from SAHMRI, says the variation raises important questions about access to treatment and consistency of care.

“We need to better understand what is driving these differences and whether all women are receiving equitable access to the most appropriate treatment,” he says.

“Some of the variation may reflect differences in clinical practice, but cost could also be playing a role. For some women, out-of-pocket expenses can be significant and may influence both access to treatment and whether they complete the recommended course.

“The finding that almost one-quarter of women did not complete their prescribed treatment course is also important. We don't yet know why, but it raises the possibility that some women may not be receiving the full benefit of treatment.”

The researchers note that while intravenous iron is generally safe and effective, it is usually recommended when oral iron has failed, cannot be tolerated, or when rapid replacement of iron stores is needed. Like all medical treatments, it can carry risks and costs that need to be carefully considered.

Professor Grzeskowiak says the findings highlight the need to ensure women receive the right care at the right time.

“Iron deficiency can have a significant impact on women’s health and wellbeing, but it is treatable,” he says.

“Our findings show that intravenous iron has become an increasingly important part of care for Australian women, and we need to make sure its use remains evidence-based, effective and equitable.”

The paper, ‘Increasing utilisation of intravenous iron among Australian women of reproductive age, 2013-2024: an Australian population-based study,’ by Gizat M. Kassie, Hannah Jackson, Lisa Clarke, Kedir Gonete, Jenni Ilomaki, Clare L. Whitehead, Tim Green and Luke E. Grzeskowiak, was published in Internal Medicine Journal. DOI: 10.1111/imj.70494

Associate Professor Luke Grzeskowiak is a practising clinical pharmacist and practitioner Fellow in the College of Medicine and Public Health at Flinders University with expertise in quality use of medicines in pregnancy and lactation.

Acknowledgements: Luke Grzeskowiak receives salary support by a Channel 7 Children's Research Foundation Fellowship (CRF-210323).

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Journal

Internal Medicine Journal

DOI

10.1111/imj.70494 

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Increasing utilisation of intravenous iron among Australian women of reproductive age, 2013–2024: an Australian population-based study

 

Feasibility and acceptability of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Especially for Women (CREW) web-based program in rural and remote communities: A mixed-method study

Flinders University

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CREW (Cardiac Rehabilitation Especially for Women) is a specific care pathway program developed by the Flinders University-led CHAP Project (Country Heart Attack Prevention) and tested through a study to determine whether the program can be successfully delivered, adopted and accepted by women with cardiovascular disease, and also by cardiac rehabilitation clinicians in rural and remote communities.

“The lack of women-focused programs are major barriers,” says Flinders University researcher Dr Joyce Ramos, “but home-based cardiac rehabilitation using telehealth and gender-tailored approaches may help address these challenges.

The study involved 40 women in rural or remote South Australia who were referred to cardiac rehabilitation through the integrated Cardiovascular Clinical Network (iCCNet) between November 2023 and November 2024. They were invited to use the CREW program, which included four educational modules designed to support self-management, and their completion rates were assessed using digital records.

The participants recorded high rates of cardiac rehabilitation initiation (82.5%) and completion (60%), and the participants also reported high satisfaction with most program components.

“These findings highlighted the value of a women-focused approach to support women engage with their heart health,” says Dr Ramos. “They should also increase clinician awareness about the importance of recognising and addressing women's unique needs throughout the cardiac rehabilitation journey.”

Interviews conducted with the CREW participants and clinicians delivering cardiac rehabilitation explored the CREW program’s feasibility, acceptability and perceived value.

This analysis identified several themes that underlined the CREW program’s strengths: it empowers women in cardiac rehabilitation; it reinforces the value of telehealth-based cardiac rehabilitation for women's participation; and it addresses challenges and resource pressures facing health staff and systems. It also offered recommendations for program enhancement.

“The CREW program is feasible and acceptable to women and clinicians, which shows that this women-focused, web-based model shows promise for addressing gender disparities in cardiac rehabilitation access in rural and remote communities.”

The research – “Feasibility and Acceptability of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Especially for Women (CREW) Web-Based Program in Rural and Remote Communities: A Mixed-Method Study”, by Orathai Suebkinorn, Alline Beleigoli, Robyn Clark, Lemlem Gebremichael, Norma Bulamu, Jeroen Hendriks, Jonathon Foote, Anita Lymn, Sherry Grace and Joyce Ramos, being the Cardiac Rehabilitation Especially for Women (CREW) Project Team – has been published in Heart, Lung and Circulation. DOI: 10.1016/j.hlc.2026.06.021

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DOI

10.1016/j.hlc.2026.06.021 

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Feasibility and Acceptability of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Especially for Women (CREW) Web-Based Program in Rural and Remote Communities: A Mixed-Method Study

Article Publication Date

13-Aug-2026

Researchers identify rapidly spreading genetic variants that make parasites resistant to malaria treatment

Findings by scientists at Brown University help explain declining malaria drug susceptibility and highlight the urgent need to track mutations and improve current therapies.

Brown University

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PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — Researchers searching for genetic clues to the growing problem of malaria drug resistance identified new mutations associated with the parasite’s decreased susceptibility to current treatment.

By sequencing the whole genomes of malaria parasites from the blood of hundreds of infected people in Uganda, a team of researchers lead by scientists at Brown University found that a cluster of genetic variants in some parasites showed significantly decreased susceptibilities to the drugs most commonly used to treat malaria in Africa and the United States.

The findings of the federally funded study were published in Nature Medicine.

“It’s very concerning that these new mutations are spreading so rapidly — it tells us they are important to the parasite’s survival,” said study author Dr. Jeffrey Bailey, an associate professor of translational research and of pathology and laboratory medicine at Brown University. “Malaria still is a major killer, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. As drug resistance continues to emerge, we worry it will undermine control of its spread and result in even more deaths for a large number of people there and beyond.”

Drug resistance often happens when treatments for bacterial, viral or parasitic illnesses are offered at a very large scale, as is the case of malaria treatment in Africa. Because of that, Bailey explained, surveillance systems are being built to track known mutations in the pathogen as well as drug performance over time.

Bailey’s lab at Brown has been instrumental in building genomics systems to support the surveillance programs by sequencing DNA and tracking mutations and has received federal and foundation grants for this work in countries around Africa.

The surveillance projects tend to focus on identified biological markers of drug resistance, Bailey said. To discover clues to explain new susceptibilities, Karamoko Niaré, formerly a postdoctoral researcher in Bailey’s lab, started to focus on whole-genome sequencing.

“We knew that the parasites were changing so that over time, their susceptibility to malaria treatments was decreasing, and we wanted to know the exact genetic determinants of this shift,” said Niaré, now an adjunct assistant professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at Brown, and first author of the publication. “We decided to sequence the entire genome to get a better sense of what was going on.”

Treating malaria

For the last two decades or so, the primary treatment for uncomplicated malaria in Uganda has been artemether-lumefantrine (AL), the most used artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) across sub-Saharan Africa. As of 2026, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been recommending a longer course of therapy because standard doses failed to cure several travelers returning home, suggesting that the parasites are becoming less susceptible to treatment.

The researchers identified an area in the genome of the malaria parasite encompassing 69 genes. Through additional genetic analyses, they found that a linked variant set comprising three specific mutations and two deletions was associated with decreased susceptibilities to the drugs artemisinin and lumefantrine (both components of AL) as well as the malaria drug mefloquine. The mutations most likely to drive this selection were found in a gene that encodes a protein called PX1, or phosphoinositide-binding protein, which is often found near another gene product known to cause moderate resistance to the drug artemisinin.

This is the first time researchers have correlated a gene mutation with reduced susceptibility to multiple drugs used in the combination therapy for malaria.

“We didn’t have any validated molecular marker of lumefantrine resistance — we knew that there was a gene involved in partial resistance to artemisinin but couldn’t explain changes observed for lumefantrine,” Niaré said. “Our work identifies a molecular marker that could be used by surveillance studies to track the emergence and spread of reduced susceptibility to front-line malaria treatments across Africa. That’s a very important tool for public health.”

The newly discovered mutation should be integrated into the mutation tracking systems and further studied, Niaré said. 

Since this effect was studied in the lab in parasites that had been collected from malaria patients, Bailey said future research should investigate how these mutant parasites impact clinical outcomes of malaria treatment with ACTs. While the authors found that the mutation was spreading rapidly in Uganda, how far it has spread beyond Uganda’s borders is unknown and needs to be examined.

The finding has major implications for sustaining an effective malaria treatment program, Bailey said.  

“It underscores the need to develop prediction models for when the drug will stop working altogether,” Bailey said, “and also highlights the urgency to develop new drugs to treat malaria.”

Melissa Conrad, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins University, supervised the work jointly with Bailey. The project was a collaboration with integral work from other investigators at the Infectious Disease Research Collaboration in Uganda, University of California, San Francisco, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and University of Notre Dame.

The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (R01AI173557, K24AI134990, R01AI075045, U19AI089674, R01AI117001 and R01AI139179); the Medicines for Malaria Venture (RD/15/0001); and the Gates Foundation (INV-035751).

 

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Journal

Nature Medicine

DOI

10.1038/s41591-026-04590-5. 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

Emergence and spread of Plasmodium falciparum PX1 polymorphisms associated with decreased susceptibility to antimalarials in Uganda'

Article Publication Date

17-Aug-2026