Consumption-based carbon intensity in South Korea
South Korea: Consumption-based carbon intensity was 0.3381 kilograms per international-$ in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
0.3381 kilograms per international-$
Change on year
down 1.8%
World rank
29th
of 119 countries
All-time high
0.6114 kilograms per international-$
in 1992
All-time low
0.3381 kilograms per international-$
in 2022
Years of data
33
1990–2022
Consumption-based carbon intensity in South Korea, 1990–2022
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025); Bolt and van Zanden – Maddison Project Database 2023 – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilograms per international-$.
Analysis
In 2022, consumption-based carbon intensity in South Korea stood at 0.3381 kilograms per international-$. That is the lowest value across all 33 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.8% on the previous year and down 16.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, consumption-based carbon intensity in South Korea peaked at 0.6114 kilograms per international-$ in 1992 and was at its lowest, 0.3381 kilograms per international-$, in 2022.
South Korea ranks 29th of 119 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Consumption-based carbon intensity in South Korea, year by year
| Year | kilograms per international-$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.5565 kilograms per international-$ | — |
| 1991 | 0.5429 kilograms per international-$ | -2.4% |
| 1992 | 0.6114 kilograms per international-$ | +12.6% |
| 1993 | 0.5773 kilograms per international-$ | -5.6% |
| 1994 | 0.5564 kilograms per international-$ | -3.6% |
| 1995 | 0.5418 kilograms per international-$ | -2.6% |
| 1996 | 0.547 kilograms per international-$ | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 0.5163 kilograms per international-$ | -5.6% |
| 1998 | 0.4045 kilograms per international-$ | -21.6% |
| 1999 | 0.4342 kilograms per international-$ | +7.3% |
| 2000 | 0.4623 kilograms per international-$ | +6.5% |
| 2001 | 0.4469 kilograms per international-$ | -3.3% |
| 2002 | 0.4494 kilograms per international-$ | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 0.4466 kilograms per international-$ | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 0.4394 kilograms per international-$ | -1.6% |
| 2005 | 0.4495 kilograms per international-$ | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 0.4433 kilograms per international-$ | -1.4% |
| 2007 | 0.4438 kilograms per international-$ | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 0.4362 kilograms per international-$ | -1.7% |
| 2009 | 0.3884 kilograms per international-$ | -11.0% |
| 2010 | 0.4188 kilograms per international-$ | +7.8% |
| 2011 | 0.4245 kilograms per international-$ | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 0.4036 kilograms per international-$ | -4.9% |
| 2013 | 0.394 kilograms per international-$ | -2.4% |
| 2014 | 0.396 kilograms per international-$ | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 0.3749 kilograms per international-$ | -5.3% |
| 2016 | 0.3605 kilograms per international-$ | -3.8% |
| 2017 | 0.3664 kilograms per international-$ | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 0.3801 kilograms per international-$ | +3.7% |
| 2019 | 0.3649 kilograms per international-$ | -4.0% |
| 2020 | 0.3408 kilograms per international-$ | -6.6% |
| 2021 | 0.3443 kilograms per international-$ | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 0.3381 kilograms per international-$ | -1.8% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 0.3381 kilograms per international-$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.2507 kilograms per international-$, 1.3× the median. (51 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 0.3381 kilograms per international-$ is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.2843 kilograms per international-$, 1.2× the median. (15 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.5288 kilograms per international-$ | 0.4045 kilograms per international-$ | 0.6114 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.4406 kilograms per international-$ | 0.3884 kilograms per international-$ | 0.4623 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.3884 kilograms per international-$ | 0.3605 kilograms per international-$ | 0.4245 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.3411 kilograms per international-$ | 0.3381 kilograms per international-$ | 0.3443 kilograms per international-$ | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 26 Botswana 0.3581 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 27 Saudi Arabia 0.3442 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 28 Russia 0.3429 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 30 Czechia 0.3248 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 31 United Arab Emirates 0.324 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 32 Malaysia 0.3234 kilograms per international-$ compare
More climate change data for South Korea
- Spring temperature anomalies 1.1 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.7164 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month -0.8996 °C (2026)
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 0.2% (2100)
- Population, total, annual growth rate -0.1285 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate -0.1214 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.8117 units per person (2025)
- Precipitation anomalies, annual growth rate -78.08 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is consumption-based carbon intensity in South Korea?
- Consumption-based carbon intensity in South Korea was 0.3381 kilograms per international-$ in 2022, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025); Bolt and van Zanden – Maddison Project Database 2023 – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest consumption-based carbon intensity recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 0.6114 kilograms per international-$ in 1992.
- What is the lowest consumption-based carbon intensity recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3381 kilograms per international-$ in 2022.
- How does South Korea rank for consumption-based carbon intensity?
- South Korea ranks 29th out of 119 countries with data for 2022.
- Is consumption-based carbon intensity rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025); Bolt and van Zanden – Maddison Project Database 2023 – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Consumption-based carbon intensity. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 33 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual consumption-based emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), measured in kilograms per dollar of GDP (2011 international-$).