Consumption-based carbon intensity in South Korea
South Korea: Consumption-based carbon intensity was 0.3381 kilograms per international-$ in 2022. ▼ Falling
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-$, in 2022.
South Korea ranks 29th of 119 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.5288 kilograms per international-$ | 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
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 0.2% (2100)
- Population growth -0.1% (2025)
- Population, total 51.68 million (2025)
- Urban population growth -0.1% (2025)
- Urban population 41.95 million (2025)
- Urban population 81.2% (2025)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. GDP per capita 11.29 tonnes per person (2024)
- Cumulative CO₂ emissions 20.71 billion tonnes (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita 11.29 tonnes per person (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. share of electricity generation from renewables 11.29 tonnes per person (2024)
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.
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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-$).