Cumulative CO₂ emissions in South Korea
South Korea: Cumulative CO₂ emissions was 20.71 billion tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
20.71 billion tonnes
Change on year
up 2.9%
World rank
16th
of 215 countries
All-time high
20.71 billion tonnes
in 2024
All-time low
771 tonnes
in 1905
Years of data
116
1905–2024
Cumulative CO₂ emissions in South Korea, 1905–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 20.71 billion tonnes for cumulative co₂ emissions in 2024. That is the highest value across all 116 years on record.
The figure is up 2.9% on the previous year and up 43.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cumulative co₂ emissions in South Korea peaked at 20.71 billion tonnes in 2024 and was at its lowest, 771 tonnes, in 1905.
That places South Korea 16th out of 215 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Cumulative CO₂ emissions in South Korea, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1905 | 771 tonnes | — |
| 1909 | 9,063 tonnes | +1075.5% |
| 1910 | 19,476 tonnes | +114.9% |
| 1911 | 31,818 tonnes | +63.4% |
| 1912 | 47,245 tonnes | +48.5% |
| 1913 | 65,179 tonnes | +38.0% |
| 1914 | 90,827 tonnes | +39.4% |
| 1915 | 122,839 tonnes | +35.2% |
| 1916 | 149,451 tonnes | +21.7% |
| 1918 | 175,678 tonnes | +17.5% |
| 1919 | 206,726 tonnes | +17.7% |
| 1920 | 247,030 tonnes | +19.5% |
| 1921 | 290,419 tonnes | +17.6% |
| 1922 | 334,773 tonnes | +15.3% |
| 1923 | 387,805 tonnes | +15.8% |
| 1924 | 443,536 tonnes | +14.4% |
| 1925 | 532,436 tonnes | +20.0% |
| 1926 | 627,893 tonnes | +17.9% |
| 1927 | 726,821 tonnes | +15.8% |
| 1928 | 840,791 tonnes | +15.7% |
| 1929 | 971,731 tonnes | +15.6% |
| 1930 | 1.10 million tonnes | +12.7% |
| 1931 | 1.23 million tonnes | +11.9% |
| 1932 | 1.38 million tonnes | +12.6% |
| 1933 | 1.56 million tonnes | +13.2% |
| 1934 | 1.80 million tonnes | +15.5% |
| 1935 | 2.09 million tonnes | +15.8% |
| 1936 | 2.42 million tonnes | +16.0% |
| 1937 | 2.78 million tonnes | +14.7% |
| 1938 | 3.26 million tonnes | +17.2% |
| 1939 | 3.88 million tonnes | +19.1% |
| 1940 | 4.68 million tonnes | +20.7% |
| 1941 | 5.57 million tonnes | +19.1% |
| 1942 | 6.56 million tonnes | +17.7% |
| 1943 | 7.52 million tonnes | +14.6% |
| 1944 | 8.53 million tonnes | +13.4% |
| 1945 | 8.53 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 9.02 million tonnes | +5.7% |
| 1947 | 9.92 million tonnes | +10.0% |
| 1948 | 11.59 million tonnes | +16.8% |
| 1949 | 13.76 million tonnes | +18.8% |
| 1950 | 15.95 million tonnes | +15.9% |
| 1951 | 18.87 million tonnes | +18.3% |
| 1952 | 22.33 million tonnes | +18.3% |
| 1953 | 27.03 million tonnes | +21.0% |
| 1954 | 32.19 million tonnes | +19.1% |
| 1955 | 38.63 million tonnes | +20.0% |
| 1956 | 46.19 million tonnes | +19.6% |
| 1957 | 54.40 million tonnes | +17.8% |
| 1958 | 63.41 million tonnes | +16.6% |
| 1959 | 74.63 million tonnes | +17.7% |
| 1960 | 87.17 million tonnes | +16.8% |
| 1961 | 101.62 million tonnes | +16.6% |
| 1962 | 118.88 million tonnes | +17.0% |
| 1963 | 139.96 million tonnes | +17.7% |
| 1964 | 162.16 million tonnes | +15.9% |
| 1965 | 187.14 million tonnes | +15.4% |
| 1966 | 217.12 million tonnes | +16.0% |
| 1967 | 252.23 million tonnes | +16.2% |
| 1968 | 289.43 million tonnes | +14.7% |
| 1969 | 331.90 million tonnes | +14.7% |
| 1970 | 385.61 million tonnes | +16.2% |
| 1971 | 444.15 million tonnes | +15.2% |
| 1972 | 504.39 million tonnes | +13.6% |
| 1973 | 577.37 million tonnes | +14.5% |
| 1974 | 652.92 million tonnes | +13.1% |
| 1975 | 734.59 million tonnes | +12.5% |
| 1976 | 827.69 million tonnes | +12.7% |
| 1977 | 933.15 million tonnes | +12.7% |
| 1978 | 1.05 billion tonnes | +12.1% |
| 1979 | 1.18 billion tonnes | +12.7% |
| 1980 | 1.31 billion tonnes | +11.4% |
| 1981 | 1.45 billion tonnes | +10.6% |
| 1982 | 1.59 billion tonnes | +9.7% |
| 1983 | 1.74 billion tonnes | +9.4% |
| 1984 | 1.90 billion tonnes | +9.2% |
| 1985 | 2.07 billion tonnes | +8.9% |
| 1986 | 2.25 billion tonnes | +8.5% |
| 1987 | 2.43 billion tonnes | +8.2% |
| 1988 | 2.65 billion tonnes | +8.7% |
| 1989 | 2.87 billion tonnes | +8.4% |
| 1990 | 3.12 billion tonnes | +8.7% |
| 1991 | 3.39 billion tonnes | +8.8% |
| 1992 | 3.69 billion tonnes | +8.8% |
| 1993 | 4.03 billion tonnes | +8.9% |
| 1994 | 4.38 billion tonnes | +8.8% |
| 1995 | 4.76 billion tonnes | +8.8% |
| 1996 | 5.19 billion tonnes | +8.8% |
| 1997 | 5.63 billion tonnes | +8.6% |
| 1998 | 6.01 billion tonnes | +6.7% |
| 1999 | 6.42 billion tonnes | +6.8% |
| 2000 | 6.86 billion tonnes | +6.9% |
| 2001 | 7.31 billion tonnes | +6.6% |
| 2002 | 7.79 billion tonnes | +6.5% |
| 2003 | 8.28 billion tonnes | +6.2% |
| 2004 | 8.77 billion tonnes | +5.9% |
| 2005 | 9.27 billion tonnes | +5.7% |
| 2006 | 9.77 billion tonnes | +5.4% |
| 2007 | 10.29 billion tonnes | +5.3% |
| 2008 | 10.82 billion tonnes | +5.2% |
| 2009 | 11.36 billion tonnes | +5.0% |
| 2010 | 11.96 billion tonnes | +5.2% |
| 2011 | 12.58 billion tonnes | +5.2% |
| 2012 | 13.21 billion tonnes | +5.0% |
| 2013 | 13.84 billion tonnes | +4.8% |
| 2014 | 14.47 billion tonnes | +4.5% |
| 2015 | 15.11 billion tonnes | +4.4% |
| 2016 | 15.74 billion tonnes | +4.2% |
| 2017 | 16.40 billion tonnes | +4.2% |
| 2018 | 17.07 billion tonnes | +4.1% |
| 2019 | 17.71 billion tonnes | +3.8% |
| 2020 | 18.31 billion tonnes | +3.4% |
| 2021 | 18.93 billion tonnes | +3.4% |
| 2022 | 19.53 billion tonnes | +3.2% |
| 2023 | 20.12 billion tonnes | +3.0% |
| 2024 | 20.71 billion tonnes | +2.9% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 20.71 billion tonnes is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.73 billion tonnes, 12.0× the median. (74 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 20.71 billion tonnes is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 247.31 million tonnes, 83.7× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Cumulative CO₂ emissions in South Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1909 | +1075.5% | 771 tonnes | 9,063 tonnes |
| 1910 | +114.9% | 9,063 tonnes | 19,476 tonnes |
| 1911 | +63.4% | 19,476 tonnes | 31,818 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 4,917 tonnes | 771 tonnes | 9,063 tonnes | 2 |
| 1910s | 101,027 tonnes | 19,476 tonnes | 206,726 tonnes | 9 |
| 1920s | 540,324 tonnes | 247,030 tonnes | 971,731 tonnes | 10 |
| 1930s | 2.15 million tonnes | 1.10 million tonnes | 3.88 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1940s | 8.57 million tonnes | 4.68 million tonnes | 13.76 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1950s | 39.36 million tonnes | 15.95 million tonnes | 74.63 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1960s | 188.76 million tonnes | 87.17 million tonnes | 331.90 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1970s | 728.53 million tonnes | 385.61 million tonnes | 1.18 billion tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.03 billion tonnes | 1.31 billion tonnes | 2.87 billion tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.66 billion tonnes | 3.12 billion tonnes | 6.42 billion tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.05 billion tonnes | 6.86 billion tonnes | 11.36 billion tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.81 billion tonnes | 11.96 billion tonnes | 17.71 billion tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.52 billion tonnes | 18.31 billion tonnes | 20.71 billion tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
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 cumulative co₂ emissions in South Korea?
- Cumulative co₂ emissions in South Korea was 20.71 billion tonnes in 2024, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest cumulative co₂ emissions recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 20.71 billion tonnes in 2024.
- What is the lowest cumulative co₂ emissions recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 771 tonnes in 1905.
- How does South Korea rank for cumulative co₂ emissions?
- South Korea ranks 16th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is cumulative co₂ emissions rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 43.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Cumulative CO₂ emissions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 116 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total cumulative emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), excluding land-use change, since the first year of available data, measured in tonnes.