Per capita CO₂ emissions by source in South Korea
South Korea: Per capita CO₂ emissions by source was 4.78 tonnes per person in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
4.78 tonnes per person
Change on year
down 6.2%
World rank
9th
of 179 countries
All-time high
6.59 tonnes per person
in 2018
All-time low
0.0001 tonnes per person
in 1905
Years of data
115
1905–2024
Per capita CO₂ emissions by source in South Korea, 1905–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes per person.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 4.78 tonnes per person for per capita co₂ emissions by source in 2024.
The figure is down 6.2% on the previous year and down 27.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita co₂ emissions by source in South Korea peaked at 6.59 tonnes per person in 2018 and was at its lowest, 0.0001 tonnes per person, in 1905.
South Korea ranks 9th of 179 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Per capita CO₂ emissions by source in South Korea, year by year
| Year | tonnes per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1905 | 0.0001 tonnes per person | — |
| 1909 | 0.0008 tonnes per person | +965.9% |
| 1910 | 0.0011 tonnes per person | +24.7% |
| 1911 | 0.0012 tonnes per person | +17.4% |
| 1912 | 0.0015 tonnes per person | +23.4% |
| 1913 | 0.0017 tonnes per person | +14.5% |
| 1914 | 0.0025 tonnes per person | +40.9% |
| 1915 | 0.003 tonnes per person | +22.9% |
| 1916 | 0.0025 tonnes per person | -18.1% |
| 1918 | 0.0024 tonnes per person | -4.4% |
| 1919 | 0.0028 tonnes per person | +16.5% |
| 1920 | 0.0035 tonnes per person | +27.8% |
| 1921 | 0.0037 tonnes per person | +5.9% |
| 1922 | 0.0037 tonnes per person | +0.6% |
| 1923 | 0.0044 tonnes per person | +17.6% |
| 1924 | 0.0046 tonnes per person | +3.4% |
| 1925 | 0.0071 tonnes per person | +56.9% |
| 1926 | 0.0076 tonnes per person | +5.6% |
| 1927 | 0.0077 tonnes per person | +2.0% |
| 1928 | 0.0087 tonnes per person | +13.3% |
| 1929 | 0.0099 tonnes per person | +13.1% |
| 1930 | 0.0092 tonnes per person | -7.1% |
| 1931 | 0.0096 tonnes per person | +4.5% |
| 1932 | 0.0112 tonnes per person | +16.4% |
| 1933 | 0.013 tonnes per person | +16.5% |
| 1934 | 0.0167 tonnes per person | +28.3% |
| 1935 | 0.019 tonnes per person | +14.0% |
| 1936 | 0.022 tonnes per person | +15.8% |
| 1937 | 0.0232 tonnes per person | +5.3% |
| 1938 | 0.0322 tonnes per person | +39.0% |
| 1939 | 0.0393 tonnes per person | +22.1% |
| 1940 | 0.0523 tonnes per person | +32.9% |
| 1941 | 0.0549 tonnes per person | +4.9% |
| 1942 | 0.0595 tonnes per person | +8.4% |
| 1943 | 0.0556 tonnes per person | -6.5% |
| 1944 | 0.0578 tonnes per person | +4.0% |
| 1946 | 0.0268 tonnes per person | -53.6% |
| 1947 | 0.0479 tonnes per person | +78.9% |
| 1948 | 0.087 tonnes per person | +81.5% |
| 1949 | 0.1103 tonnes per person | +26.8% |
| 1950 | 0.085 tonnes per person | -23.0% |
| 1951 | 0.1189 tonnes per person | +40.0% |
| 1952 | 0.1375 tonnes per person | +15.6% |
| 1953 | 0.1763 tonnes per person | +28.3% |
| 1954 | 0.1899 tonnes per person | +7.7% |
| 1955 | 0.2393 tonnes per person | +26.0% |
| 1956 | 0.2665 tonnes per person | +11.4% |
| 1957 | 0.2831 tonnes per person | +6.2% |
| 1958 | 0.2931 tonnes per person | +3.5% |
| 1959 | 0.3515 tonnes per person | +19.9% |
| 1960 | 0.3921 tonnes per person | +11.6% |
| 1961 | 0.4432 tonnes per person | +13.0% |
| 1962 | 0.506 tonnes per person | +14.2% |
| 1963 | 0.5959 tonnes per person | +17.8% |
| 1964 | 0.6377 tonnes per person | +7.0% |
| 1965 | 0.6705 tonnes per person | +5.1% |
| 1966 | 0.7548 tonnes per person | +12.6% |
| 1967 | 0.7677 tonnes per person | +1.7% |
| 1968 | 0.643 tonnes per person | -16.2% |
| 1969 | 0.6289 tonnes per person | -2.2% |
| 1970 | 0.7155 tonnes per person | +13.8% |
| 1971 | 0.7082 tonnes per person | -1.0% |
| 1972 | 0.7225 tonnes per person | +2.0% |
| 1973 | 0.8307 tonnes per person | +15.0% |
| 1974 | 0.8371 tonnes per person | +0.8% |
| 1975 | 0.8551 tonnes per person | +2.2% |
| 1976 | 0.929 tonnes per person | +8.6% |
| 1977 | 1.01 tonnes per person | +8.3% |
| 1978 | 0.975 tonnes per person | -3.1% |
| 1979 | 1.22 tonnes per person | +25.1% |
| 1980 | 1.3 tonnes per person | +6.2% |
| 1981 | 1.55 tonnes per person | +19.5% |
| 1982 | 1.54 tonnes per person | -0.6% |
| 1983 | 1.61 tonnes per person | +4.9% |
| 1984 | 1.91 tonnes per person | +18.5% |
| 1985 | 2.13 tonnes per person | +11.6% |
| 1986 | 2.18 tonnes per person | +2.4% |
| 1987 | 2.18 tonnes per person | -0.2% |
| 1988 | 2.3 tonnes per person | +5.7% |
| 1989 | 2.21 tonnes per person | -4.3% |
| 1990 | 2.14 tonnes per person | -3.0% |
| 1991 | 2.12 tonnes per person | -1.0% |
| 1992 | 2.05 tonnes per person | -3.4% |
| 1993 | 2.22 tonnes per person | +8.5% |
| 1994 | 2.26 tonnes per person | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 2.32 tonnes per person | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 2.69 tonnes per person | +15.8% |
| 1997 | 2.9 tonnes per person | +7.9% |
| 1998 | 2.98 tonnes per person | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 3.13 tonnes per person | +5.2% |
| 2000 | 3.5 tonnes per person | +11.9% |
| 2001 | 3.71 tonnes per person | +5.9% |
| 2002 | 3.97 tonnes per person | +6.9% |
| 2003 | 4.11 tonnes per person | +3.6% |
| 2004 | 4.26 tonnes per person | +3.6% |
| 2005 | 4.37 tonnes per person | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 4.51 tonnes per person | +3.1% |
| 2007 | 4.74 tonnes per person | +5.2% |
| 2008 | 5.23 tonnes per person | +10.4% |
| 2009 | 5.4 tonnes per person | +3.3% |
| 2010 | 6.05 tonnes per person | +11.9% |
| 2011 | 6.52 tonnes per person | +7.7% |
| 2012 | 6.39 tonnes per person | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 6.4 tonnes per person | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 6.56 tonnes per person | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 6.58 tonnes per person | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 6.25 tonnes per person | -5.0% |
| 2017 | 6.56 tonnes per person | +4.9% |
| 2018 | 6.59 tonnes per person | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 6.21 tonnes per person | -5.7% |
| 2020 | 5.45 tonnes per person | -12.2% |
| 2021 | 5.48 tonnes per person | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 5.27 tonnes per person | -3.8% |
| 2023 | 5.1 tonnes per person | -3.2% |
| 2024 | 4.78 tonnes per person | -6.2% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 4.78 tonnes per person is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.2688 tonnes per person, 17.8× the median. (68 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 4.78 tonnes per person is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.53 tonnes per person, 3.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Per capita CO₂ emissions by source 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 | +965.9% | 0.0001 tonnes per person | 0.0008 tonnes per person |
| 1948 | +81.5% | 0.0479 tonnes per person | 0.087 tonnes per person |
| 1947 | +78.9% | 0.0268 tonnes per person | 0.0479 tonnes per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0.0005 tonnes per person | 0.0001 tonnes per person | 0.0008 tonnes per person | 2 |
| 1910s | 0.0021 tonnes per person | 0.0011 tonnes per person | 0.003 tonnes per person | 9 |
| 1920s | 0.0061 tonnes per person | 0.0035 tonnes per person | 0.0099 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.0195 tonnes per person | 0.0092 tonnes per person | 0.0393 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.0613 tonnes per person | 0.0268 tonnes per person | 0.1103 tonnes per person | 9 |
| 1950s | 0.2141 tonnes per person | 0.085 tonnes per person | 0.3515 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.604 tonnes per person | 0.3921 tonnes per person | 0.7677 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.8799 tonnes per person | 0.7082 tonnes per person | 1.22 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.89 tonnes per person | 1.3 tonnes per person | 2.3 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.48 tonnes per person | 2.05 tonnes per person | 3.13 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.38 tonnes per person | 3.5 tonnes per person | 5.4 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.41 tonnes per person | 6.05 tonnes per person | 6.59 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.22 tonnes per person | 4.78 tonnes per person | 5.48 tonnes per person | 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 per capita co₂ emissions by source in South Korea?
- Per capita co₂ emissions by source in South Korea was 4.78 tonnes per person in 2024, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest per capita co₂ emissions by source recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 6.59 tonnes per person in 2018.
- What is the lowest per capita co₂ emissions by source recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0001 tonnes per person in 1905.
- How does South Korea rank for per capita co₂ emissions by source?
- South Korea ranks 9th out of 179 countries with data for 2024.
- Is per capita co₂ emissions by source rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.0%. 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); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Per capita CO₂ emissions by source. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 115 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from coal, measured in tonnes per person.