Per capita CO₂ emissions relative to the global average in South Korea
South Korea: Per capita CO₂ emissions relative to the global average was 11.29 tonnes per person in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
11.29 tonnes per person
Change on year
down 0.9%
World rank
21st
of 213 countries
All-time high
12.98 tonnes per person
in 2018
All-time low
0.0001 tonnes per person
in 1905
Years of data
116
1905–2024
Per capita CO₂ emissions relative to the global average 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
The most recent figure for per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average in South Korea is 11.29 tonnes per person, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 0.9% on the previous year and down 9.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average in South Korea peaked at 12.98 tonnes per person in 2018 and was at its lowest, 0.0001 tonnes per person, in 1905.
South Korea ranks 21st of 213 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 relative to the global average 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 | 0.0171 tonnes per person | +31.4% |
| 1935 | 0.0199 tonnes per person | +16.3% |
| 1936 | 0.023 tonnes per person | +16.0% |
| 1937 | 0.0244 tonnes per person | +5.7% |
| 1938 | 0.0322 tonnes per person | +32.3% |
| 1939 | 0.0414 tonnes per person | +28.5% |
| 1940 | 0.0523 tonnes per person | +26.2% |
| 1941 | 0.057 tonnes per person | +9.1% |
| 1942 | 0.0614 tonnes per person | +7.6% |
| 1943 | 0.0578 tonnes per person | -5.8% |
| 1944 | 0.0593 tonnes per person | +2.7% |
| 1945 | 0.0002 tonnes per person | -99.7% |
| 1946 | 0.027 tonnes per person | +12928.2% |
| 1947 | 0.0483 tonnes per person | +79.0% |
| 1948 | 0.0874 tonnes per person | +80.8% |
| 1949 | 0.1109 tonnes per person | +26.9% |
| 1950 | 0.1105 tonnes per person | -0.3% |
| 1951 | 0.1472 tonnes per person | +33.1% |
| 1952 | 0.1711 tonnes per person | +16.3% |
| 1953 | 0.2259 tonnes per person | +32.0% |
| 1954 | 0.2409 tonnes per person | +6.6% |
| 1955 | 0.2913 tonnes per person | +20.9% |
| 1956 | 0.3303 tonnes per person | +13.4% |
| 1957 | 0.3472 tonnes per person | +5.1% |
| 1958 | 0.3681 tonnes per person | +6.0% |
| 1959 | 0.4436 tonnes per person | +20.5% |
| 1960 | 0.4802 tonnes per person | +8.3% |
| 1961 | 0.5381 tonnes per person | +12.1% |
| 1962 | 0.6275 tonnes per person | +16.6% |
| 1963 | 0.7491 tonnes per person | +19.4% |
| 1964 | 0.7721 tonnes per person | +3.1% |
| 1965 | 0.853 tonnes per person | +10.5% |
| 1966 | 1 tonnes per person | +17.8% |
| 1967 | 1.15 tonnes per person | +14.6% |
| 1968 | 1.19 tonnes per person | +3.6% |
| 1969 | 1.33 tonnes per person | +11.7% |
| 1970 | 1.65 tonnes per person | +23.8% |
| 1971 | 1.76 tonnes per person | +6.7% |
| 1972 | 1.78 tonnes per person | +0.8% |
| 1973 | 2.11 tonnes per person | +18.7% |
| 1974 | 2.14 tonnes per person | +1.6% |
| 1975 | 2.28 tonnes per person | +6.3% |
| 1976 | 2.56 tonnes per person | +12.4% |
| 1977 | 2.86 tonnes per person | +11.8% |
| 1978 | 3.03 tonnes per person | +6.0% |
| 1979 | 3.52 tonnes per person | +16.1% |
| 1980 | 3.53 tonnes per person | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 3.61 tonnes per person | +2.3% |
| 1982 | 3.58 tonnes per person | -0.9% |
| 1983 | 3.73 tonnes per person | +4.2% |
| 1984 | 3.96 tonnes per person | +6.2% |
| 1985 | 4.1 tonnes per person | +3.6% |
| 1986 | 4.23 tonnes per person | +3.0% |
| 1987 | 4.38 tonnes per person | +3.6% |
| 1988 | 4.91 tonnes per person | +12.2% |
| 1989 | 5.14 tonnes per person | +4.5% |
| 1990 | 5.68 tonnes per person | +10.7% |
| 1991 | 6.2 tonnes per person | +9.2% |
| 1992 | 6.72 tonnes per person | +8.3% |
| 1993 | 7.36 tonnes per person | +9.5% |
| 1994 | 7.88 tonnes per person | +7.1% |
| 1995 | 8.46 tonnes per person | +7.3% |
| 1996 | 9.22 tonnes per person | +9.1% |
| 1997 | 9.69 tonnes per person | +5.0% |
| 1998 | 8.18 tonnes per person | -15.6% |
| 1999 | 8.83 tonnes per person | +8.0% |
| 2000 | 9.41 tonnes per person | +6.6% |
| 2001 | 9.69 tonnes per person | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 10.06 tonnes per person | +3.9% |
| 2003 | 10.21 tonnes per person | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 10.3 tonnes per person | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 10.42 tonnes per person | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 10.49 tonnes per person | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 10.83 tonnes per person | +3.3% |
| 2008 | 11.02 tonnes per person | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 11.08 tonnes per person | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 12.19 tonnes per person | +10.0% |
| 2011 | 12.69 tonnes per person | +4.1% |
| 2012 | 12.66 tonnes per person | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 12.67 tonnes per person | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 12.45 tonnes per person | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 12.44 tonnes per person | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 12.44 tonnes per person | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 12.71 tonnes per person | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 12.98 tonnes per person | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 12.48 tonnes per person | -3.8% |
| 2020 | 11.52 tonnes per person | -7.7% |
| 2021 | 11.88 tonnes per person | +3.1% |
| 2022 | 11.72 tonnes per person | -1.4% |
| 2023 | 11.39 tonnes per person | -2.9% |
| 2024 | 11.29 tonnes per person | -0.9% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 11.29 tonnes per person is above the median for high income countries, which is 6.14 tonnes per person, 1.8× the median. (74 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 11.29 tonnes per person is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.21 tonnes per person, 3.5× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Per capita CO₂ emissions relative to the global average 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | +12928.2% | 0.0002 tonnes per person | 0.027 tonnes per person |
| 1909 | +965.9% | 0.0001 tonnes per person | 0.0008 tonnes per person |
| 1945 | -99.7% | 0.0593 tonnes per person | 0.0002 tonnes per person |
| 1948 | +80.8% | 0.0483 tonnes per person | 0.0874 tonnes per person |
| 1947 | +79.0% | 0.027 tonnes per person | 0.0483 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 | 0.0201 tonnes per person | 0.0092 tonnes per person | 0.0414 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.0562 tonnes per person | 0.0002 tonnes per person | 0.1109 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.2676 tonnes per person | 0.1105 tonnes per person | 0.4436 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.8702 tonnes per person | 0.4802 tonnes per person | 1.33 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.37 tonnes per person | 1.65 tonnes per person | 3.52 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.12 tonnes per person | 3.53 tonnes per person | 5.14 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.82 tonnes per person | 5.68 tonnes per person | 9.69 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.35 tonnes per person | 9.41 tonnes per person | 11.08 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.57 tonnes per person | 12.19 tonnes per person | 12.98 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.56 tonnes per person | 11.29 tonnes per person | 11.88 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 relative to the global average in South Korea?
- Per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average in South Korea was 11.29 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 relative to the global average recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 12.98 tonnes per person in 2018.
- What is the lowest per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average 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 relative to the global average?
- South Korea ranks 21st out of 213 countries with data for 2024.
- Is per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.4%. 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 relative to the global average. 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
Carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from burning fossil fuels and industrial processes. This includes emissions from transport, electricity generation, and heating, but not land-use change.