Per capita methane emissions in South Korea
South Korea: Per capita methane emissions was 0.767 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
0.767 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person
Change on year
up 8.9%
World rank
131st
of 199 countries
All-time high
0.9835 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person
in 1946
All-time low
0.5439 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person
in 2008
Years of data
175
1850–2024
Per capita methane emissions in South Korea, 1850–2024
Source: Jones et al. (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person.
Analysis
In 2024, per capita methane emissions in South Korea stood at 0.767 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 8.9% on the previous year and up 35.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita methane emissions in South Korea peaked at 0.9835 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 1946 and was at its lowest, 0.5439 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person, in 2008.
South Korea ranks 131st of 199 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 175 years of available data.
Per capita methane emissions in South Korea, year by year
| Year | tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 0.7901 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | — |
| 1851 | 0.7906 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1852 | 0.7912 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1853 | 0.7916 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1854 | 0.792 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1855 | 0.7924 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1856 | 0.7928 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1857 | 0.7933 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1858 | 0.7937 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1859 | 0.7941 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1860 | 0.7945 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1861 | 0.7949 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1862 | 0.7954 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1863 | 0.7958 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1864 | 0.7962 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1865 | 0.7966 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1866 | 0.7971 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1867 | 0.7975 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1868 | 0.7979 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1869 | 0.7984 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1870 | 0.7991 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1871 | 0.7987 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.0% |
| 1872 | 0.7985 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.0% |
| 1873 | 0.7983 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.0% |
| 1874 | 0.7981 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.0% |
| 1875 | 0.798 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.0% |
| 1876 | 0.7978 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.0% |
| 1877 | 0.7977 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.0% |
| 1878 | 0.7975 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.0% |
| 1879 | 0.7973 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.0% |
| 1880 | 0.7972 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.0% |
| 1881 | 0.7979 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1882 | 0.7986 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1883 | 0.7993 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1884 | 0.8001 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1885 | 0.8008 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1886 | 0.8015 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1887 | 0.8022 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1888 | 0.803 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1889 | 0.8037 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1890 | 0.8044 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1891 | 0.8051 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1892 | 0.8059 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1893 | 0.8066 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1894 | 0.8074 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1895 | 0.8081 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1896 | 0.8089 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1897 | 0.8096 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1898 | 0.8103 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1899 | 0.8108 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1900 | 0.8111 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.0% |
| 1901 | 0.8121 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1902 | 0.8128 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1903 | 0.8133 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1904 | 0.8137 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1905 | 0.8142 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1906 | 0.8147 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1907 | 0.8152 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1908 | 0.8157 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1909 | 0.814 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.2% |
| 1910 | 0.81 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.5% |
| 1911 | 0.8158 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.7% |
| 1912 | 0.8193 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.4% |
| 1913 | 0.8205 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1914 | 0.8252 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.6% |
| 1915 | 0.8285 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.4% |
| 1916 | 0.8327 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.5% |
| 1917 | 0.8367 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.5% |
| 1918 | 0.8402 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.4% |
| 1919 | 0.8434 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.4% |
| 1920 | 0.8461 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.3% |
| 1921 | 0.8494 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.4% |
| 1922 | 0.8525 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.4% |
| 1923 | 0.8554 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.3% |
| 1924 | 0.8583 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.3% |
| 1925 | 0.8601 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.2% |
| 1926 | 0.8599 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.8597 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.8594 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.8598 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1930 | 0.8612 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.2% |
| 1931 | 0.865 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.4% |
| 1932 | 0.8698 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.6% |
| 1933 | 0.8751 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.6% |
| 1934 | 0.8803 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.6% |
| 1935 | 0.8855 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.6% |
| 1936 | 0.8892 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.4% |
| 1937 | 0.8929 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.4% |
| 1938 | 0.8967 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.4% |
| 1939 | 0.8978 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1940 | 0.896 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.2% |
| 1941 | 0.9159 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.2% |
| 1942 | 0.932 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.8% |
| 1943 | 0.9442 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.3% |
| 1944 | 0.9555 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.2% |
| 1945 | 0.9666 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.2% |
| 1946 | 0.9835 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.7% |
| 1947 | 0.9768 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.7% |
| 1948 | 0.9666 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.0% |
| 1949 | 0.9554 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.2% |
| 1950 | 0.8026 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -16.0% |
| 1951 | 0.7961 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.8% |
| 1952 | 0.781 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.9% |
| 1953 | 0.7688 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.6% |
| 1954 | 0.7519 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.2% |
| 1955 | 0.746 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.8% |
| 1956 | 0.7377 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.1% |
| 1957 | 0.728 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.3% |
| 1958 | 0.717 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.5% |
| 1959 | 0.7193 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.3% |
| 1960 | 0.7169 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.3% |
| 1961 | 0.6935 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.3% |
| 1962 | 0.6998 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.9% |
| 1963 | 0.7095 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.4% |
| 1964 | 0.7051 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.6% |
| 1965 | 0.6979 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.0% |
| 1966 | 0.6978 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.6688 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -4.2% |
| 1968 | 0.5896 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -11.9% |
| 1969 | 0.5735 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.7% |
| 1970 | 0.6216 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +8.4% |
| 1971 | 0.6161 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.9% |
| 1972 | 0.6134 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.4% |
| 1973 | 0.6474 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +5.5% |
| 1974 | 0.6805 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +5.1% |
| 1975 | 0.695 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.1% |
| 1976 | 0.6792 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.3% |
| 1977 | 0.7017 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.3% |
| 1978 | 0.7114 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 0.7242 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.8% |
| 1980 | 0.7298 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 0.7423 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.7% |
| 1982 | 0.7315 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.5% |
| 1983 | 0.7531 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.9% |
| 1984 | 0.7886 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.7% |
| 1985 | 0.8163 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.5% |
| 1986 | 0.8355 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.4% |
| 1987 | 0.8195 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.9% |
| 1988 | 0.8045 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 0.7597 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -5.6% |
| 1990 | 0.7366 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.0% |
| 1991 | 0.7215 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.1% |
| 1992 | 0.6849 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -5.1% |
| 1993 | 0.6514 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -4.9% |
| 1994 | 0.631 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.1% |
| 1995 | 0.6227 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.3% |
| 1996 | 0.6421 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.1% |
| 1997 | 0.6429 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 0.6171 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -4.0% |
| 1999 | 0.6043 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.1% |
| 2000 | 0.6381 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +5.6% |
| 2001 | 0.6281 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 0.5846 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -6.9% |
| 2003 | 0.5852 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 0.5912 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 0.5931 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 0.6032 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 0.6074 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 0.5439 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -10.5% |
| 2009 | 0.5554 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 0.5626 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 0.5607 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 0.5699 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 0.5659 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 0.5675 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 0.5749 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 0.5718 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 0.5793 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 0.5808 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 0.5821 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 0.6356 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +9.2% |
| 2021 | 0.7039 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +10.7% |
| 2022 | 0.7167 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 0.7045 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.7% |
| 2024 | 0.767 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +8.9% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 0.767 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.02 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person, 76% of the median. (67 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 0.767 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.82 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person, 94% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1850s | 0.7922 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.7901 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.7941 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1860s | 0.7964 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.7945 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.7984 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1870s | 0.7981 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.7973 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.7991 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1880s | 0.8004 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.7972 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.8037 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1890s | 0.8077 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.8044 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.8108 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1900s | 0.8137 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.8111 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.8157 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.8272 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.81 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.8434 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.856 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.8461 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.8601 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.8813 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.8612 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.8978 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.9493 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.896 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.9835 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.7549 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.717 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.8026 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.6752 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.5735 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.7169 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.669 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.6134 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.7242 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.7781 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.7298 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.8355 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.6554 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.6043 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.7366 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.593 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.5439 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.6381 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.5715 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.5607 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.5821 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.7055 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.6356 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.767 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 128 Mozambique 0.782 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 129 Albania 0.7787 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 130 Madagascar 0.7756 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 132 Tajikistan 0.7647 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 133 Haiti 0.7588 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 134 Togo 0.7563 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person 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 per capita methane emissions in South Korea?
- Per capita methane emissions in South Korea was 0.767 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 2024, according to Jones et al. (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest per capita methane emissions recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 0.9835 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 1946.
- What is the lowest per capita methane emissions recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.5439 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 2008.
- How does South Korea rank for per capita methane emissions?
- South Korea ranks 131st out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is per capita methane emissions rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 35.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Jones et al. (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Per capita methane emissions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 175 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured in tonnes per person of carbon dioxide-equivalents over a 100-year timescale.