Ministry of Environment Greenhouse Gas Comprehensive Information Center Release
Lower Than Global Average of 5.7%
Last year's provisional greenhouse gas emissions were approximately 680 million tons, showing a 3.5% increase compared to the previous year. However, this is 6.5% lower than the peak emissions recorded in 2018.
On the 28th, the Greenhouse Gas Comprehensive Information Center under the Ministry of Environment released the 2021 national provisional greenhouse gas emissions, which were tallied at 679.6 million tons. Although emissions increased by 3.5% compared to the previous year, this rate was lower than the global average (5.7%), the United States (6.2%), and the European Union (7.0%).
The increase in greenhouse gas emissions last year is analyzed to be due to the recovery of production activities and increased mobility demand worldwide following COVID-19.
The greenhouse gas emission efficiency indicator, 'emissions per Gross Domestic Product (GDP),' was 356 tons per 1 billion KRW, showing a continuous improvement trend since 2011.
By sector, the energy sector accounted for 590.6 million tons, or 86.9%, followed by industrial processes at 7.5% (51 million tons), agriculture at 3.1% (21.2 million tons), and waste sector at 2.5% (16.8 million tons).
In the energy sector, emissions increased by 3.6% compared to 2020 due to increased production and fuel consumption centered on manufacturing, power generation, and transportation.
In the manufacturing sector, emissions increased by an estimated 12.4% in chemicals (5.8 million tons) and 4.7% in steel (4.4 million tons), with total emissions rising by 12.7 million tons (7.0%). The power generation sector saw an estimated increase of 4 million tons compared to the previous year due to increased electricity demand following the recovery of industrial activities. Although power generation increased by 4.5%, greenhouse gas emissions are estimated to have risen by only 1.8%. The transportation sector's emissions increased by approximately 1.6 million tons (1.7%) compared to the previous year due to increased mobility demand. The commercial, public, and residential sectors are estimated to have increased emissions by 600,000 tons (1.4%) compared to the previous year, due to increased city gas usage (2% increase) influenced by cold waves early in the year.
Emissions from the industrial processes sector increased by 5.2% compared to the previous year to 51 million tons, influenced by increased production of cement and semiconductors. The agriculture sector showed a 0.9% increase to 21.2 million tons, balancing increased livestock numbers and decreased cultivated area. The waste sector is estimated to have emitted 16.8 million tons, a 1.6% decrease from the previous year, due to increased recycling and a trend of reduced cumulative landfill despite increased waste generation.
Seo Heung-won, head of the Greenhouse Gas Comprehensive Information Center, explained, "In 2021, industrial activities that had been constrained by COVID-19 recovered, leading to increased energy consumption worldwide. Domestically, greenhouse gas emissions increased due to increased power generation, recovery of industrial production activities, and increased fuel consumption for transportation."
He added, "Since energy demand is expected to continue rising in 2022, it is necessary to carry out active reduction efforts with a sense of urgency to achieve the 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and carbon neutrality by 2050."
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