2023 greenhouse gas emissions estimated at 624 mln tons, down 4.4 pct yearly

SEOUL, Sept. 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's greenhouse gas emissions were estimated at 624.2 million tons last year, a 4.4 percent decrease from the previous year, primarily due to economic slowdown, an environment ministry center showed Tuesday.

The estimated 2023 emissions, calculated in CO2 equivalents, compare with the 2022 figure of 642.8 million tons and mark the second consecutive yearly decline, according to the Greenhouse Inventory and Research Center affiliated with the environment ministry.

The tentative 2023 emissions fall below the reduction target of 633.9 million tons set in the country's carbon neutrality and green growth framework plan for 2023-42.

The total emissions translate to 12 tons per capita in South Korea.

The reduction is attributed mainly to economic slowdown, with a 7.6 percent drop recorded in the energy generation sector, which accounts for around 30 percent of total emissions.

The center concluded that reduced energy demand from the steelmaking, electronics and communications industries contributed to the decrease.

The second-most decrease, at 7 percent, was registered in building maintenance, as winter gas use for heating declined due to higher temperatures.

The industrial sector, which represents around 38 percent of total emissions, also saw a 3 percent decline amid the economic slowdown. Last year, the average operation rate for manufacturers came to 71.9 percent, the lowest level since 1998, when the figure was 67.6 percent.

The center said the country's gross domestic product (GDP) rose 1.4 percent last year compared with the previous year, while the total emissions declined by 4.4 percent, registering emissions of 312.8 tons per 1 billion GDP, the lowest level since 1990.

pbr@yna.co.kr
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