The volume of greenhouse gas emissions in the country declined 7.5% last year from 2019. (Yonhap News)

By Lee Jihye and Yoon Sojung

The amount of greenhouse gas emissions in the country last year dropped 7.3% from 2019 for the second straight year of decline.

A report on such emissions in the country last year released on June 8 by the Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Research Center of Korea under the Ministry of Environment said Korea emitted 648.6 million tons of greenhouse gases in 2020.

This was a drop of 50.9 million tons from 699.5 million tons emitted in 2019.

Last year's figure was also down 10.9% from that of 2018, which saw a record-high 727.6 million tons of CO2 emissions.

This was the first time for the nation to post a decrease in emissions for two years in a row since 1990, when the government began compiling such statistics.

By sector, energy saw a 7.8% reduction in emissions and industrial processes a drop of 7.1%.

The decrease in the energy industry was led by significantly lower energy consumption in the power generation, chemical, steel and logistics sectors.

The ratio of CO2 emissions to GDP, an indicator of the efficiency of such emissions, and emissions per capita both showed a decline.

Emissions per KRW 1 billion of GDP last year was an estimated 35.4 tons, the lowest since 1990.

Emissions per capita last year reached 12.5 tons, down 7.4% from the previous year. 

The center's president Seo Heung-Won said, "To continue reducing greenhouse gas emissions, we must actively promote the scenario of 2050 carbon neutrality and raise the target for reducing national emissions by 2030."

The decrease in emissions was calculated using data from related organizations and an CO2 trading system for setting government policy toward emission reduction and reviewing its implementation.

The center's estimates can differ from official statistics to be jointly released later by related ministries.

shaadiya1223@korea.kr