The Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Research Center of Korea (GIR, President Jeong Eun-Hae) under the Ministry of Environment announced that its analysis of the ‘2023 National Greenhouse Gas Preliminary Emissions’ using relevant indicators from various sectors, including power generation, showed a decrease of 4.4% compared to the previous year, totaling 624.2 million tons.

Looking at the specific numerical changes in the preliminary emissions for 2023, electricity generation in the transformation sector decreased by 1% compared to the previous year. However, the growth in electricity production from carbon-free sources, such as nuclear power (up by 4.4 TWh) and ‘new and renewable energy*, (up by 3.5 TWh), led to a 7.6% (16.5 million tons) reduction in emissions from the transformation (electricity and heat production) sector.

* Under the Act on the Promotion of the Development, Use and Diffusion of New and Renewable Energy, this refers to energy sources that environmentally transform the existing fossil fuel structure, including hydrogen, solar power, wind power, geothermal energy, and organic materials (biomass).

In the industrial sector, emissions decreased by 3% compared to the previous year, due to the expansion of process gas reduction facilities (in semiconductors and displays) and a decline in production resulting from an economic slowdown in greenhouse gas-intensive industries such as petrochemicals and cement. The building sector also saw a 7% reduction in emissions year-on-year, attributed to a warm winter and a decrease in usage due to rising city gas prices.

In the transportation sector, emissions decreased by 1% due to reduced driving distances and the increased adoption of zero-emission vehicles. The agriculture and fisheries sector saw a slight decrease of 0.1%, influenced by a reduction in rice cultivation area. The waste sector experienced a minor decline of 1.3%, thanks to a continuous decrease in landfill volume.

This declining trend marks the second consecutive year of reductions, following the preliminary emissions data for 2022 released by the GIR last July.

Although emissions briefly increased in 2021 as the COVID-19 situation improved and the economy recovered, the government’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including the expansion of nuclear power and new and renewable energy sources, seem to have started showing significant results since 2022.

In particular, a clear trend of decoupling has emerged, where emissions have decreased despite the domestic gross domestic product (GDP) increasing* each year since 2022. In 2023, emissions per unit of GDP reached their lowest level since 1990, at 312.8 tons per KRW 1 billion.

* In 2022, the GDP was approximately KRW 1,969 trillion, reflecting a 2.6% increase compared to the previous year. In 2023, it rose to about KRW 1,996 trillion, showing a 1.4% increase compared to the prior year.

The GIR analyzed statistical information* released by international organizations such as the International Energy Agency and found that global greenhouse gas emissions increased by 1.1% in 2023 compared to the previous year. Developing countries saw an increase in emissions (China up by 4.7%, India up by 7%), while developed countries experienced a decrease (the United States down by 4.1%, the European Union down by 9%, Germany down by 10.1%, and Japan down by 2.5%).

* Source: International Energy Agency (CO2 Emissions in 2023), German Environment Agency, Japanese Ministry of the Environment

Meanwhile, according to the detailed implementation guidelines of the Paris Agreement (2018), all parties to the UN Climate Change Conference are required to submit greenhouse gas statistics based on the ‘2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories’ to the UN by the end of this year.

As a result of the GIR applying these guidelines to reassess national greenhouse gas emissions, it was found that South Korea’s emissions showed a slight increase in every year from the initial assessment point in 1990 through 2021, similar to the trends observed in major countries such as the United States, Japan, and Russia.

The national greenhouse gas emissions calculated using the 2006 IPCC guidelines will be utilized in the establishment of the 2035 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)* reduction targets.

* NDCs for greenhouse gas reduction targets to be achieved by 2035 will be established in accordance with the Paris Agreement, tailored to the national context, and submitted to the UN.

The government plans to announce reduction measures for hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are a major factor in the increase in greenhouse gas emissions due to the statistical revisions. These measures will include restricting the use of substances with high Global Warming Potential (GWP)* values and increasing the use of renewable refrigerants, with details expected to be released by the end of this year.

* Global Warming Potential (GWP): An index that quantifies the contribution of each greenhouse gas to global warming relative to carbon dioxide, allowing for comparisons based on their potential impact over a specific time frame.

 GIR President Jeong Eun-Hae stated, “While the continuous decline in South Korea’s greenhouse gas emissions is a positive trend, it is crucial to make further efforts to reduce emissions in light of the worsening climate crisis.” She emphasized, “Active attention and participation from all members of our society are particularly needed in sectors where the pace of reduction has been relatively slow.”

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