Seoul: South Korea's greenhouse gas emissions saw a decline of 0.9 percent in 2025 compared to the previous year, primarily due to reduced output in the industrial and transport sectors, as reported by the environment ministry on Sunday. The national greenhouse gas emissions were provisionally estimated at 685.7 million tons for the year, a decrease from 691.8 million tons in 2024, according to the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment.
According to Yonhap News Agency, emissions reductions were observed in sectors such as industrial, transport, agriculture, livestock, fisheries, and waste. However, emissions from electricity, buildings, and refrigerants witnessed an increase. The annual greenhouse gas emissions dropped below 700 million tons in 2024 for the first time since 2010, largely due to a higher share of nuclear and renewable energy in power generation.
The national greenhouse gas emissions data are initially released as provisional figures and typically take about two years to finalize. The difference between provisional and final figures is generally between 0.3 percent to 0.4 percent. The South Korean government has set an ambitious target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent by 2035 from the 2018 levels.
In 2018, South Korea's greenhouse gas emissions stood at 742.3 million tons. To achieve the 50 percent reduction target by 2035, emissions need to fall to 371.2 million tons or less. The ministry emphasized the need for the government to accelerate its decarbonization efforts and transition to zero-emission and renewable energy sources to meet the target.