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South Korea

Medium Risk

Eastern Asia · High income · Pop. 51,159,889

ND-GAIN Vulnerability: 0.358 (2022)

CO2 per capita

11.42t CO2e

Source: World Bank WDI (2023)

GDP

$1.83T($35.7k/capita)

Source: World Bank (2023)

Renewable electricity

9.0%

↑ +4.3pp (5yr)

Source: Ember (2023)

Vulnerability

0.358ND-GAIN index

Source: ND-GAIN (2022)

Emissions Trajectory

South Korea — CO₂ per capita (2000–2023)

Production-based
03691215200020042008201220162020t CO₂e/capitaParis11.4t

Source: World Bank WDI · EN.GHG.CO2.PC.CE.AR5

World Bank vs Climate TRACE (indexed)

WB CO₂/capitaClimate TRACE GHG
90120150201520162017201820192020202120222023Index (2015=100)

Source: World Bank WDI + Climate TRACE (indexed, 2015=100)

South Korea's emissions grew at +1.62%/yr pre-Paris (2000–2014), then -1.25%/yr post-Paris (2015–2023) — a -2.85pp shift. This ranks 4th largest deceleration among tracked countries. Per capita emissions reached 11.4 t in 2023 (+15.1% vs 2000).

Pre-Paris vs Post-Paris CAGR

Pre-Paris vs Post-Paris Emissions GrowthCO₂ per capita CAGR (%) — 20 countriesPre-Paris (2000–2014)Post-Paris (2015–2023)-4%-3%-2%-1%+1%+2%+3%+4%+5%+6%+7%0%South Korea +1.62%-1.25% KOR-2.87ppUnited States -1.74%-1.87% USAGermany -1.48%-2.41% DEUBrazil +2.08%+0.85% BRANigeria +3.92%+2.15% NGABangladesh +6.52%+3.28% BGDDeceleration (post < pre)Acceleration (post > pre)Faded = non-pilotvisualclimate.org

Source: World Bank WDI · EN.GHG.CO2.PC.CE.AR5

Energy Transition

Electricity Generation Mix (2023)

South Korea — Energy Flow 2023Electricity generation mix · carbon outputINPUTGRIDOUTPUT62%9%29%Fossil61.8%Renewable9.0%Nuclear29.2%ElectricityCO2 Output61.8%Clean Output38.2%Source: Ember Global Electricity Review 2023 | visualclimate.org
Donut view
9%62%29%Fossil62%
  • Renewable9.0%
  • Fossil61.8%
  • Nuclear & Other29.2%

Source: Ember Global Electricity Review (2023)

Transition Progress

Renewable Share

9.0%

↑ +4.3pp over 5 years

Fossil Fuel Share

61.8%

Nuclear & Other

29.2%

South Korea's renewable share (9.0%) ranks 4th in the group, adding +4.9pp over 5 years. The group leader (Germany) reached 54.4% renewable.

Economic Decoupling

GDP vs CO₂ Growth

GDP per capitaCO₂ per capita
Decoupling Score: +6.30
140210280350200020042008201220162020Index (2000=100)281115

Source: World Bank WDI (GDP + CO₂ per capita), indexed to 2000=100

South Korea shows moderate decoupling. GDP grew faster than emissions by +2.73pp/yr since 2015 (4th among tracked countries). The divergence between green (GDP) and red (CO₂) lines shows economic growth is increasingly less carbon-intensive.

Climate Vulnerability

Vulnerability vs Readiness (Pilot Countries, 2023)

0.2710.4480.6250.2220.5010.78Vulnerability →Readiness →South KoreaUnited StatesGermanyBrazilNigeriaBangladesh

Source: ND-GAIN Country Index (2023). Lower-left = ideal (low vulnerability, high readiness)

South Korea ranks 1st in climate readiness (score: 0.722) among pilot countries. Vulnerability stands at 0.357 — in the medium range, indicating moderate climate exposure. Fossil fuel dependency (61.8%) remains a key driver.

Key Vulnerabilities

  • ▸화석연료 전력 의존도 높음 (61.2%, 석탄·LNG 중심)
  • ▸높은 1인당 에너지 소비 및 탄소 배출 (11.4 mt CO2, OECD 상위권)
  • ▸미세먼지 문제 심각 (PM2.5 25.9 µg/m³, OECD 최하위 수준)
  • ▸재생에너지 전환 지연 (9.6%, EU·미국 대비 현저히 낮음)
  • ▸중공업·반도체 제조 산업의 탈탄소화 기술 전환 필요

Strengths

  • ▸높은 기후 적응 준비도 (ND-GAIN 준비도 0.72, 6개국 중 1위)
  • ▸탈동조화 진전 (decoupling 지수 4.36 → 6.30, GDP 성장 중 배출 감소)
  • ▸전력 탄소 집약도 개선 (518.8 → 427.3 gCO2/kWh, 17.6% 감소)
Assessment (medium risk): 한국은 고소득 아시아 국가로, 기후 적응 준비도(0.72)는 6개 파일럿 국가 중 가장 높지만 온실가스 배출 측면에서는 여전히 상당한 과제를 안고 있습니다. 1인당 CO2 배출량 11.4 mt는 독일(7.1 mt)보다 높으며, 전력 믹스에서 화석연료 비중이 61.2%에 달합니다. 재생에너지 전력 비중은 2018년 4.7%에서 2023년 9.6%로 두 배 이상 증가했으나, 글로벌 평균에 비해 여전히 낮습니다. 미세먼지(PM2.5 25.9 µg/m³)는 OECD 최하위 수준으로 공중보건과 기후정책 이중 과제를 안고 있습니다. 긍정적으로는 GDP 대비 탄소 집약도가 꾸준히 개선(0.373 → 0.320)되고 있으며, 탈동조화 지수도 개선 추세입니다. 2030 NDC 목표 달성을 위해 재생에너지 가속 전환, 중공업 수소화, 원전 지속 활용, 탄소시장 고도화 등 복합적 정책 조합이 필요합니다.

Data Sources

Emissions (5)
IndicatorSourceYears
Carbon intensity of GDPDerived: EN.GHG.CO2.PC.CE.AR5 / NY.GDP.PCAP.CD * 10002000–2023
Emissions intensityderived2000–2023
CO2 per capitaWorld Bank WDI2000–2023
Decoupling indexDerived: GDP growth% - CO2 growth%2001–2023
Total GHG (absolute)Climate TRACE2015–2023
Energy (5)
IndicatorSourceYears
Fossil electricity %Ember/OWID2000–2023
Carbon intensityEmber/OWID2000–2022
Renewable electricity %Ember/OWID2000–2023
Energy use per capitaWorld Bank WDI2000–2023
Energy transition momentumDerived: EMBER.RENEWABLE.PCT(t) - EMBER.RENEWABLE.PCT(t-5)2005–2022
Economy (1)
IndicatorSourceYears
GDP per capitaWorld Bank WDI2000–2023
Climate Risk (4)
IndicatorSourceYears
ND-GAIN VulnerabilityND-GAIN2000–2022
Forest areaWorld Bank WDI2000–2022
PM2.5 air pollutionWorld Bank WDI2000–2020
ND-GAIN ReadinessND-GAIN2000–2023
Derived (29)
IndicatorSourceYears
OWID.OIL_CO2OWID CO22000–2023
OWID.NITROUS_OXIDEOWID CO22000–2023
OWID.CEMENT_CO2OWID CO22000–2023
OWID.SHARE_GLOBAL_CO2OWID CO22000–2023
OWID.ENERGY_PER_CAPITAOWID CO22000–2023
OWID.NITROUS_OXIDE_PER_CAPITAOWID CO22000–2023
OWID.CO2OWID CO22000–2023
OWID.ENERGY_PER_GDPOWID CO22000–2022
SP.POP.TOTLWorld Bank WDI2000–2023
OWID.CONSUMPTION_CO2OWID CO22000–2023
OWID.GHG_PER_CAPITAOWID CO22000–2023
OWID.GAS_CO2OWID CO22000–2023
OWID.TEMPERATURE_CHANGE_FROM_N2OOWID CO22000–2023
OWID.CO2_PER_CAPITAOWID CO22000–2023
OWID.METHANE_PER_CAPITAOWID CO22000–2022
OWID.CONSUMPTION_CO2_PER_CAPITAOWID CO22000–2023
OWID.FLARING_CO2OWID CO22000–2023
OWID.TOTAL_GHGOWID CO22000–2023
OWID.CO2_PER_GDPOWID CO22000–2022
OWID.METHANEOWID CO22000–2023
OWID.TEMPERATURE_CHANGE_FROM_CO2OWID CO22000–2022
OWID.TEMPERATURE_CHANGE_FROM_CH4OWID CO22000–2023
OWID.CO2_INCLUDING_LUCOWID CO22000–2023
OWID.CUMULATIVE_CO2OWID CO22000–2023
OWID.TEMPERATURE_CHANGE_FROM_GHGOWID CO22000–2023
OWID.TOTAL_GHG_EXCLUDING_LUCFOWID CO22000–2022
OWID.SHARE_GLOBAL_CUMULATIVE_CO2OWID CO22000–2023
OWID.COAL_CO2OWID CO22000–2023
DERIVED.CLIMATE_CLASSVisualClimate derived2023–2023
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