Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste in South Korea
South Korea: Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste was 18.6 Mt CO2e in 2024. ▲ Rising
Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste in South Korea, 1970–2024
Source: EDGAR (Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research) Community GHG Database, Joint Research Centre (JRC) - European Commission. Measured in Mt CO2e.
Analysis
In 2024, methane (ch4) emissions from waste in South Korea stood at 18.6 Mt CO2e.
The figure is up 1.7% on the previous year and up 24.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, methane (ch4) emissions from waste in South Korea peaked at 19.73 Mt CO2e in 2021 and was at its lowest, 2.84 Mt CO2e, in 1970.
That places South Korea 19th out of 203 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Mt CO2e | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2.84 Mt CO2e | — |
| 1971 | 3.21 Mt CO2e | +12.8% |
| 1972 | 3.51 Mt CO2e | +9.4% |
| 1973 | 3.86 Mt CO2e | +10.0% |
| 1974 | 4 Mt CO2e | +3.7% |
| 1975 | 4.26 Mt CO2e | +6.5% |
| 1976 | 4.63 Mt CO2e | +8.6% |
| 1977 | 4.95 Mt CO2e | +6.9% |
| 1978 | 5.31 Mt CO2e | +7.4% |
| 1979 | 5.76 Mt CO2e | +8.5% |
| 1980 | 6.16 Mt CO2e | +6.8% |
| 1981 | 6.49 Mt CO2e | +5.4% |
| 1982 | 6.4 Mt CO2e | -1.4% |
| 1983 | 6.61 Mt CO2e | +3.3% |
| 1984 | 6.79 Mt CO2e | +2.7% |
| 1985 | 7.05 Mt CO2e | +3.8% |
| 1986 | 7.4 Mt CO2e | +5.0% |
| 1987 | 7.55 Mt CO2e | +2.0% |
| 1988 | 7.74 Mt CO2e | +2.6% |
| 1989 | 8.16 Mt CO2e | +5.3% |
| 1990 | 9.02 Mt CO2e | +10.6% |
| 1991 | 10.03 Mt CO2e | +11.2% |
| 1992 | 10.76 Mt CO2e | +7.3% |
| 1993 | 10.45 Mt CO2e | -2.9% |
| 1994 | 10.88 Mt CO2e | +4.1% |
| 1995 | 11.27 Mt CO2e | +3.5% |
| 1996 | 12.24 Mt CO2e | +8.6% |
| 1997 | 12.34 Mt CO2e | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 12 Mt CO2e | -2.8% |
| 1999 | 11.94 Mt CO2e | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 11.97 Mt CO2e | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 12.04 Mt CO2e | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 12.29 Mt CO2e | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 12.55 Mt CO2e | +2.1% |
| 2004 | 12.71 Mt CO2e | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 12.84 Mt CO2e | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 13.04 Mt CO2e | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 13.3 Mt CO2e | +2.0% |
| 2008 | 13.47 Mt CO2e | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 13.76 Mt CO2e | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 13.9 Mt CO2e | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 14.06 Mt CO2e | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 14.39 Mt CO2e | +2.3% |
| 2013 | 14.65 Mt CO2e | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 14.91 Mt CO2e | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 15.02 Mt CO2e | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 15.32 Mt CO2e | +2.0% |
| 2017 | 15.77 Mt CO2e | +2.9% |
| 2018 | 15.98 Mt CO2e | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 16.24 Mt CO2e | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 18.88 Mt CO2e | +16.3% |
| 2021 | 19.73 Mt CO2e | +4.5% |
| 2022 | 19.73 Mt CO2e | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 18.29 Mt CO2e | -7.3% |
| 2024 | 18.6 Mt CO2e | +1.7% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 18.6 Mt CO2e is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.45 Mt CO2e, 12.8× the median. (77 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 18.6 Mt CO2e is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.373 Mt CO2e, 49.9× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.23 Mt CO2e | 2.84 Mt CO2e | 5.76 Mt CO2e | 10 |
| 1980s | 7.03 Mt CO2e | 6.16 Mt CO2e | 8.16 Mt CO2e | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.09 Mt CO2e | 9.02 Mt CO2e | 12.34 Mt CO2e | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.8 Mt CO2e | 11.97 Mt CO2e | 13.76 Mt CO2e | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.02 Mt CO2e | 13.9 Mt CO2e | 16.24 Mt CO2e | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.04 Mt CO2e | 18.29 Mt CO2e | 19.73 Mt CO2e | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More environment data for South Korea
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -0.2791 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -2.27 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual -0.2415 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) (Mt CO2e) 1.61 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is methane (ch4) emissions from waste in South Korea?
- Methane (ch4) emissions from waste in South Korea was 18.6 Mt CO2e in 2024, according to EDGAR (Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research) Community GHG Database, Joint Research Centre (JRC) - European Commission.
- What is the highest methane (ch4) emissions from waste recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 19.73 Mt CO2e in 2021.
- What is the lowest methane (ch4) emissions from waste recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.84 Mt CO2e in 1970.
- How does South Korea rank for methane (ch4) emissions from waste?
- South Korea ranks 19th out of 203 countries with data for 2024.
- Is methane (ch4) emissions from waste rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from EDGAR (Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research) Community GHG Database, Joint Research Centre (JRC) - European Commission, published as part of Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste (Mt CO2e). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
A measure of annual emissions of methane (CH4), one of the six Kyoto greenhouse gases (GHG), from the waste sector. This includes emissions from solid waste (IPCC 2006 codes 4.A Solid Waste Disposal, 4.B Biological Treatment of Solid Waste, 4.C Incineration and Open Burning of Waste) and wastewater treatment (IPCC 2006 code 4.D Wastewater Treatment and Discharge). The measure is standardized to carbon dioxide equivalent values using the Global Warming Potential (GWP) factors of IPCC's 5th Assessment Report (AR5).