The government has provisionally estimated that the total national greenhouse gas emissions for last year decreased by 0.9% compared to the previous year. However, due to the impact of wildfires, the absorption of greenhouse gases in the forestry and land sectors significantly declined, resulting in a 0.5% increase in net emissions. To achieve the national greenhouse gas reduction target (NDC) for 2030, an additional reduction of 149 million tons is required over the next five years.
◆Nuclear Power Decrease and Coal Increase Lead to 0.2% Rise in Power Emissions
The Greenhouse Gas Comprehensive Information Center, under the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, reported on the 20th that the provisional estimate for the national greenhouse gas emissions in 2025 is 685.71 million tons, a decrease of 6.1 million tons (0.9%) from the previous year.
By sector, emissions decreased in industry, transportation, agriculture, fisheries, and waste, while they increased in power, buildings, and refrigerants.
The industrial sector, which emitted the most greenhouse gases, accounted for 242.93 million tons, a 2.1% decrease from the previous year. This decline was influenced by reduced production in high-emission industries such as steel, petrochemicals, and cement. Crude steel production fell from 63.65 million tons to 62.23 million tons, and the production of six basic petrochemical products decreased from 33.13 million tons to 32.38 million tons. Cement shipments also dropped from 43.71 million tons to 38.10 million tons.
Although semiconductor production activities increased, the emission growth rate was limited to 1.3% due to improved reduction efficiency of fluorinated greenhouse gases used in the processes.
Emissions from the power sector rose by 0.2% to 220.43 million tons. Total power generation remained similar to the previous year, and renewable energy generation increased by 8.5%. However, nuclear power generation decreased by 2.2%, leading to a 2.2% increase in coal power generation. The number of days for nuclear maintenance and outages increased from 2,096.1 days in 2024 to 2,239.6 days last year.
Nevertheless, compared to 2018, the share of zero-carbon power generation, combining nuclear and renewable energy, increased from 29% to 40.8%, while the share of coal decreased from 41.9% to 28.7%. Consequently, greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector decreased by 21.5% during the same period.
Emissions from the transportation sector fell by 2.9% to 94.59 million tons, largely due to the increased adoption of electric, hydrogen, and hybrid vehicles, which led to a 6.1% reduction in diesel consumption. The cumulative registration of electric and hydrogen vehicles rose from 722,000 in 2024 to 944,000 last year.
In contrast, emissions from the building sector increased by 3.3% to 45 million tons, driven by a 10.8% rise in heating degree days, which increased urban gas consumption. Emissions of fluorinated greenhouse gases, such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), also rose by 3.9% to 36.28 million tons due to increased refrigerant consumption.
The agriculture and fisheries sector saw emissions decrease by 3.1% to 25.25 million tons due to a reduction in rice cultivation area, while the waste sector recorded a 1.8% decrease to 18.05 million tons due to reduced landfill amounts.
A significant issue is the decrease in absorption in the forestry and land sector. Last year's absorption was 31.03 million tons, a 22.8% decline from the previous year. The March wildfires in North Gyeongsang Province released 8.3 million tons of greenhouse gases due to biomass combustion. As a result, the net emissions, accounting for the absorption from forestry and land, amounted to 654.70 million tons, an increase of 3.1 million tons (0.5%) from the previous year.
◆Need to Reduce 149 Million Tons More to Meet 2030 NDC
Last year's total emissions decreased by 84 million tons (11.4%) compared to the baseline year of 2018 for the national greenhouse gas reduction target. According to government estimates, to achieve the 2030 NDC, an additional reduction of 149 million tons is needed by 2030. To implement the 2035 NDC, an additional reduction of 127 million to 182 million tons will be required from 2031 to 2035.
The government plans to accelerate the reduction pace through the expansion of renewable energy, the phase-out of coal power, and the electrification of the industry, transportation, and building sectors. In the power sector, the goal is to achieve the 100 GW renewable energy target by 2030 ahead of schedule and to promote a roadmap for phasing out coal power. In the industrial sector, funding for green and low-carbon transitions will be increased from 8.7 trillion won this year to 10.6 trillion won, and the 'K-GX strategy' to support green transition technologies in the steel, petrochemical, and cement industries will be announced within the year.
In the transportation sector, the number of electric vehicle subsidies will be expanded from 300,000 this year to 430,000 next year, with a goal of increasing the share of electric vehicles among new cars to 50% by 2030. In the building sector, efforts will be made to promote decarbonization in heating through the expansion of heat pumps and renewable heat.
Choi Min-ji, head of the Greenhouse Gas Comprehensive Information Center, stated, "The foundation for accelerating decarbonization centered on renewable energy was established last year to achieve the 2030 national greenhouse gas reduction target. We plan to jointly promote the 'Carbon Neutral Green Growth National Strategy and the Second National Basic Plan,' which includes sectoral and annual targets for the 2035 national greenhouse gas reduction target, while strengthening annual implementation checks."
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.