S. Korean conglomerates fail to meet the recently increased greenhouse gas emission reduction goal. (Yonhap)
According to the environment ministry, South Korea produced a total of 701.3 millions tons of greenhouse gas in 2019.
According to the ministry the 2019 figure, confirmed in part by the Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Research Center represents a 3.5% drop from the 2018 total.
The main reason for the decrease was a reduction of power plant emissions from 268.5 millions tons to 248,7 million tons, and alternative ozone depleting substances (from 8.8 million to 6.3 million tonnes)
Road transportation and nonmetal emissions increased by 2.75 and 1.13 million tonnes, respectively.
The energy sector accounted to 87.2 percent or 611.5million tons of total emissions. Due to fine dust air pollution reduction measures, the energy sector’s emissions fell by 3.3 percent or 21 million tonnes from 2018.
7.4 percent, 3.5%, and 2.4 percent respectively of the total were taken up by industrial plants and the farming and waste industries.
Nearly 380 tons of greenhouse gases were emitted for every 1 billion won (US$841,000), of gross domestic product. This is a decrease of 5.6 percent from the 401 tons recorded in 2018.
The average individual’s gas emissions were 13.6 tons in 2018, down 3.7% from 14.1 tons in 2018.
According to the ministry the 2020 total emission is expected to be 648.6 Million Tons. (Yonhap)
