Seoul City Reports 45.21 Million Tons of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Last Year... 9% Decrease Compared to 2005

Transport Sector Emissions Hit 18% Range for First Time Since 2005... 20% Decrease Compared to 2005
Per Capita Greenhouse Gas Emissions Last Year at 4.56 Tons, 5% Reduction from 2005

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Seoul City announced on the 11th that since declaring its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as a response to the climate crisis to the international community in 2005, it has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 9%. The estimated greenhouse gas emissions in the Seoul area last year were 45.218 million tons, a decrease of 4.227 million tons over the period. Seoul City plans to actively respond to the climate crisis by annually disclosing nearly 90% of the estimated greenhouse gas emissions first and using this as a basis to establish greenhouse gas reduction policies, thereby enhancing policy effectiveness.

By emission source, the building sector, which accounts for the largest share of greenhouse gas emissions, accounted for 68.9%, similar to the estimated 68.8% in 2019. Within buildings, greenhouse gas emissions from the household sector increased by 1.4% year-on-year to 28.9%, while the commercial sector decreased by 1.2% year-on-year to 36.3%.

Following the building sector, the transportation sector ranked second in greenhouse gas emission contribution, with an estimated 18.9% in 2020, marking the first time since 2005 that it recorded in the 18% range. Compared to emissions in 2005, this is a 20% (2.093 million tons) reduction. Per capita greenhouse gas emissions were 4.56 tons in 2020, showing a continuous decrease over the past three years.

Emissions per Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) stood at 1,070 tons per 10 billion KRW, continuously decreasing since 2005. Notably, while the GRDP has shown an increasing trend since 2005, Seoul’s greenhouse gas emissions have been steadily decreasing.

Ki Junghak, Climate Change Governance Advisor (Professor of Climate Environment Convergence and Industry-Academia Cooperation at Sookmyung Women’s University), explained, “Although energy consumption occurs in the process of producing goods and services by companies, the continuous effect of reducing greenhouse gases has appeared through energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy production.”

Seoul City plans to use the annual greenhouse gas inventory results as a benchmark for evaluating the implementation of the 2050 carbon neutrality policy and as data for climate change response.

The finalized and estimated data of Seoul City’s greenhouse gas inventory can be checked on the Seoul City website. Seoul City also publicly shares the greenhouse gas inventory investigation reports from 2011 to 2018 with citizens. Additionally, to make greenhouse gas information more accessible and encourage participation in reduction efforts, visual promotional methods such as card news will be actively utilized.

Lee Dong-ryul, Director of Climate Change Response, stated, “To actively respond to climate change, management by greenhouse gas emission sources is essential, and the annually announced greenhouse gas inventory data will be linked and utilized with greenhouse gas reduction policies. Achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 cannot succeed without citizen participation, so we ask for the active interest and participation of all citizens.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.