China vs South Korea
The gap between South Korea and China is about ~2.6 tCO₂e/person/year per person per year (about 30% higher). Globally, China ranks around #9 and South Korea around #7 by CO₂ per capita. Both can be compared to the global median of ~4.7 tCO₂e per person.
CO₂ per capita
Lower is betterWorld median: ~~4.7 tCO₂e/year
Asia median: ~~6.7 tCO₂e/year
Consumption-based CO₂ per capita
Lower is betterWorld median: ~~6.5 tCO₂e/year
Asia median: ~~7.5 tCO₂e/year
Electricity carbon intensity
Lower is betterWorld median: ~~345 gCO₂/kWh
Asia median: ~~561 gCO₂/kWh
Renewable electricity share
Higher is betterWorld median: ~~34%
Asia median: ~~16%
Key takeaways
China has much lower consumption-based emissions and much lower per-capita emissions while South Korea has much higher consumption-based emissions and much higher per-capita emissions.
Quick comparison
South Korea has higher per-capita emissions (~11.3 tCO₂e/person/year) than China (~8.7 tCO₂e/person/year). The difference is about ~-2.6 tCO₂e/person/year, or about 23% lower.
In the global ranking by CO₂ per capita, China stands around #9 and South Korea around #7.
China is above the global median (~4.7 tCO₂e/person), about 82% above.
South Korea is above the global median (~4.7 tCO₂e/person), about 138% above.
Within Asia, China sits above the regional median (~6.7 tCO₂e/person).
Within Asia, South Korea sits above the regional median (~6.7 tCO₂e/person).
Why the numbers can differ
GDP per capita often correlates with energy use: higher incomes tend to mean more transport, heating, and consumption. The relationship is not fixed—policy, energy mix, and urban design can decouple emissions from economic activity.
Urbanization affects transport patterns and building energy use. Denser cities can support public transit and district heating; sprawl tends to increase car dependency and per-capita emissions.
Electricity carbon intensity and the share of renewables in the power mix influence how much emissions drop when transport and heating electrify. Cleaner grids amplify the benefit of electric vehicles and heat pumps.
How to interpret per-capita vs total
Per-capita emissions divide a country's total CO₂ output by its population. That lets us compare nations fairly regardless of size. A large country with high total emissions can still have low per-person emissions if its population is very large. Total emissions matter for the global climate, but per-capita figures help us understand lifestyle and policy differences between countries.
What would move the gap
Targeted actions depend on each country's starting point. Levers that can narrow or reverse the gap include:
- Increasing renewable share in electricity generation
- Reducing car use and choosing electric vehicles
- Cutting down on air travel and long-haul freight
- Retrofitting older buildings with heat pumps
- Expanding public transit and active mobility
- Improving industrial process efficiency
- Reducing food waste along the supply chain
- Shifting diets toward less carbon-intensive foods
- Electrifying industrial heating and process heat
- Switching to renewable electricity and heat pumps for heating
Data sources
- CO₂ per capita, territorial emissions: OWID (2024, 2024)
- Electricity carbon intensity: OWID / Ember (latest available)
- Renewables share of electricity: OWID / Ember (latest available)
- Ember: electricity mix, carbon intensity
Related comparisons
Frequently asked questions
Which country has higher CO2 per capita: China or South Korea?
South Korea has higher per-capita emissions (~11.3 tCO₂e/person/year) than China (~8.7 tCO₂e/person/year).
How do per-capita emissions differ from total emissions?
Per-capita emissions divide total national emissions by population, allowing fair comparison across countries of different sizes. Total emissions matter for global impact; per-capita figures help compare lifestyle and policy.
How does China compare to the global median?
About 82% above the global median of ~4.7 tCO₂e per person.
How does South Korea compare to the global median?
About 138% above the global median of ~4.7 tCO₂e per person.
Does this include consumption-based emissions?
The main figure is territorial (production-based). We also show consumption-based CO₂ per capita when available, which counts emissions embedded in imported goods.
How often is this data updated?
Data comes from Our World in Data, World Bank, and Ember. Coverage and latest year vary by metric.