What is South Korea's pathway to limit global warming to 1.5°C?
Industry
Korea has a comparatively energy intensive economy which relies substantially on heavy industry such as petrochemical exports.1,2 Since 1990, South Korea’s industrial energy use has increased steadily, although somewhat flattened out at around 2 EJ/yr since 2011. Electricity has met most of the increased energy demand and oil has been steadily replaced by natural gas. The government has set a target for energy intensity reduction of 21% from 2017 levels by 2040 (from 0.150 to 0.119 toe/million won).3
South Korea's energy mix in the industry sector
petajoule per year
Fuel share provided refers to energy demand only from the industry sector.
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Graph description
Energy mix composition in the industry sector in consumption (EJ) and shares (%) for the years 2030, 2040 and 2050 based on selected IPCC SR1.5 global least costs pathways.
Methodology
Data References
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Industrial emissions intensity has been fairly consistently declining since peaking in 1994. In 2019, direct CO₂ emissions was 66 MtCO₂. 1.5°C compatible pathways see direct CO₂ emissions declining to 32-38 MtCO₂ by 2030, and to around 6 MtCO₂ by 2050.
Industrial process related emissions grew rapidly between 1990 and 2004 and have remained variable but generally stable at a level of around 58 MtCO₂e/yr since then. 1.5°C compatible pathways show an immediate and rapid reduction in process emissions from 2020, declining by at least half of the current level by 2030 and at least three quarters by 2050.
South Korean industrial emissions policy largely focuses on energy efficiency measures. While the K-ETS covers the country’s main industrial sub-sectors, including iron and steel, petrochemical, cement, and oil refining, the main mechanism for emissions reduction is financial support for installing energy efficient equipment and implementing related processes. Alongside voluntary energy efficiency schemes, the government’s Target Management System requires companies consuming over 200 TJ/yr (or equivalently, emitting over 50 ktCO₂e/yr) to set legally binding energy reduction targets.4,5
South Korea's industry sector direct CO₂ emissions (of energy demand)
MtCO₂/yr
Direct CO₂ emissions only are considered (see power sector for electricity related emissions, hydrogen and heat emissions are not considered here).
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Graph description
Direct CO₂ emissions of the industry sector in selected 1.5°C compatible pathways.
Methodology
Data References
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South Korea's GHG emissions from industrial processes
MtCO₂e/yr
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Graph description
1.5°C compatible CO₂ emissions pathways. This is presented through a set of illustrative pathways and a 1.5°C compatible range for total CO₂ emissions excl. LULUCF. The 1.5°C compatible range is based on global cost-effective pathways assessed by the IPCC SR1.5, defined by the 5th and 5th percentiles.
Data References
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1.5°C compatible industry sector benchmarks
Direct CO₂ emissions, shares of electricity, and combined shares of electricity, hydrogen and biomass from illustrative 1.5°C pathways for South Korea
| Indicator |
2019
|
2030
|
2040
|
2050
|
Decarbonised industry sector by
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Direct CO₂ emissions
MtCO₂/yr
|
107
|
32 to
38
|
19 to
20
|
6 to
6
|
2041 to
2045
|
|
Relative to reference year in %
|
-70 to
-65%
|
-82 to
-82%
|
-95 to
-94%
|
| Indicator |
2019
|
2030
|
2040
|
2050
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Share of electricity
per cent
|
50
|
53 to
55
|
63 to
75
|
68 to
81
|
|
Share of electricity, hydrogren and biomass
per cent
|
51
|
54 to
62
|
64 to
86
|
70 to
89
|
Fuel share provided refers to energy demand only from the industry sector. BECCS are the only Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) technologies considered in these benchmarks.
Only direct CO₂ emissions are considered (electricity, hydrogen and heat emissions are not considered here; see power sector for emissions from electricity generation). All values are rounded. Year of full decarbonisation is based on carbon intenstiy threshold of 5gCO₂/MJ.
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Methodology
Data References
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