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South Korea vs Australia CO2 per capita
Australia has held the lead throughout the published window. In 1970 South Korea stood at roughly 15% of Australia’s CO2 per capita; today the figure is about 81%, and the pair was closest in 2021 (82%).
| Year | South Korea | Australia | Australia as % of South Korea |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 12.85 | 1.93 | 15% |
| 1970 | 12.85 | 1.93 | 15% |
| 1980 | 15.13 | 3.71 | 25% |
| 1990 | 16.27 | 6.07 | 37% |
| 2000 | 18.6 | 9.92 | 53% |
| 2010 | 18.85 | 12.37 | 66% |
| 2020 | 15.3 | 11.91 | 78% |
| 2024 | 14.1 | 11.36 | 81% |
Frequently asked questions
When did Australia pass South Korea in CO2 per capita?
It has not come to that. Australia has posted the larger CO2 per capita in every published year (1970–2024).
How do Korea, Rep. and Australia compare today?
Australia is ahead: 14.1 against 11.36 — the trailing economy stands at about 81% of the leader.
Are these CO2 per capita figures nominal or adjusted?
They are exactly as the World Bank publishes them — metric tons per capita — with no interpolation or estimation for missing years.
Full series
Every published year for both economies, with charts, downloads and citations: