South Korea has submitted an enhanced update of its first nationally determined contribution (NDC). The country aims to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 40% by 2030 from the 2018 level, when 728 MtCO2eq were emitted. South Korea aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The country will seek to dramatically phase down coal-fired power generation, shifting coal-fired power plants to LNG, while ramping up renewable power (especially solar and wind). It will also focus on driving a low-carbon transition in emission-intensive industrial sectors, namely steelmaking, petrochemicals, and cement industries, and will seek to promote building renovation and zero-energy building solutions for newly constructed buildings.
Previously, the country had set a target of 24.4% GHG reduction compared to the 2017 level by 2030. CO₂ emissions from fuel combustion have fallen by 11% since 2018 to 591 MtCO2 in 2020 (i.e. around a quarter of the new target).
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