China vs Russia: CO₂ emissions from transport
China
1.05 billion tonnes
in 2023
Russia
276.12 million tonnes
in 2023
China rank
2nd
Russia rank
4th
CO₂ emissions from transport over time
- China
- Russia
How they compare
China currently reports 1.05 billion tonnes against 276.12 million tonnes in Russia, a difference of 772.26 million tonnes.
That makes China's figure about 3.8 times Russia's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 34 shared years of data; in 1990 it was Russia ahead.
China ranks 2nd and Russia ranks 4th of 191 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, China averaged higher in 3 and Russia in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | Russia | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 128.89 million tonnes | 224.87 million tonnes | 95.97 million tonnes | Russia |
| 2000s | 378.83 million tonnes | 216.75 million tonnes | 162.07 million tonnes | China |
| 2010s | 791.62 million tonnes | 245.86 million tonnes | 545.76 million tonnes | China |
| 2020s | 1.04 billion tonnes | 263.21 million tonnes | 780.89 million tonnes | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher co₂ emissions from transport, China or Russia?
- China, at 1.05 billion tonnes against 276.12 million tonnes in Russia as of 2023.
- What is the difference in co₂ emissions from transport between China and Russia?
- 772.26 million tonnes, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and Russia?
- 34 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2023.
- How do China and Russia rank globally for co₂ emissions from transport?
- China ranks 2nd and Russia ranks 4th of 191 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Climate Watch (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as CO₂ emissions from transport. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Emissions are measured in tonnes.