Brazil vs China: Greenhouse gas emissions by sector
Brazil
581.95 million tonnes
in 2023
China
691.17 million tonnes
in 2023
Brazil rank
3rd
China rank
2nd
Greenhouse gas emissions by sector over time
- Brazil
- China
How they compare
China currently reports 691.17 million tonnes against 581.95 million tonnes in Brazil, a difference of 109.22 million tonnes.
That makes China's figure about 1.2 times Brazil's.
Across all 34 years both countries report, China has been ahead every year.
Brazil ranks 3rd and China ranks 2nd of 193 countries.
China has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Brazil | China | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 379.98 million tonnes | 650.58 million tonnes | 270.61 million tonnes | China |
| 2000s | 463.98 million tonnes | 686.87 million tonnes | 222.89 million tonnes | China |
| 2010s | 516.56 million tonnes | 689.72 million tonnes | 173.16 million tonnes | China |
| 2020s | 562.23 million tonnes | 684.85 million tonnes | 122.61 million tonnes | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher greenhouse gas emissions by sector, Brazil or China?
- China, at 691.17 million tonnes against 581.95 million tonnes in Brazil as of 2023.
- What is the difference in greenhouse gas emissions by sector between Brazil and China?
- 109.22 million tonnes, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Brazil and China?
- 34 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2023.
- How do Brazil and China rank globally for greenhouse gas emissions by sector?
- Brazil ranks 3rd and China ranks 2nd of 193 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Climate Watch (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Greenhouse gas emissions by sector. 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 of carbon dioxide-equivalents.