China vs United States: Greenhouse gas emissions by sector
China
691.17 million tonnes
in 2023
United States
366.83 million tonnes
in 2023
China rank
2nd
United States rank
4th
Greenhouse gas emissions by sector over time
- China
- United States
How they compare
China currently reports 691.17 million tonnes against 366.83 million tonnes in United States, a difference of 324.34 million tonnes.
That makes China's figure about 1.9 times United States's.
Across all 34 years both countries report, China has been ahead every year.
China ranks 2nd and United States ranks 4th of 193 countries.
China has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | United States | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 650.58 million tonnes | 371.74 million tonnes | 278.84 million tonnes | China |
| 2000s | 686.87 million tonnes | 370.92 million tonnes | 315.95 million tonnes | China |
| 2010s | 689.72 million tonnes | 372.27 million tonnes | 317.45 million tonnes | China |
| 2020s | 684.85 million tonnes | 373.13 million tonnes | 311.71 million tonnes | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher greenhouse gas emissions by sector, China or United States?
- China, at 691.17 million tonnes against 366.83 million tonnes in United States as of 2023.
- What is the difference in greenhouse gas emissions by sector between China and United States?
- 324.34 million tonnes, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and United States?
- 34 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2023.
- How do China and United States rank globally for greenhouse gas emissions by sector?
- China ranks 2nd and United States ranks 4th 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.