China vs Malaysia: Methane emissions by sector
China
360,000 tonnes
in 2023
Malaysia
450,000 tonnes
in 2023
China rank
26th
Malaysia rank
24th
Methane emissions by sector over time
- China
- Malaysia
How they compare
Malaysia currently reports 450,000 tonnes against 360,000 tonnes in China, a difference of 90,000 tonnes.
That makes Malaysia's figure about 1.2 times China's.
The two have swapped places 4 times across 34 shared years of data; in 1990 it was Malaysia ahead.
China ranks 26th and Malaysia ranks 24th of 193 countries.
Malaysia has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | Malaysia | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 661,000 tonnes | 3.23 million tonnes | 2.57 million tonnes | Malaysia |
| 2000s | 514,000 tonnes | 2.42 million tonnes | 1.90 million tonnes | Malaysia |
| 2010s | 293,000 tonnes | 2.40 million tonnes | 2.10 million tonnes | Malaysia |
| 2020s | 272,500 tonnes | 535,000 tonnes | 262,500 tonnes | Malaysia |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher methane emissions by sector, China or Malaysia?
- Malaysia, at 450,000 tonnes against 360,000 tonnes in China as of 2023.
- What is the difference in methane emissions by sector between China and Malaysia?
- 90,000 tonnes, with Malaysia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and Malaysia?
- 34 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2023.
- How do China and Malaysia rank globally for methane emissions by sector?
- China ranks 26th and Malaysia ranks 24th of 193 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Climate Watch (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Methane 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.