Year-on-year change in CO₂ emissions in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Year-on-year change in CO₂ emissions was 309,679 tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
309,679 tonnes
Change on year
down 10.6%
World rank
59th
of 215 countries
All-time high
3.04 million tonnes
in 2011
All-time low
-1.68 million tonnes
in 2012
Years of data
75
1950–2024
Year-on-year change in CO₂ emissions in Afghanistan, 1950–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Afghanistan recorded 309,679 tonnes for year-on-year change in co₂ emissions in 2024.
The figure is down 10.6% on the previous year and up 259.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, year-on-year change in co₂ emissions in Afghanistan peaked at 3.04 million tonnes in 2011 and was at its lowest, -1.68 million tonnes, in 2012.
That places Afghanistan 59th out of 215 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Year-on-year change in CO₂ emissions in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 69,616 tonnes | — |
| 1951 | 7,328 tonnes | -89.5% |
| 1952 | 0 tonnes | -100.0% |
| 1953 | 14,656 tonnes | — |
| 1954 | 0 tonnes | -100.0% |
| 1955 | 47,632 tonnes | — |
| 1956 | 29,312 tonnes | -38.5% |
| 1957 | 109,920 tonnes | +275.0% |
| 1958 | 36,640 tonnes | -66.7% |
| 1959 | 54,811 tonnes | +49.6% |
| 1960 | 29,314 tonnes | -46.5% |
| 1961 | 76,913 tonnes | +162.4% |
| 1962 | 197,796 tonnes | +157.2% |
| 1963 | 18,142 tonnes | -90.8% |
| 1964 | 131,815 tonnes | +626.6% |
| 1965 | 168,366 tonnes | +27.7% |
| 1966 | 84,242 tonnes | -50.0% |
| 1967 | 190,706 tonnes | +126.4% |
| 1968 | -58,474 tonnes | -130.7% |
| 1969 | -282,159 tonnes | +382.5% |
| 1970 | 729,165 tonnes | -358.4% |
| 1971 | 223,157 tonnes | -69.4% |
| 1972 | -363,207 tonnes | -262.8% |
| 1973 | 105,107 tonnes | -128.9% |
| 1974 | 277,698 tonnes | +164.2% |
| 1975 | 208,231 tonnes | -25.0% |
| 1976 | -140,524 tonnes | -167.5% |
| 1977 | 403,316 tonnes | -387.0% |
| 1978 | -230,875 tonnes | -157.2% |
| 1979 | 79,454 tonnes | -134.4% |
| 1980 | -476,452 tonnes | -699.7% |
| 1981 | 222,161 tonnes | -146.6% |
| 1982 | 116,118 tonnes | -47.7% |
| 1983 | 425,373 tonnes | +266.3% |
| 1984 | 301,586 tonnes | -29.1% |
| 1985 | 679,882 tonnes | +125.4% |
| 1986 | -367,777 tonnes | -154.1% |
| 1987 | -19,819 tonnes | -94.6% |
| 1988 | -256,930 tonnes | +1196.4% |
| 1989 | -92,041 tonnes | -64.2% |
| 1990 | -740,529 tonnes | +704.6% |
| 1991 | -110,025 tonnes | -85.1% |
| 1992 | -432,247 tonnes | +292.9% |
| 1993 | 4,889 tonnes | -101.1% |
| 1994 | -33,114 tonnes | -777.3% |
| 1995 | -36,502 tonnes | +10.2% |
| 1996 | -47,223 tonnes | +29.4% |
| 1997 | -65,952 tonnes | +39.7% |
| 1998 | -25,648 tonnes | -61.1% |
| 1999 | -186,864 tonnes | +628.6% |
| 2000 | -44,512 tonnes | -76.2% |
| 2001 | 21,970 tonnes | -149.4% |
| 2002 | 271,967 tonnes | +1137.9% |
| 2003 | 218,614 tonnes | -19.6% |
| 2004 | -322,432 tonnes | -247.5% |
| 2005 | 652,260 tonnes | -302.3% |
| 2006 | 269,811 tonnes | -58.6% |
| 2007 | 640,591 tonnes | +137.4% |
| 2008 | 1.45 million tonnes | +127.1% |
| 2009 | 2.13 million tonnes | +46.7% |
| 2010 | 1.98 million tonnes | -7.4% |
| 2011 | 3.04 million tonnes | +54.0% |
| 2012 | -1.68 million tonnes | -155.1% |
| 2013 | -839,755 tonnes | -50.0% |
| 2014 | -193,779 tonnes | -76.9% |
| 2015 | 686,732 tonnes | -454.4% |
| 2016 | -778,468 tonnes | -213.4% |
| 2017 | 705,122 tonnes | -190.6% |
| 2018 | 880,450 tonnes | +24.9% |
| 2019 | 208,606 tonnes | -76.3% |
| 2020 | 718,516 tonnes | +244.4% |
| 2021 | -1.25 million tonnes | -273.9% |
| 2022 | 301,048 tonnes | -124.1% |
| 2023 | 346,430 tonnes | +15.1% |
| 2024 | 309,679 tonnes | -10.6% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 309,679 tonnes is above the median for low income countries, which is 29,261 tonnes, 10.6× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 309,679 tonnes is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 216,764 tonnes, 1.4× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Year-on-year change in CO₂ emissions in Afghanistan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | -1196.4% | -19,819 tonnes | -256,930 tonnes |
| 2002 | +1137.9% | 21,970 tonnes | 271,967 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 36,992 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 109,920 tonnes | 10 |
| 1960s | 55,666 tonnes | -282,159 tonnes | 197,796 tonnes | 10 |
| 1970s | 129,152 tonnes | -363,207 tonnes | 729,165 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 53,210 tonnes | -476,452 tonnes | 679,882 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | -167,322 tonnes | -740,529 tonnes | 4,889 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 529,659 tonnes | -322,432 tonnes | 2.13 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 401,188 tonnes | -1.68 million tonnes | 3.04 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 85,179 tonnes | -1.25 million tonnes | 718,516 tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More climate change data for Afghanistan
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 79.22 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 23,854 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 5,965 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 17,889 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 22.51 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 638.89 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 2,345 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,090 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 1,255 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 4.11 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is year-on-year change in co₂ emissions in Afghanistan?
- Year-on-year change in co₂ emissions in Afghanistan was 309,679 tonnes in 2024, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest year-on-year change in co₂ emissions recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 3.04 million tonnes in 2011.
- What is the lowest year-on-year change in co₂ emissions recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.68 million tonnes in 2012.
- How does Afghanistan rank for year-on-year change in co₂ emissions?
- Afghanistan ranks 59th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is year-on-year change in co₂ emissions rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 259.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Year-on-year change in CO₂ emissions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 75 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual growth in total emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), excluding land-use change, measured in tonnes.