Year-on-year change in CO₂ emissions in China
China: Year-on-year change in CO₂ emissions was 117.03 million tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Year-on-year change in CO₂ emissions in China, 1908–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
The most recent figure for year-on-year change in co₂ emissions in China is 117.03 million tonnes, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 74.6% on the previous year and up 247.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, year-on-year change in co₂ emissions in China peaked at 910.11 million tonnes in 2011 and was at its lowest, -228.17 million tonnes, in 1961.
China ranks 2nd of 215 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 2.18 million tonnes | 1.52 million tonnes | 2.84 million tonnes | 2 |
| 1910s | 1.37 million tonnes | -7.60 million tonnes | 7.22 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1920s | 1.03 million tonnes | -2.89 million tonnes | 6.55 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1930s | 2.61 million tonnes | -9.60 million tonnes | 13.06 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1940s | -1.23 million tonnes | -47.11 million tonnes | 23.68 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1950s | 65.81 million tonnes | 5.78 million tonnes | 268.84 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1960s | -11.25 million tonnes | -228.17 million tonnes | 112.18 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1970s | 91.77 million tonnes | 19.79 million tonnes | 200.27 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 93.67 million tonnes | -31.12 million tonnes | 167.81 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 108.78 million tonnes | -157.01 million tonnes | 257.31 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 433.15 million tonnes | 80.30 million tonnes | 737.07 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 283.20 million tonnes | -117.99 million tonnes | 910.11 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 315.10 million tonnes | 117.03 million tonnes | 460.20 million tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
More climate change data for China
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 6.2% (2100)
- Population growth -0.2% (2025)
- Population, total 1.41 billion (2025)
- Urban population growth 0.5% (2025)
- Urban population 933.17 million (2025)
- Urban population 66.3% (2025)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. GDP per capita 8.66 tonnes per person (2024)
- Cumulative CO₂ emissions 285.09 billion tonnes (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita 8.66 tonnes per person (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. share of electricity generation from renewables 8.66 tonnes per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is year-on-year change in co₂ emissions in China?
- Year-on-year change in co₂ emissions in China was 117.03 million 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 China?
- The highest recorded value was 910.11 million tonnes in 2011.
- What is the lowest year-on-year change in co₂ emissions recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was -228.17 million tonnes in 1961.
- How does China rank for year-on-year change in co₂ emissions?
- China ranks 2nd out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is year-on-year change in co₂ emissions rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 247.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China 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 — 117 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.