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
Latest (2024)
117.03 million tonnes
Change on year
down 74.6%
World rank
2nd
of 215 countries
All-time high
910.11 million tonnes
in 2011
All-time low
-228.17 million tonnes
in 1961
Years of data
117
1908–2024
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.
Year-on-year change in CO₂ emissions in China, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1908 | 2.84 million tonnes | — |
| 1909 | 1.52 million tonnes | -46.7% |
| 1910 | 757,862 tonnes | -50.0% |
| 1911 | -378,932 tonnes | -150.0% |
| 1912 | -7.60 million tonnes | +1906.0% |
| 1913 | 7.22 million tonnes | -195.0% |
| 1914 | 2.47 million tonnes | -65.8% |
| 1915 | -1.30 million tonnes | -152.6% |
| 1916 | 4.71 million tonnes | -462.9% |
| 1917 | 1.89 million tonnes | -59.8% |
| 1918 | 2.72 million tonnes | +43.9% |
| 1919 | 3.25 million tonnes | +19.3% |
| 1920 | 2.28 million tonnes | -29.8% |
| 1921 | -1.52 million tonnes | -166.4% |
| 1922 | 1.21 million tonnes | -179.8% |
| 1923 | 6.55 million tonnes | +441.5% |
| 1924 | 2.33 million tonnes | -64.4% |
| 1925 | -2.89 million tonnes | -224.2% |
| 1926 | -2.29 million tonnes | -20.6% |
| 1927 | 2.15 million tonnes | -193.6% |
| 1928 | 1.78 million tonnes | -17.0% |
| 1929 | 690,384 tonnes | -61.3% |
| 1930 | 1.28 million tonnes | +84.9% |
| 1931 | 2.35 million tonnes | +83.8% |
| 1932 | -1.64 million tonnes | -169.7% |
| 1933 | 3.84 million tonnes | -334.9% |
| 1934 | 8.27 million tonnes | +115.3% |
| 1935 | 10.26 million tonnes | +24.1% |
| 1936 | 2.83 million tonnes | -72.4% |
| 1937 | -4.51 million tonnes | -259.2% |
| 1938 | -9.60 million tonnes | +113.0% |
| 1939 | 13.06 million tonnes | -236.0% |
| 1940 | 16.36 million tonnes | +25.3% |
| 1941 | 23.19 million tonnes | +41.7% |
| 1942 | 13.63 million tonnes | -41.2% |
| 1943 | -18.62 million tonnes | -236.6% |
| 1944 | -5.99 million tonnes | -67.8% |
| 1945 | -47.11 million tonnes | +686.4% |
| 1946 | -19.79 million tonnes | -58.0% |
| 1947 | 5.73 million tonnes | -129.0% |
| 1948 | -3.44 million tonnes | -160.0% |
| 1949 | 23.68 million tonnes | -789.2% |
| 1950 | 16.75 million tonnes | -29.3% |
| 1951 | 23.28 million tonnes | +38.9% |
| 1952 | 25.89 million tonnes | +11.2% |
| 1953 | 5.78 million tonnes | -77.7% |
| 1954 | 27.09 million tonnes | +368.5% |
| 1955 | 29.64 million tonnes | +9.4% |
| 1956 | 25.31 million tonnes | -14.6% |
| 1957 | 39.96 million tonnes | +57.9% |
| 1958 | 268.84 million tonnes | +572.7% |
| 1959 | 195.54 million tonnes | -27.3% |
| 1960 | 78.65 million tonnes | -59.8% |
| 1961 | -228.17 million tonnes | -390.1% |
| 1962 | -111.02 million tonnes | -51.3% |
| 1963 | -2.84 million tonnes | -97.4% |
| 1964 | 3.86 million tonnes | -235.9% |
| 1965 | 39.65 million tonnes | +927.8% |
| 1966 | 49.17 million tonnes | +24.0% |
| 1967 | -89.23 million tonnes | -281.5% |
| 1968 | 35.28 million tonnes | -139.5% |
| 1969 | 112.18 million tonnes | +218.0% |
| 1970 | 200.27 million tonnes | +78.5% |
| 1971 | 101.25 million tonnes | -49.4% |
| 1972 | 59.43 million tonnes | -41.3% |
| 1973 | 39.63 million tonnes | -33.3% |
| 1974 | 19.79 million tonnes | -50.1% |
| 1975 | 155.09 million tonnes | +683.5% |
| 1976 | 43.19 million tonnes | -72.2% |
| 1977 | 114.38 million tonnes | +164.8% |
| 1978 | 151.80 million tonnes | +32.7% |
| 1979 | 32.90 million tonnes | -78.3% |
| 1980 | -31.12 million tonnes | -194.6% |
| 1981 | -18.02 million tonnes | -42.1% |
| 1982 | 129.96 million tonnes | -821.3% |
| 1983 | 87.51 million tonnes | -32.7% |
| 1984 | 150.47 million tonnes | +71.9% |
| 1985 | 152.98 million tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1986 | 106.24 million tonnes | -30.6% |
| 1987 | 153.20 million tonnes | +44.2% |
| 1988 | 167.81 million tonnes | +9.5% |
| 1989 | 37.71 million tonnes | -77.5% |
| 1990 | 21.38 million tonnes | -43.3% |
| 1991 | 135.61 million tonnes | +534.1% |
| 1992 | 112.15 million tonnes | -17.3% |
| 1993 | 182.99 million tonnes | +63.2% |
| 1994 | 179.61 million tonnes | -1.9% |
| 1995 | 257.31 million tonnes | +43.3% |
| 1996 | 148.11 million tonnes | -42.4% |
| 1997 | 13.04 million tonnes | -91.2% |
| 1998 | -157.01 million tonnes | -1304.2% |
| 1999 | 194.61 million tonnes | -223.9% |
| 2000 | 93.86 million tonnes | -51.8% |
| 2001 | 80.30 million tonnes | -14.4% |
| 2002 | 374.07 million tonnes | +365.8% |
| 2003 | 737.07 million tonnes | +97.0% |
| 2004 | 375.71 million tonnes | -49.0% |
| 2005 | 671.03 million tonnes | +78.6% |
| 2006 | 604.19 million tonnes | -10.0% |
| 2007 | 488.48 million tonnes | -19.2% |
| 2008 | 517.74 million tonnes | +6.0% |
| 2009 | 389.09 million tonnes | -24.8% |
| 2010 | 728.56 million tonnes | +87.2% |
| 2011 | 910.11 million tonnes | +24.9% |
| 2012 | 247.16 million tonnes | -72.8% |
| 2013 | 175.06 million tonnes | -29.2% |
| 2014 | 33.66 million tonnes | -80.8% |
| 2015 | -117.99 million tonnes | -450.6% |
| 2016 | -109.86 million tonnes | -6.9% |
| 2017 | 251.84 million tonnes | -329.2% |
| 2018 | 346.78 million tonnes | +37.7% |
| 2019 | 366.73 million tonnes | +5.8% |
| 2020 | 183.00 million tonnes | -50.1% |
| 2021 | 387.88 million tonnes | +112.0% |
| 2022 | 427.41 million tonnes | +10.2% |
| 2023 | 460.20 million tonnes | +7.7% |
| 2024 | 117.03 million tonnes | -74.6% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 117.03 million tonnes is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 98,432 tonnes, 1188.9× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 117.03 million tonnes is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 35,881 tonnes, 3261.6× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Year-on-year change in CO₂ emissions in China 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1912 | -1906.0% | -378,932 tonnes | -7.60 million tonnes |
| 1998 | -1304.2% | 13.04 million tonnes | -157.01 million tonnes |
| 1965 | +927.8% | 3.86 million tonnes | 39.65 million tonnes |
| 1982 | +821.3% | -18.02 million tonnes | 129.96 million tonnes |
| 1949 | +789.2% | -3.44 million tonnes | 23.68 million tonnes |
| 1945 | -686.4% | -5.99 million tonnes | -47.11 million tonnes |
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
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 31.25 billion kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 604,831 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 191,478 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 413,353 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 722.56 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 14,763 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 342,069 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 200,605 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 141,464 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 757 kt (2050)
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.