Year-on-year change in CO₂ emissions in Rwanda
Rwanda: Year-on-year change in CO₂ emissions was 17,535 tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
17,535 tonnes
Change on year
down 70.2%
World rank
125th
of 215 countries
All-time high
304,738 tonnes
in 2021
All-time low
-160,383 tonnes
in 1990
Years of data
74
1951–2024
Year-on-year change in CO₂ emissions in Rwanda, 1951–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Rwanda recorded 17,535 tonnes for year-on-year change in co₂ emissions in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 70.2% on the previous year and down 65.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, year-on-year change in co₂ emissions in Rwanda peaked at 304,738 tonnes in 2021 and was at its lowest, -160,383 tonnes, in 1990.
That places Rwanda 125th 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 Rwanda, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1952 | 14,447 tonnes | — |
| 1953 | -2,408 tonnes | -116.7% |
| 1954 | -16,854 tonnes | +599.9% |
| 1955 | 2,408 tonnes | -114.3% |
| 1956 | 2,407 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1957 | 2,408 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 0 tonnes | -100.0% |
| 1959 | 55,379 tonnes | — |
| 1960 | -4,816 tonnes | -108.7% |
| 1961 | 21,670 tonnes | -550.0% |
| 1962 | -7,223 tonnes | -133.3% |
| 1963 | 0 tonnes | -100.0% |
| 1964 | -47,632 tonnes | — |
| 1965 | 10,992 tonnes | -123.1% |
| 1966 | -3,664 tonnes | -133.3% |
| 1967 | -3,664 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1968 | 14,656 tonnes | -500.0% |
| 1969 | 3,664 tonnes | -75.0% |
| 1970 | 0 tonnes | -100.0% |
| 1971 | 3,664 tonnes | — |
| 1972 | 3,664 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 3,664 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 3,664 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 102,592 tonnes | +2700.0% |
| 1976 | 91,600 tonnes | -10.7% |
| 1977 | 0 tonnes | -100.0% |
| 1978 | 21,984 tonnes | — |
| 1979 | 7,328 tonnes | -66.7% |
| 1980 | 197,856 tonnes | +2600.0% |
| 1981 | 106,256 tonnes | -46.3% |
| 1982 | 7,328 tonnes | -93.1% |
| 1983 | 87,936 tonnes | +1100.0% |
| 1984 | -62,288 tonnes | -170.8% |
| 1985 | -18,320 tonnes | -70.6% |
| 1986 | -18,320 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1987 | 14,187 tonnes | -177.4% |
| 1988 | 80,888 tonnes | +470.2% |
| 1989 | -8,060 tonnes | -110.0% |
| 1990 | -160,383 tonnes | +1889.9% |
| 1991 | -51,728 tonnes | -67.7% |
| 1992 | 7,350 tonnes | -114.2% |
| 1993 | 3,459 tonnes | -52.9% |
| 1994 | -20,822 tonnes | -702.0% |
| 1995 | -11,026 tonnes | -47.0% |
| 1996 | 12,942 tonnes | -217.4% |
| 1997 | 18,489 tonnes | +42.9% |
| 1998 | -1,006 tonnes | -105.4% |
| 1999 | 20,885 tonnes | -2176.0% |
| 2000 | 12,726 tonnes | -39.1% |
| 2001 | 3,862 tonnes | -69.7% |
| 2002 | -7,452 tonnes | -293.0% |
| 2003 | -6,107 tonnes | -18.0% |
| 2004 | 10,324 tonnes | -269.1% |
| 2005 | -1,852 tonnes | -117.9% |
| 2006 | 197.94 tonnes | -110.7% |
| 2007 | 28,071 tonnes | +14081.7% |
| 2008 | -10,694 tonnes | -138.1% |
| 2009 | 23,352 tonnes | -318.4% |
| 2010 | 26,142 tonnes | +11.9% |
| 2011 | 62,379 tonnes | +138.6% |
| 2012 | 75,110 tonnes | +20.4% |
| 2013 | 60,380 tonnes | -19.6% |
| 2014 | 50,958 tonnes | -15.6% |
| 2015 | 136,978 tonnes | +168.8% |
| 2016 | 85,215 tonnes | -37.8% |
| 2017 | 117,727 tonnes | +38.2% |
| 2018 | 143,351 tonnes | +21.8% |
| 2019 | 100,417 tonnes | -30.0% |
| 2020 | -19,181 tonnes | -119.1% |
| 2021 | 304,738 tonnes | -1688.7% |
| 2022 | 258,177 tonnes | -15.3% |
| 2023 | 58,789 tonnes | -77.2% |
| 2024 | 17,535 tonnes | -70.2% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 17,535 tonnes is below the median for low income countries, which is 29,261 tonnes, 60% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 17,535 tonnes is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 46,780 tonnes, 37% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Year-on-year change in CO₂ emissions in Rwanda 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | +14081.7% | 197.94 tonnes | 28,071 tonnes |
| 1975 | +2700.0% | 3,664 tonnes | 102,592 tonnes |
| 1980 | +2600.0% | 7,328 tonnes | 197,856 tonnes |
| 1999 | +2176.0% | -1,006 tonnes | 20,885 tonnes |
| 1990 | -1889.9% | -8,060 tonnes | -160,383 tonnes |
| 2021 | +1688.7% | -19,181 tonnes | 304,738 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 6,421 tonnes | -16,854 tonnes | 55,379 tonnes | 9 |
| 1960s | -1,602 tonnes | -47,632 tonnes | 21,670 tonnes | 10 |
| 1970s | 23,816 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 102,592 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 38,746 tonnes | -62,288 tonnes | 197,856 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | -18,184 tonnes | -160,383 tonnes | 20,885 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 5,243 tonnes | -10,694 tonnes | 28,071 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 85,866 tonnes | 26,142 tonnes | 143,351 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 124,012 tonnes | -19,181 tonnes | 304,738 tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
- 122 Cape Verde 22,293 tonnes compare
- 123 Bermuda 20,348 tonnes compare
- 124 Saint Lucia 19,863 tonnes compare
- 126 Burundi 15,948 tonnes compare
- 127 Eswatini 15,031 tonnes compare
- 128 Turks and Caicos Islands 14,015 tonnes compare
More climate change data for Rwanda
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 14.59 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 4,059 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,586 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,473 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 5.98 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 88.33 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 388.82 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 261.95 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 126.86 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.9885 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is year-on-year change in co₂ emissions in Rwanda?
- Year-on-year change in co₂ emissions in Rwanda was 17,535 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 Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 304,738 tonnes in 2021.
- What is the lowest year-on-year change in co₂ emissions recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was -160,383 tonnes in 1990.
- How does Rwanda rank for year-on-year change in co₂ emissions?
- Rwanda ranks 125th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is year-on-year change in co₂ emissions rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 65.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Rwanda 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 — 74 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.