Year-on-year change in CO₂ emissions in Zambia
Zambia: Year-on-year change in CO₂ emissions was 212,572 tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
212,572 tonnes
Change on year
down 76.2%
World rank
71st
of 215 countries
All-time high
1.59 million tonnes
in 2022
All-time low
-646,286 tonnes
in 1961
Years of data
74
1951–2024
Year-on-year change in CO₂ emissions in Zambia, 1951–2024
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 Zambia is 212,572 tonnes, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 76.2% on the previous year and down 75.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, year-on-year change in co₂ emissions in Zambia peaked at 1.59 million tonnes in 2022 and was at its lowest, -646,286 tonnes, in 1961.
That places Zambia 71st 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 Zambia, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 239,248 tonnes | — |
| 1952 | 320,912 tonnes | +34.1% |
| 1953 | 259,987 tonnes | -19.0% |
| 1954 | 313,491 tonnes | +20.6% |
| 1955 | 621,108 tonnes | +98.1% |
| 1956 | 368,455 tonnes | -40.7% |
| 1957 | 130,655 tonnes | -64.5% |
| 1958 | -489,144 tonnes | -474.4% |
| 1959 | 472,903 tonnes | -196.7% |
| 1960 | -212,544 tonnes | -144.9% |
| 1961 | -646,286 tonnes | +204.1% |
| 1962 | -126,281 tonnes | -80.5% |
| 1963 | -138,200 tonnes | +9.4% |
| 1964 | -169,499 tonnes | +22.6% |
| 1965 | 637,269 tonnes | -476.0% |
| 1966 | -414,032 tonnes | -165.0% |
| 1967 | 1.29 million tonnes | -411.4% |
| 1968 | -219,989 tonnes | -117.1% |
| 1969 | -296,755 tonnes | +34.9% |
| 1970 | -505,008 tonnes | +70.2% |
| 1971 | 24,234 tonnes | -104.8% |
| 1972 | 271,302 tonnes | +1019.5% |
| 1973 | 524,250 tonnes | +93.2% |
| 1974 | -388,504 tonnes | -174.1% |
| 1975 | -120,942 tonnes | -68.9% |
| 1976 | -56,827 tonnes | -53.0% |
| 1977 | -284,487 tonnes | +400.6% |
| 1978 | -264,032 tonnes | -7.2% |
| 1979 | 125,597 tonnes | -147.6% |
| 1980 | -73,208 tonnes | -158.3% |
| 1981 | -165,231 tonnes | +125.7% |
| 1982 | 152,750 tonnes | -192.4% |
| 1983 | -250,015 tonnes | -263.7% |
| 1984 | -456,325 tonnes | +82.5% |
| 1985 | -71,709 tonnes | -84.3% |
| 1986 | 132,840 tonnes | -285.2% |
| 1987 | -191,810 tonnes | -244.4% |
| 1988 | 435,260 tonnes | -326.9% |
| 1989 | -539,017 tonnes | -223.8% |
| 1990 | -162,892 tonnes | -69.8% |
| 1991 | -25,302 tonnes | -84.5% |
| 1992 | 42,882 tonnes | -269.5% |
| 1993 | 41,314 tonnes | -3.7% |
| 1994 | -72,749 tonnes | -276.1% |
| 1995 | -250,945 tonnes | +244.9% |
| 1996 | -304,318 tonnes | +21.3% |
| 1997 | 516,107 tonnes | -269.6% |
| 1998 | -75,644 tonnes | -114.7% |
| 1999 | -500,854 tonnes | +562.1% |
| 2000 | 6,509 tonnes | -101.3% |
| 2001 | 101,490 tonnes | +1459.2% |
| 2002 | 75,288 tonnes | -25.8% |
| 2003 | 113,522 tonnes | +50.8% |
| 2004 | 29,718 tonnes | -73.8% |
| 2005 | 138,412 tonnes | +365.8% |
| 2006 | -11,425 tonnes | -108.3% |
| 2007 | 66,441 tonnes | -681.5% |
| 2008 | 255,469 tonnes | +284.5% |
| 2009 | 386,856 tonnes | +51.4% |
| 2010 | 180,960 tonnes | -53.2% |
| 2011 | 258,320 tonnes | +42.7% |
| 2012 | 797,671 tonnes | +208.8% |
| 2013 | 249,713 tonnes | -68.7% |
| 2014 | 856,713 tonnes | +243.1% |
| 2015 | 239,227 tonnes | -72.1% |
| 2016 | 455,378 tonnes | +90.4% |
| 2017 | 1.48 million tonnes | +225.2% |
| 2018 | 1.20 million tonnes | -19.0% |
| 2019 | 188,534 tonnes | -84.3% |
| 2020 | 1.14 million tonnes | +506.9% |
| 2021 | -640,740 tonnes | -156.0% |
| 2022 | 1.59 million tonnes | -348.0% |
| 2023 | 891,817 tonnes | -43.9% |
| 2024 | 212,572 tonnes | -76.2% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 212,572 tonnes is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 105,942 tonnes, 2.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 212,572 tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 46,780 tonnes, 4.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Year-on-year change in CO₂ emissions in Zambia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | +1459.2% | 6,509 tonnes | 101,490 tonnes |
| 1972 | +1019.5% | 24,234 tonnes | 271,302 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 248,624 tonnes | -489,144 tonnes | 621,108 tonnes | 9 |
| 1960s | -29,692 tonnes | -646,286 tonnes | 1.29 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1970s | -67,442 tonnes | -505,008 tonnes | 524,250 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | -102,646 tonnes | -539,017 tonnes | 435,260 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | -79,240 tonnes | -500,854 tonnes | 516,107 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 116,228 tonnes | -11,425 tonnes | 386,856 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 590,645 tonnes | 180,960 tonnes | 1.48 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 639,392 tonnes | -640,740 tonnes | 1.59 million tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 68 New Caledonia 218,632 tonnes compare
- 69 Bahrain 216,764 tonnes compare
- 70 Botswana 212,922 tonnes compare
- 72 Nicaragua 202,047 tonnes compare
- 73 Mauritania 201,781 tonnes compare
- 74 Burkina Faso 199,222 tonnes compare
More climate change data for Zambia
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 303.19 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 7,547 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,795 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 4,752 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 10.55 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 169.71 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 2,153 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,033 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 120.21 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 7.67 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is year-on-year change in co₂ emissions in Zambia?
- Year-on-year change in co₂ emissions in Zambia was 212,572 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 1.59 million tonnes in 2022.
- What is the lowest year-on-year change in co₂ emissions recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was -646,286 tonnes in 1961.
- How does Zambia rank for year-on-year change in co₂ emissions?
- Zambia ranks 71st out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is year-on-year change in co₂ emissions rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 75.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia 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.