Annual CO₂ emissions from wildfires in Iraq
Iraq: Annual CO₂ emissions from wildfires was 13.26 million tonnes in 2026. ◆ Volatile
Annual CO₂ emissions from wildfires in Iraq, 2003–2026
Source: Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
In 2026, annual co₂ emissions from wildfires in Iraq stood at 13.26 million tonnes.
The figure is down 36.1% on the previous year and down 39.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual co₂ emissions from wildfires in Iraq peaked at 24.13 million tonnes in 2019 and was at its lowest, 1.17 million tonnes, in 2005.
Iraq ranks 44th of 248 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual CO₂ emissions from wildfires in Iraq, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 2.15 million tonnes | — |
| 2004 | 2.21 million tonnes | +2.8% |
| 2005 | 1.17 million tonnes | -47.0% |
| 2006 | 1.70 million tonnes | +44.7% |
| 2007 | 1.63 million tonnes | -3.7% |
| 2008 | 4.42 million tonnes | +170.6% |
| 2009 | 6.43 million tonnes | +45.6% |
| 2010 | 4.58 million tonnes | -28.8% |
| 2011 | 4.82 million tonnes | +5.3% |
| 2012 | 6.99 million tonnes | +44.9% |
| 2013 | 7.71 million tonnes | +10.3% |
| 2014 | 13.84 million tonnes | +79.5% |
| 2015 | 22.31 million tonnes | +61.2% |
| 2016 | 22.07 million tonnes | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 20.39 million tonnes | -7.6% |
| 2018 | 16.98 million tonnes | -16.7% |
| 2019 | 24.13 million tonnes | +42.1% |
| 2020 | 15.15 million tonnes | -37.2% |
| 2021 | 13.23 million tonnes | -12.6% |
| 2022 | 15.21 million tonnes | +15.0% |
| 2023 | 14.26 million tonnes | -6.3% |
| 2024 | 16.40 million tonnes | +15.0% |
| 2025 | 20.75 million tonnes | +26.5% |
| 2026 | 13.26 million tonnes | -36.1% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 13.26 million tonnes is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.27 million tonnes, 10.4× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 13.26 million tonnes is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 380,717 tonnes, 34.8× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2.82 million tonnes | 1.17 million tonnes | 6.43 million tonnes | 7 |
| 2010s | 14.38 million tonnes | 4.58 million tonnes | 24.13 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.47 million tonnes | 13.23 million tonnes | 20.75 million tonnes | 7 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
More climate change data for Iraq
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 672.48 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 10,634 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 3,750 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 6,884 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 14.15 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 245.84 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 5,859 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 4,294 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 1,565 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 16.21 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual co₂ emissions from wildfires in Iraq?
- Annual co₂ emissions from wildfires in Iraq was 13.26 million tonnes in 2026, according to Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual co₂ emissions from wildfires recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 24.13 million tonnes in 2019.
- What is the lowest annual co₂ emissions from wildfires recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.17 million tonnes in 2005.
- How does Iraq rank for annual co₂ emissions from wildfires?
- Iraq ranks 44th out of 248 countries with data for 2026.
- Is annual co₂ emissions from wildfires rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is down 39.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iraq data come from?
- The figures come from Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual CO₂ emissions from wildfires. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Carbon dioxide released by wildfires in tonnes. The 2026 data is incomplete and was last updated 18 September 2026.