Annual CO₂ emissions from coal in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Annual CO₂ emissions from coal was 6.23 million tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
6.23 million tonnes
Change on year
up 18.0%
World rank
54th
of 179 countries
All-time high
7.09 million tonnes
in 2020
All-time low
0 tonnes
in 1987
Years of data
75
1950–2024
Annual CO₂ emissions from coal in Sri Lanka, 1950–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual co₂ emissions from coal in Sri Lanka is 6.23 million tonnes, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 18.0% on the previous year and up 60.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual co₂ emissions from coal in Sri Lanka peaked at 7.09 million tonnes in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0 tonnes, in 1987.
Sri Lanka ranks 54th of 179 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual CO₂ emissions from coal in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 995,185 tonnes | — |
| 1951 | 641,200 tonnes | -35.6% |
| 1952 | 1.00 million tonnes | +56.3% |
| 1953 | 1.03 million tonnes | +3.1% |
| 1954 | 769,440 tonnes | -25.5% |
| 1955 | 508,177 tonnes | -34.0% |
| 1956 | 395,712 tonnes | -22.1% |
| 1957 | 752,308 tonnes | +90.1% |
| 1958 | 471,769 tonnes | -37.3% |
| 1959 | 469,829 tonnes | -0.4% |
| 1960 | 688,832 tonnes | +46.6% |
| 1961 | 373,728 tonnes | -45.7% |
| 1962 | 377,392 tonnes | +1.0% |
| 1963 | 388,384 tonnes | +2.9% |
| 1964 | 468,992 tonnes | +20.8% |
| 1965 | 370,064 tonnes | -21.1% |
| 1966 | 84,272 tonnes | -77.2% |
| 1967 | 370,064 tonnes | +339.1% |
| 1968 | 113,584 tonnes | -69.3% |
| 1969 | 62,288 tonnes | -45.2% |
| 1970 | 58,624 tonnes | -5.9% |
| 1971 | 36,640 tonnes | -37.5% |
| 1972 | 3,664 tonnes | -90.0% |
| 1973 | 21,962 tonnes | +499.4% |
| 1974 | 21,957 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1975 | 10,992 tonnes | -49.9% |
| 1976 | 10,992 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 3,659 tonnes | -66.7% |
| 1978 | 29,312 tonnes | +701.1% |
| 1979 | 3,664 tonnes | -87.5% |
| 1980 | 3,664 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 3,667 tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 87,936 tonnes | +2298.0% |
| 1983 | 76,944 tonnes | -12.5% |
| 1984 | 7,328 tonnes | -90.5% |
| 1985 | 7,328 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 3,664 tonnes | -50.0% |
| 1987 | 0 tonnes | -100.0% |
| 1988 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1989 | 3,664 tonnes | — |
| 1990 | 3,661 tonnes | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 7,328 tonnes | +100.2% |
| 1992 | 3,664 tonnes | -50.0% |
| 1993 | 3,664 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 7,328 tonnes | +100.0% |
| 1995 | 3,664 tonnes | -50.0% |
| 1996 | 3,666 tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 7,328 tonnes | +99.9% |
| 1998 | 3,664 tonnes | -50.0% |
| 1999 | 3,666 tonnes | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 3,665 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 3,664 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 2002 | 3,664 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 230,832 tonnes | +6200.0% |
| 2004 | 230,832 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 230,832 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 227,168 tonnes | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 161,264 tonnes | -29.0% |
| 2008 | 219,840 tonnes | +36.3% |
| 2009 | 223,441 tonnes | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 227,168 tonnes | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 1.13 million tonnes | +398.5% |
| 2012 | 1.92 million tonnes | +69.5% |
| 2013 | 2.02 million tonnes | +5.2% |
| 2014 | 3.88 million tonnes | +92.0% |
| 2015 | 5.22 million tonnes | +34.6% |
| 2016 | 5.52 million tonnes | +5.9% |
| 2017 | 5.72 million tonnes | +3.6% |
| 2018 | 5.53 million tonnes | -3.4% |
| 2019 | 5.90 million tonnes | +6.7% |
| 2020 | 7.09 million tonnes | +20.2% |
| 2021 | 6.18 million tonnes | -12.8% |
| 2022 | 5.88 million tonnes | -4.9% |
| 2023 | 5.28 million tonnes | -10.2% |
| 2024 | 6.23 million tonnes | +18.0% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 6.23 million tonnes is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 2.03 million tonnes, 3.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 6.23 million tonnes is below the median for South Asia, which is 8.00 million tonnes, 78% of the median. (5 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual CO₂ emissions from coal in Sri Lanka 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | +6200.0% | 3,664 tonnes | 230,832 tonnes |
| 1982 | +2298.0% | 3,667 tonnes | 87,936 tonnes |
| 1978 | +701.1% | 3,659 tonnes | 29,312 tonnes |
| 1973 | +499.4% | 3,664 tonnes | 21,962 tonnes |
| 2011 | +398.5% | 227,168 tonnes | 1.13 million tonnes |
| 1967 | +339.1% | 84,272 tonnes | 370,064 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 703,891 tonnes | 395,712 tonnes | 1.03 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1960s | 329,760 tonnes | 62,288 tonnes | 688,832 tonnes | 10 |
| 1970s | 20,147 tonnes | 3,659 tonnes | 58,624 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 19,420 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 87,936 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 4,763 tonnes | 3,661 tonnes | 7,328 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 153,520 tonnes | 3,664 tonnes | 230,832 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.71 million tonnes | 227,168 tonnes | 5.90 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.13 million tonnes | 5.28 million tonnes | 7.09 million tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More climate change data for Sri Lanka
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 327.09 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 3,418 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 618.46 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,800 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 2.33 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 100 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 4,168 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,071 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,097 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 7.82 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual co₂ emissions from coal in Sri Lanka?
- Annual co₂ emissions from coal in Sri Lanka was 6.23 million tonnes in 2024, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual co₂ emissions from coal recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 7.09 million tonnes in 2020.
- What is the lowest annual co₂ emissions from coal recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 tonnes in 1987.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for annual co₂ emissions from coal?
- Sri Lanka ranks 54th out of 179 countries with data for 2024.
- Is annual co₂ emissions from coal rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 60.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual CO₂ emissions from coal. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 75 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from coal, measured in tonnes.