Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires in Ghana
Ghana: Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires was 68,896 tonnes in 2026. ▼ Falling
Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires in Ghana, 2003–2026
Source: Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
In 2026, annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires in Ghana stood at 68,896 tonnes. That is the lowest value across all 24 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 23.2% on the previous year and down 62.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires in Ghana peaked at 256,445 tonnes in 2003 and was at its lowest, 68,896 tonnes, in 2026.
Ghana ranks 34th of 248 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires in Ghana, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 256,445 tonnes | — |
| 2004 | 192,949 tonnes | -24.8% |
| 2005 | 243,761 tonnes | +26.3% |
| 2006 | 210,366 tonnes | -13.7% |
| 2007 | 198,930 tonnes | -5.4% |
| 2008 | 223,215 tonnes | +12.2% |
| 2009 | 212,150 tonnes | -5.0% |
| 2010 | 198,753 tonnes | -6.3% |
| 2011 | 247,695 tonnes | +24.6% |
| 2012 | 164,341 tonnes | -33.7% |
| 2013 | 197,451 tonnes | +20.1% |
| 2014 | 166,560 tonnes | -15.6% |
| 2015 | 199,740 tonnes | +19.9% |
| 2016 | 185,547 tonnes | -7.1% |
| 2017 | 168,852 tonnes | -9.0% |
| 2018 | 150,102 tonnes | -11.1% |
| 2019 | 148,735 tonnes | -0.9% |
| 2020 | 174,635 tonnes | +17.4% |
| 2021 | 107,738 tonnes | -38.3% |
| 2022 | 153,739 tonnes | +42.7% |
| 2023 | 101,177 tonnes | -34.2% |
| 2024 | 132,503 tonnes | +31.0% |
| 2025 | 89,663 tonnes | -32.3% |
| 2026 | 68,896 tonnes | -23.2% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 68,896 tonnes is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 12,315 tonnes, 5.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 68,896 tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 30,647 tonnes, 2.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 219,688 tonnes | 192,949 tonnes | 256,445 tonnes | 7 |
| 2010s | 182,778 tonnes | 148,735 tonnes | 247,695 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 118,336 tonnes | 68,896 tonnes | 174,635 tonnes | 7 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
More climate change data for Ghana
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 63.84 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 6,671 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,693 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 3,979 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 10.16 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 142.09 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 1,417 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 670.16 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 746.8 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 2.53 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires in Ghana?
- Annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires in Ghana was 68,896 tonnes in 2026, according to Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 256,445 tonnes in 2003.
- What is the lowest annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 68,896 tonnes in 2026.
- How does Ghana rank for annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires?
- Ghana ranks 34th out of 248 countries with data for 2026.
- Is annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 62.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ghana 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 PM2.5 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
PM2.5 emissions represent the quantity of fine particulate matter (diameter less than 2.5 micrometers) released by wildfires, in tonnes. The 2026 data is incomplete and was last updated 18 September 2026.