Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires in Pakistan
Pakistan: Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires was 12,058 tonnes in 2026. ▲ Rising
Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires in Pakistan, 2003–2026
Source: Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires in Pakistan is 12,058 tonnes, measured in 2026.
That represents a change of down 27.3% on the previous year and down 25.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires in Pakistan peaked at 30,312 tonnes in 2021 and was at its lowest, 9,806 tonnes, in 2003.
That places Pakistan 72nd out of 248 countries with data for 2026, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 9,806 tonnes | — |
| 2004 | 11,426 tonnes | +16.5% |
| 2005 | 10,648 tonnes | -6.8% |
| 2006 | 9,928 tonnes | -6.8% |
| 2007 | 10,964 tonnes | +10.4% |
| 2008 | 17,175 tonnes | +56.7% |
| 2009 | 13,934 tonnes | -18.9% |
| 2010 | 12,951 tonnes | -7.1% |
| 2011 | 12,759 tonnes | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 18,727 tonnes | +46.8% |
| 2013 | 13,795 tonnes | -26.3% |
| 2014 | 15,111 tonnes | +9.5% |
| 2015 | 13,371 tonnes | -11.5% |
| 2016 | 16,155 tonnes | +20.8% |
| 2017 | 28,006 tonnes | +73.4% |
| 2018 | 24,373 tonnes | -13.0% |
| 2019 | 26,264 tonnes | +7.8% |
| 2020 | 24,809 tonnes | -5.5% |
| 2021 | 30,312 tonnes | +22.2% |
| 2022 | 21,910 tonnes | -27.7% |
| 2023 | 20,156 tonnes | -8.0% |
| 2024 | 20,543 tonnes | +1.9% |
| 2025 | 16,582 tonnes | -19.3% |
| 2026 | 12,058 tonnes | -27.3% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 12,058 tonnes is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 12,315 tonnes, 98% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Pakistan's 12,058 tonnes is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1,273 tonnes, 9.5× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 11,983 tonnes | 9,806 tonnes | 17,175 tonnes | 7 |
| 2010s | 18,151 tonnes | 12,759 tonnes | 28,006 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 20,910 tonnes | 12,058 tonnes | 30,312 tonnes | 7 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
- 69 Kenya 12,790 tonnes compare
- 70 Uzbekistan 12,315 tonnes compare
- 71 Guinea-Bissau 12,062 tonnes compare
- 73 Bangladesh 12,031 tonnes compare
- 74 Mongolia 11,835 tonnes compare
- 75 Togo 11,665 tonnes compare
More climate change data for Pakistan
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 6.32 billion kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 170,790 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 34,017 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 136,773 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 128.37 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 4,885 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 48,684 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 37,808 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 10,876 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 142.67 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires in Pakistan?
- Annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires in Pakistan was 12,058 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 Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 30,312 tonnes in 2021.
- What is the lowest annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 9,806 tonnes in 2003.
- How does Pakistan rank for annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires?
- Pakistan ranks 72nd out of 248 countries with data for 2026.
- Is annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Pakistan 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.