Carbon intensity vs gdp in China
China: Carbon intensity vs gdp was 278.62 in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
278.62
Change on year
down 2.0%
World rank
23rd
of 204 countries
All-time high
349.06
in 1970
All-time low
278.62
in 2024
Years of data
60
1965–2024
Carbon intensity vs gdp in China, 1965–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2024, carbon intensity vs gdp in China stood at 278.62. That is the lowest value across all 60 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.0% on the previous year and down 8.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, carbon intensity vs gdp in China peaked at 349.06 in 1970 and was at its lowest, 278.62, in 2024.
That places China 23rd out of 204 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 60 years of available data.
Carbon intensity vs gdp in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 335.1 | — |
| 1966 | 338.07 | +0.9% |
| 1967 | 314.55 | -7.0% |
| 1968 | 336.64 | +7.0% |
| 1969 | 337.67 | +0.3% |
| 1970 | 349.06 | +3.4% |
| 1971 | 331.44 | -5.0% |
| 1972 | 327.87 | -1.1% |
| 1973 | 323.7 | -1.3% |
| 1974 | 320.75 | -0.9% |
| 1975 | 329.1 | +2.6% |
| 1976 | 323.71 | -1.6% |
| 1977 | 324.25 | +0.2% |
| 1978 | 328.21 | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 326.17 | -0.6% |
| 1980 | 317.02 | -2.8% |
| 1981 | 318.46 | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 332.47 | +4.4% |
| 1983 | 330.26 | -0.7% |
| 1984 | 334.38 | +1.2% |
| 1985 | 334.56 | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 336.06 | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 334.09 | -0.6% |
| 1988 | 334.25 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 323.77 | -3.1% |
| 1990 | 322.93 | -0.3% |
| 1991 | 323.59 | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 320.63 | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 318.11 | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 318.17 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 335.75 | +5.5% |
| 1996 | 331.92 | -1.1% |
| 1997 | 331.34 | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 316.13 | -4.6% |
| 1999 | 322.62 | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 320.55 | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 312.03 | -2.7% |
| 2002 | 314.46 | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 316.26 | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 291.85 | -7.7% |
| 2005 | 289.77 | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 291.47 | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 288.55 | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 301.32 | +4.4% |
| 2009 | 302.81 | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 310.76 | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 317.35 | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 315.58 | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 310.28 | -1.7% |
| 2014 | 305.87 | -1.4% |
| 2015 | 299.72 | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 296.55 | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 293.69 | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 290.73 | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 292.1 | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 289.61 | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 284.57 | -1.7% |
| 2022 | 290.59 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | 284.39 | -2.1% |
| 2024 | 278.62 | -2.0% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 278.62 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 219.89, 1.3× the median. (56 countries reporting)
- China's 278.62 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 214.52, 1.3× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 332.41 | 314.55 | 338.07 | 5 |
| 1970s | 328.43 | 320.75 | 349.06 | 10 |
| 1980s | 329.53 | 317.02 | 336.06 | 10 |
| 1990s | 324.12 | 316.13 | 335.75 | 10 |
| 2000s | 302.91 | 288.55 | 320.55 | 10 |
| 2010s | 303.26 | 290.73 | 317.35 | 10 |
| 2020s | 285.56 | 278.62 | 290.59 | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
More climate change data for China
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 31.25 billion kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 604,831 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 191,478 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 413,353 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 722.56 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 14,763 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 342,069 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 200,605 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 141,464 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 757 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is carbon intensity vs gdp in China?
- Carbon intensity vs gdp in China was 278.62 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest carbon intensity vs gdp recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 349.06 in 1970.
- What is the lowest carbon intensity vs gdp recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 278.62 in 2024.
- How does China rank for carbon intensity vs gdp?
- China ranks 23rd out of 204 countries with data for 2024.
- Is carbon intensity vs gdp rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Carbon intensity vs gdp. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 60 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).