Carbon intensity vs. GDP per capita in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Carbon intensity vs. GDP per capita was 176.71 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
176.71 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour
Change on year
up 2.3%
World rank
156th
of 204 countries
All-time high
269.3 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour
in 1965
All-time low
166.82 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour
in 2022
Years of data
60
1965–2024
Carbon intensity vs. GDP per capita in United Kingdom, 1965–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 176.71 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour for carbon intensity vs. gdp per capita in 2024.
The figure is up 2.3% on the previous year and down 11.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, carbon intensity vs. gdp per capita in United Kingdom peaked at 269.3 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour in 1965 and was at its lowest, 166.82 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour, in 2022.
United Kingdom ranks 156th of 204 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 60 years of available data.
Carbon intensity vs. GDP per capita in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 269.3 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | — |
| 1966 | 266.12 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.2% |
| 1967 | 254.85 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -4.2% |
| 1968 | 251.74 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.2% |
| 1969 | 251.56 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.1% |
| 1970 | 256.2 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +1.8% |
| 1971 | 263.89 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +3.0% |
| 1972 | 255.16 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -3.3% |
| 1973 | 247.5 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -3.0% |
| 1974 | 243.78 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.5% |
| 1975 | 252.77 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +3.7% |
| 1976 | 245.76 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -2.8% |
| 1977 | 243.41 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.0% |
| 1978 | 242.24 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.5% |
| 1979 | 246.66 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +1.8% |
| 1980 | 243.24 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.4% |
| 1981 | 242.26 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.4% |
| 1982 | 239.95 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.0% |
| 1983 | 237.66 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.0% |
| 1984 | 230.55 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -3.0% |
| 1985 | 233.69 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +1.4% |
| 1986 | 231.21 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.1% |
| 1987 | 232.81 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 229.18 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.6% |
| 1989 | 233.26 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +1.8% |
| 1990 | 239.73 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +2.8% |
| 1991 | 237.51 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.9% |
| 1992 | 232.93 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.9% |
| 1993 | 224.4 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -3.7% |
| 1994 | 225.11 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 221.19 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.7% |
| 1996 | 218.4 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.3% |
| 1997 | 213.25 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -2.4% |
| 1998 | 213.85 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 212.35 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 213.28 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 214.03 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 212.34 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 213.2 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 212.55 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 209.71 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 211.63 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 214.91 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 213.48 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 204.79 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -4.1% |
| 2010 | 207.67 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 203.15 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -2.2% |
| 2012 | 206.95 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 202.66 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 198.82 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.9% |
| 2015 | 190.45 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -4.2% |
| 2016 | 182.69 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -4.1% |
| 2017 | 178.66 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -2.2% |
| 2018 | 176.63 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 175.4 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 176.58 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 182.67 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +3.4% |
| 2022 | 166.82 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -8.7% |
| 2023 | 172.82 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +3.6% |
| 2024 | 176.71 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +2.3% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 176.71 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour is below the median for high income countries, which is 184.8 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour, 96% of the median. (69 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 176.71 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 189.51 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour, 93% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 258.72 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 251.56 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 269.3 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 5 |
| 1970s | 249.74 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 242.24 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 263.89 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 10 |
| 1980s | 235.38 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 229.18 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 243.24 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 10 |
| 1990s | 223.87 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 212.35 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 239.73 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 10 |
| 2000s | 211.99 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 204.79 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 214.91 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 10 |
| 2010s | 192.31 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 175.4 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 207.67 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 10 |
| 2020s | 175.12 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 166.82 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 182.67 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 153 Cote d'Ivoire 177.77 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
- 154 Costa Rica 177.38 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
- 155 Palestine 176.78 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
- 157 Belarus 174.93 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
- 158 Albania 173.66 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
- 159 Democratic Republic of Congo 172.92 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
More climate change data for United Kingdom
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 37,706 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 8,697 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 29,008 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 32.82 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 1,036 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 7,083 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 7,027 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 55.89 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 26.52 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 2 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is carbon intensity vs. gdp per capita in United Kingdom?
- Carbon intensity vs. gdp per capita in United Kingdom was 176.71 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour in 2024, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest carbon intensity vs. gdp per capita recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 269.3 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour in 1965.
- What is the lowest carbon intensity vs. gdp per capita recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 166.82 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour in 2022.
- How does United Kingdom rank for carbon intensity vs. gdp per capita?
- United Kingdom ranks 156th out of 204 countries with data for 2024.
- Is carbon intensity vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Carbon intensity vs. GDP per capita. 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).
About this data
Fossil carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions per unit of total energy supply, measured in grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour.