Annual percentage change in CO₂ emissions in China
China: Annual percentage change in CO₂ emissions was 1.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
1.0%
Change on year
down 75.5%
World rank
140th
of 215 countries
All-time high
105.1%
in 1958
All-time low
-45.7%
in 1945
Years of data
117
1908–2024
Annual percentage change in CO₂ emissions in China, 1908–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual percentage change in co₂ emissions in China is 1.0%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 75.5% on the previous year and up 184.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual percentage change in co₂ emissions in China peaked at 105.1% in 1958 and was at its lowest, -45.7%, in 1945.
China ranks 140th of 215 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 percentage change in CO₂ emissions in China, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1908 | 14.3% | — |
| 1909 | 6.7% | -53.3% |
| 1910 | 3.1% | -53.1% |
| 1911 | -1.5% | -148.5% |
| 1912 | -30.9% | +1936.8% |
| 1913 | 42.4% | -237.4% |
| 1914 | 10.2% | -76.0% |
| 1915 | -4.9% | -147.8% |
| 1916 | 18.5% | -481.4% |
| 1917 | 6.3% | -66.1% |
| 1918 | 8.5% | +35.4% |
| 1919 | 9.4% | +9.9% |
| 1920 | 6.0% | -35.8% |
| 1921 | -3.8% | -162.7% |
| 1922 | 3.1% | -182.9% |
| 1923 | 16.4% | +425.2% |
| 1924 | 5.0% | -69.4% |
| 1925 | -5.9% | -218.2% |
| 1926 | -5.0% | -15.6% |
| 1927 | 4.9% | -198.5% |
| 1928 | 3.9% | -20.9% |
| 1929 | 1.5% | -62.7% |
| 1930 | 2.6% | +82.3% |
| 1931 | 4.7% | +79.0% |
| 1932 | -3.2% | -166.6% |
| 1933 | 7.6% | -342.6% |
| 1934 | 15.3% | +100.0% |
| 1935 | 16.5% | +7.6% |
| 1936 | 3.9% | -76.3% |
| 1937 | -6.0% | -253.3% |
| 1938 | -13.5% | +126.5% |
| 1939 | 21.3% | -257.3% |
| 1940 | 22.0% | +3.3% |
| 1941 | 25.5% | +16.2% |
| 1942 | 12.0% | -53.2% |
| 1943 | -14.6% | -222.0% |
| 1944 | -5.5% | -62.3% |
| 1945 | -45.7% | +732.1% |
| 1946 | -35.4% | -22.6% |
| 1947 | 15.9% | -144.8% |
| 1948 | -8.2% | -151.8% |
| 1949 | 61.7% | -850.9% |
| 1950 | 27.0% | -56.2% |
| 1951 | 29.5% | +9.4% |
| 1952 | 25.4% | -14.1% |
| 1953 | 4.5% | -82.2% |
| 1954 | 20.3% | +348.2% |
| 1955 | 18.4% | -9.0% |
| 1956 | 13.3% | -27.9% |
| 1957 | 18.5% | +39.4% |
| 1958 | 105.1% | +467.6% |
| 1959 | 37.3% | -64.5% |
| 1960 | 10.9% | -70.7% |
| 1961 | -28.6% | -361.6% |
| 1962 | -19.5% | -31.9% |
| 1963 | -0.6% | -96.8% |
| 1964 | 0.8% | -236.7% |
| 1965 | 8.6% | +919.2% |
| 1966 | 9.8% | +14.2% |
| 1967 | -16.2% | -265.2% |
| 1968 | 7.7% | -147.2% |
| 1969 | 22.6% | +195.3% |
| 1970 | 33.0% | +45.6% |
| 1971 | 12.5% | -62.0% |
| 1972 | 6.5% | -47.8% |
| 1973 | 4.1% | -37.4% |
| 1974 | 2.0% | -52.0% |
| 1975 | 15.1% | +668.4% |
| 1976 | 3.7% | -75.8% |
| 1977 | 9.3% | +155.5% |
| 1978 | 11.3% | +21.4% |
| 1979 | 2.2% | -80.5% |
| 1980 | -2.0% | -192.5% |
| 1981 | -1.2% | -40.9% |
| 1982 | 8.8% | -830.1% |
| 1983 | 5.4% | -38.1% |
| 1984 | 8.9% | +63.1% |
| 1985 | 8.3% | -6.6% |
| 1986 | 5.3% | -35.9% |
| 1987 | 7.3% | +36.9% |
| 1988 | 7.4% | +2.1% |
| 1989 | 1.6% | -79.1% |
| 1990 | 0.9% | -44.2% |
| 1991 | 5.5% | +528.7% |
| 1992 | 4.3% | -21.6% |
| 1993 | 6.7% | +56.5% |
| 1994 | 6.2% | -8.0% |
| 1995 | 8.3% | +34.9% |
| 1996 | 4.4% | -46.9% |
| 1997 | 0.4% | -91.6% |
| 1998 | -4.5% | -1299.7% |
| 1999 | 5.8% | -229.7% |
| 2000 | 2.6% | -54.4% |
| 2001 | 2.2% | -16.6% |
| 2002 | 10.0% | +355.8% |
| 2003 | 18.0% | +79.1% |
| 2004 | 7.8% | -56.8% |
| 2005 | 12.9% | +65.7% |
| 2006 | 10.3% | -20.2% |
| 2007 | 7.5% | -26.7% |
| 2008 | 7.4% | -1.4% |
| 2009 | 5.2% | -30.0% |
| 2010 | 9.2% | +78.0% |
| 2011 | 10.6% | +14.3% |
| 2012 | 2.6% | -75.4% |
| 2013 | 1.8% | -31.0% |
| 2014 | 0.3% | -81.1% |
| 2015 | -1.2% | -449.4% |
| 2016 | -1.1% | -5.8% |
| 2017 | 2.6% | -331.8% |
| 2018 | 3.5% | +34.2% |
| 2019 | 3.5% | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 1.7% | -51.8% |
| 2021 | 3.6% | +108.4% |
| 2022 | 3.8% | +6.4% |
| 2023 | 3.9% | +3.7% |
| 2024 | 1.0% | -75.5% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 1.0% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 2.7%, 35% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 1.0% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 4.6%, 21% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual percentage change in CO₂ emissions in China 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1912 | -1936.8% | -1.5% | -30.9% |
| 1998 | -1299.7% | 0.4% | -4.5% |
| 1965 | +919.2% | 0.8% | 8.6% |
| 1949 | +850.9% | -8.2% | 61.7% |
| 1982 | +830.1% | -1.2% | 8.8% |
| 1945 | -732.1% | -5.5% | -45.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 10.5% | 6.7% | 14.3% | 2 |
| 1910s | 6.1% | -30.9% | 42.4% | 10 |
| 1920s | 2.6% | -5.9% | 16.4% | 10 |
| 1930s | 4.9% | -13.5% | 21.3% | 10 |
| 1940s | 2.8% | -45.7% | 61.7% | 10 |
| 1950s | 29.9% | 4.5% | 105.1% | 10 |
| 1960s | -0.4% | -28.6% | 22.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 10.0% | 2.0% | 33.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.0% | -2.0% | 8.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.8% | -4.5% | 8.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.4% | 2.2% | 18.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.2% | -1.2% | 10.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.8% | 1.0% | 3.9% | 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 annual percentage change in co₂ emissions in China?
- Annual percentage change in co₂ emissions in China was 1.0% in 2024, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual percentage change in co₂ emissions recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 105.1% in 1958.
- What is the lowest annual percentage change in co₂ emissions recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was -45.7% in 1945.
- How does China rank for annual percentage change in co₂ emissions?
- China ranks 140th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is annual percentage change in co₂ emissions rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 184.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual percentage change in CO₂ emissions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 117 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual percentage growth in total emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), excluding land-use change.