Annual percentage change in CO₂ emissions in Iceland
Iceland: Annual percentage change in CO₂ emissions was 8.4% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Annual percentage change in CO₂ emissions in Iceland, 1937–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Iceland recorded 8.4% for annual percentage change in co₂ emissions in 2024.
The figure is up 437.9% on the previous year and up 773.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual percentage change in co₂ emissions in Iceland peaked at 20.5% in 1952 and was at its lowest, -20.7%, in 1969.
Iceland ranks 6th of 215 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual percentage change in CO₂ emissions in Iceland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1937 | -16.7% | — |
| 1941 | -3.0% | -82.0% |
| 1942 | 6.1% | -304.0% |
| 1943 | 7.9% | +28.5% |
| 1944 | -4.0% | -151.0% |
| 1945 | -4.6% | +13.3% |
| 1946 | 17.9% | -493.1% |
| 1947 | 17.6% | -1.7% |
| 1948 | 20.3% | +15.5% |
| 1949 | 2.9% | -85.6% |
| 1950 | -0.4% | -112.5% |
| 1951 | -12.9% | +3429.4% |
| 1952 | 20.5% | -258.9% |
| 1953 | 17.9% | -12.4% |
| 1954 | -14.8% | -182.6% |
| 1955 | 16.9% | -214.2% |
| 1956 | 4.0% | -76.2% |
| 1957 | 1.5% | -61.5% |
| 1958 | 13.3% | +760.9% |
| 1959 | 13.4% | +0.8% |
| 1960 | -2.1% | -115.4% |
| 1961 | -10.0% | +382.0% |
| 1962 | 9.7% | -197.5% |
| 1963 | 8.9% | -8.8% |
| 1964 | 0.3% | -96.9% |
| 1965 | 6.7% | +2333.2% |
| 1966 | 7.1% | +5.4% |
| 1967 | -3.4% | -148.4% |
| 1968 | 10.4% | -403.4% |
| 1969 | -20.7% | -298.7% |
| 1970 | 9.9% | -147.7% |
| 1971 | 6.0% | -38.7% |
| 1972 | 0.7% | -88.1% |
| 1973 | 18.0% | +2396.5% |
| 1974 | -0.7% | -103.7% |
| 1975 | -7.2% | +989.8% |
| 1976 | 5.4% | -175.7% |
| 1977 | 11.8% | +117.4% |
| 1978 | 1.0% | -91.9% |
| 1979 | 3.2% | +238.8% |
| 1980 | -6.1% | -288.8% |
| 1981 | -6.1% | +0.1% |
| 1982 | -8.8% | +44.2% |
| 1983 | -3.2% | -63.5% |
| 1984 | 17.3% | -638.0% |
| 1985 | -10.3% | -159.7% |
| 1986 | 9.7% | -193.9% |
| 1987 | 3.6% | -62.5% |
| 1988 | -0.2% | -105.9% |
| 1989 | 3.0% | -1506.8% |
| 1990 | 17.2% | +471.1% |
| 1991 | -5.4% | -131.2% |
| 1992 | 7.0% | -229.9% |
| 1993 | 6.7% | -3.6% |
| 1994 | -2.1% | -131.6% |
| 1995 | 5.1% | -340.4% |
| 1996 | 2.2% | -57.0% |
| 1997 | 3.8% | +72.7% |
| 1998 | 0.8% | -79.9% |
| 1999 | 7.7% | +910.8% |
| 2000 | 3.2% | -57.9% |
| 2001 | -2.3% | -171.5% |
| 2002 | 4.4% | -291.9% |
| 2003 | -0.2% | -104.9% |
| 2004 | 4.1% | -1960.3% |
| 2005 | -4.2% | -203.2% |
| 2006 | 6.0% | -242.1% |
| 2007 | 10.8% | +80.2% |
| 2008 | 9.1% | -15.8% |
| 2009 | -2.1% | -123.4% |
| 2010 | -2.8% | +30.9% |
| 2011 | -3.4% | +22.0% |
| 2012 | -0.1% | -96.4% |
| 2013 | -0.3% | +139.7% |
| 2014 | -1.2% | +321.4% |
| 2015 | 2.8% | -322.8% |
| 2016 | -1.3% | -148.1% |
| 2017 | 3.4% | -351.1% |
| 2018 | 1.5% | -55.1% |
| 2019 | -3.1% | -304.1% |
| 2020 | -6.0% | +95.6% |
| 2021 | 4.5% | -175.5% |
| 2022 | 3.1% | -32.5% |
| 2023 | -2.5% | -181.1% |
| 2024 | 8.4% | -437.9% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 8.4% is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.5%, 5.6× the median. (74 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 8.4% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is -0.0%. (52 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual percentage change in CO₂ emissions in Iceland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | -3429.4% | -0.4% | -12.9% |
| 1973 | +2396.5% | 0.7% | 18.0% |
| 1965 | +2333.2% | 0.3% | 6.7% |
| 2004 | +1960.3% | -0.2% | 4.1% |
| 1989 | +1506.8% | -0.2% | 3.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | -16.7% | -16.7% | -16.7% | 1 |
| 1940s | 6.8% | -4.6% | 20.3% | 9 |
| 1950s | 6.0% | -14.8% | 20.5% | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.7% | -20.7% | 10.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.8% | -7.2% | 18.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.1% | -10.3% | 17.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.3% | -5.4% | 17.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.9% | -4.2% | 10.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.5% | -3.4% | 3.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.5% | -6.0% | 8.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
More climate change data for Iceland
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 16.80 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 462.45 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 110.24 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 352.21 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 0.416 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 12.58 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 92.86 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 92.86 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.3504 kt (2050)
- Synthetic Fertilizers — Emissions (CO2eq) 92.72 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual percentage change in co₂ emissions in Iceland?
- Annual percentage change in co₂ emissions in Iceland was 8.4% 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 Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 20.5% in 1952.
- What is the lowest annual percentage change in co₂ emissions recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was -20.7% in 1969.
- How does Iceland rank for annual percentage change in co₂ emissions?
- Iceland ranks 6th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is annual percentage change in co₂ emissions rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 773.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iceland 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
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About this data
Annual percentage growth in total emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), excluding land-use change.