Annual percentage change in CO₂ emissions in Zambia
Zambia: Annual percentage change in CO₂ emissions was 1.8% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Annual percentage change in CO₂ emissions in Zambia, 1951–2024
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 Zambia is 1.8%, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 78.0% on the previous year and down 90.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual percentage change in co₂ emissions in Zambia peaked at 36.9% in 1967 and was at its lowest, -22.0%, in 1999.
Zambia ranks 109th 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 Zambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 10.3% | — |
| 1952 | 12.5% | +21.6% |
| 1953 | 9.0% | -28.0% |
| 1954 | 10.0% | +10.6% |
| 1955 | 17.9% | +80.2% |
| 1956 | 9.0% | -49.7% |
| 1957 | 2.9% | -67.5% |
| 1958 | -10.7% | -463.7% |
| 1959 | 11.5% | -208.2% |
| 1960 | -4.7% | -140.3% |
| 1961 | -14.8% | +218.9% |
| 1962 | -3.4% | -77.1% |
| 1963 | -3.9% | +13.3% |
| 1964 | -4.9% | +27.6% |
| 1965 | 19.5% | -495.4% |
| 1966 | -10.6% | -154.4% |
| 1967 | 36.9% | -448.3% |
| 1968 | -4.6% | -112.5% |
| 1969 | -6.5% | +41.4% |
| 1970 | -11.8% | +82.0% |
| 1971 | 0.6% | -105.4% |
| 1972 | 7.2% | +1012.4% |
| 1973 | 12.9% | +80.3% |
| 1974 | -8.5% | -165.6% |
| 1975 | -2.9% | -66.0% |
| 1976 | -1.4% | -51.6% |
| 1977 | -7.1% | +407.7% |
| 1978 | -7.1% | -0.1% |
| 1979 | 3.6% | -151.2% |
| 1980 | -2.0% | -156.3% |
| 1981 | -4.7% | +130.4% |
| 1982 | 4.5% | -197.0% |
| 1983 | -7.1% | -256.6% |
| 1984 | -14.0% | +96.5% |
| 1985 | -2.6% | -81.7% |
| 1986 | 4.9% | -290.1% |
| 1987 | -6.7% | -237.7% |
| 1988 | 16.3% | -343.2% |
| 1989 | -17.3% | -206.5% |
| 1990 | -6.3% | -63.4% |
| 1991 | -1.1% | -83.4% |
| 1992 | 1.8% | -271.3% |
| 1993 | 1.7% | -5.4% |
| 1994 | -3.0% | -273.1% |
| 1995 | -10.5% | +255.4% |
| 1996 | -14.2% | +35.5% |
| 1997 | 28.1% | -297.7% |
| 1998 | -3.2% | -111.4% |
| 1999 | -22.0% | +584.1% |
| 2000 | 0.4% | -101.7% |
| 2001 | 5.7% | +1453.6% |
| 2002 | 4.0% | -29.8% |
| 2003 | 5.8% | +45.0% |
| 2004 | 1.4% | -75.3% |
| 2005 | 6.6% | +359.2% |
| 2006 | -0.5% | -107.7% |
| 2007 | 3.0% | -684.5% |
| 2008 | 11.1% | +273.4% |
| 2009 | 15.2% | +36.3% |
| 2010 | 6.2% | -59.4% |
| 2011 | 8.3% | +34.5% |
| 2012 | 23.6% | +185.2% |
| 2013 | 6.0% | -74.7% |
| 2014 | 19.4% | +223.7% |
| 2015 | 4.5% | -76.6% |
| 2016 | 8.2% | +82.1% |
| 2017 | 24.8% | +200.5% |
| 2018 | 16.1% | -35.1% |
| 2019 | 2.2% | -86.5% |
| 2020 | 12.9% | +494.0% |
| 2021 | -6.4% | -149.6% |
| 2022 | 17.0% | -365.0% |
| 2023 | 8.2% | -52.0% |
| 2024 | 1.8% | -78.0% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 1.8% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.9%, 62% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 1.8% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.8%, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual percentage change in CO₂ emissions in Zambia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | +1453.6% | 0.4% | 5.7% |
| 1972 | +1012.4% | 0.6% | 7.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 8.1% | -10.7% | 17.9% | 9 |
| 1960s | 0.3% | -14.8% | 36.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | -1.4% | -11.8% | 12.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | -2.9% | -17.3% | 16.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | -2.9% | -22.0% | 28.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.3% | -0.5% | 15.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.9% | 2.2% | 24.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.7% | -6.4% | 17.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More climate change data for Zambia
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 303.19 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 7,547 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,795 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 4,752 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 10.55 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 169.71 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 2,153 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,033 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 120.21 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 7.67 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual percentage change in co₂ emissions in Zambia?
- Annual percentage change in co₂ emissions in Zambia was 1.8% 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 36.9% in 1967.
- What is the lowest annual percentage change in co₂ emissions recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was -22.0% in 1999.
- How does Zambia rank for annual percentage change in co₂ emissions?
- Zambia ranks 109th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is annual percentage change in co₂ emissions rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 90.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia 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.
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About this data
Annual percentage growth in total emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), excluding land-use change.