CO₂ emissions by sector in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: CO₂ emissions by sector was 840,000 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
840,000 tonnes
Change on year
down 3.4%
World rank
95th
of 187 countries
All-time high
1.16 million tonnes
in 2020
All-time low
100,000 tonnes
in 1990
Years of data
34
1990–2023
CO₂ emissions by sector in Sri Lanka, 1990–2023
Source: Climate Watch (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Sri Lanka recorded 840,000 tonnes for co₂ emissions by sector in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.4% on the previous year and up 50.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, co₂ emissions by sector in Sri Lanka peaked at 1.16 million tonnes in 2020 and was at its lowest, 100,000 tonnes, in 1990.
Sri Lanka ranks 95th of 187 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.
CO₂ emissions by sector in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 100,000 tonnes | — |
| 1991 | 110,000 tonnes | +10.0% |
| 1992 | 129,999 tonnes | +18.2% |
| 1993 | 160,000 tonnes | +23.1% |
| 1994 | 180,000 tonnes | +12.5% |
| 1995 | 220,000 tonnes | +22.2% |
| 1996 | 250,000 tonnes | +13.6% |
| 1997 | 280,000 tonnes | +12.0% |
| 1998 | 320,000 tonnes | +14.3% |
| 1999 | 390,000 tonnes | +21.9% |
| 2000 | 350,000 tonnes | -10.3% |
| 2001 | 330,000 tonnes | -5.7% |
| 2002 | 380,000 tonnes | +15.2% |
| 2003 | 390,000 tonnes | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 360,000 tonnes | -7.7% |
| 2005 | 400,000 tonnes | +11.1% |
| 2006 | 400,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 420,000 tonnes | +5.0% |
| 2008 | 430,000 tonnes | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 370,000 tonnes | -14.0% |
| 2010 | 450,000 tonnes | +21.6% |
| 2011 | 490,000 tonnes | +8.9% |
| 2012 | 540,000 tonnes | +10.2% |
| 2013 | 560,000 tonnes | +3.7% |
| 2014 | 550,000 tonnes | -1.8% |
| 2015 | 660,000 tonnes | +20.0% |
| 2016 | 800,000 tonnes | +21.2% |
| 2017 | 950,000 tonnes | +18.8% |
| 2018 | 1.03 million tonnes | +8.4% |
| 2019 | 1.06 million tonnes | +2.9% |
| 2020 | 1.16 million tonnes | +9.4% |
| 2021 | 1.10 million tonnes | -5.2% |
| 2022 | 870,000 tonnes | -20.9% |
| 2023 | 840,000 tonnes | -3.4% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 840,000 tonnes is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.35 million tonnes, 62% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 840,000 tonnes is below the median for South Asia, which is 1.18 million tonnes, 71% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 214,000 tonnes | 100,000 tonnes | 390,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 383,000 tonnes | 330,000 tonnes | 430,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 709,000 tonnes | 450,000 tonnes | 1.06 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 992,500 tonnes | 840,000 tonnes | 1.16 million tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More climate change data for Sri Lanka
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 327.09 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 3,418 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 618.46 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,800 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 2.33 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 100 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 4,168 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,071 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,097 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 7.82 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is co₂ emissions by sector in Sri Lanka?
- Co₂ emissions by sector in Sri Lanka was 840,000 tonnes in 2023, according to Climate Watch (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest co₂ emissions by sector recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 1.16 million tonnes in 2020.
- What is the lowest co₂ emissions by sector recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 100,000 tonnes in 1990.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for co₂ emissions by sector?
- Sri Lanka ranks 95th out of 187 countries with data for 2023.
- Is co₂ emissions by sector rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 50.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from Climate Watch (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of CO₂ emissions by sector. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Emissions are measured in tonnes.