CO₂ emissions embedded in trade in China
China: CO₂ emissions embedded in trade was -1.31 billion tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
CO₂ emissions embedded in trade in China, 1990–2023
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
China recorded -1.31 billion tonnes for co₂ emissions embedded in trade in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.4% on the previous year and up 0.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, co₂ emissions embedded in trade in China peaked at -73.11 million tonnes in 1992 and was at its lowest, -1.60 billion tonnes, in 2008.
That places China 120th out of 120 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
CO₂ emissions embedded in trade in China, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | -122.76 million tonnes | — |
| 1991 | -161.23 million tonnes | +31.3% |
| 1992 | -73.11 million tonnes | -54.7% |
| 1993 | -104.19 million tonnes | +42.5% |
| 1994 | -301.85 million tonnes | +189.7% |
| 1995 | -314.60 million tonnes | +4.2% |
| 1996 | -339.95 million tonnes | +8.1% |
| 1997 | -412.77 million tonnes | +21.4% |
| 1998 | -357.99 million tonnes | -13.3% |
| 1999 | -358.63 million tonnes | +0.2% |
| 2000 | -407.81 million tonnes | +13.7% |
| 2001 | -392.93 million tonnes | -3.6% |
| 2002 | -478.48 million tonnes | +21.8% |
| 2003 | -815.56 million tonnes | +70.5% |
| 2004 | -956.32 million tonnes | +17.3% |
| 2005 | -1.24 billion tonnes | +29.2% |
| 2006 | -1.42 billion tonnes | +15.1% |
| 2007 | -1.51 billion tonnes | +5.9% |
| 2008 | -1.60 billion tonnes | +6.5% |
| 2009 | -1.23 billion tonnes | -23.4% |
| 2010 | -1.35 billion tonnes | +9.9% |
| 2011 | -1.46 billion tonnes | +8.4% |
| 2012 | -1.42 billion tonnes | -2.6% |
| 2013 | -1.31 billion tonnes | -7.7% |
| 2014 | -1.26 billion tonnes | -4.5% |
| 2015 | -1.07 billion tonnes | -14.9% |
| 2016 | -1.08 billion tonnes | +0.7% |
| 2017 | -1.04 billion tonnes | -3.1% |
| 2018 | -903.36 million tonnes | -13.4% |
| 2019 | -946.43 million tonnes | +4.8% |
| 2020 | -1.10 billion tonnes | +16.0% |
| 2021 | -1.20 billion tonnes | +9.0% |
| 2022 | -1.28 billion tonnes | +7.4% |
| 2023 | -1.31 billion tonnes | +2.4% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's -1.31 billion tonnes is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3.87 million tonnes. (32 countries reporting)
- China's -1.31 billion tonnes is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 10.02 million tonnes. (16 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where CO₂ emissions embedded in trade 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | -189.7% | -104.19 million tonnes | -301.85 million tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | -254.71 million tonnes | -412.77 million tonnes | -73.11 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | -1.00 billion tonnes | -1.60 billion tonnes | -392.93 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | -1.18 billion tonnes | -1.46 billion tonnes | -903.36 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | -1.22 billion tonnes | -1.31 billion tonnes | -1.10 billion tonnes | 4 |
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 co₂ emissions embedded in trade in China?
- Co₂ emissions embedded in trade in China was -1.31 billion tonnes in 2023, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest co₂ emissions embedded in trade recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was -73.11 million tonnes in 1992.
- What is the lowest co₂ emissions embedded in trade recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.60 billion tonnes in 2008.
- How does China rank for co₂ emissions embedded in trade?
- China ranks 120th out of 120 countries with data for 2023.
- Is co₂ emissions embedded in trade rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.0%. 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 CO₂ emissions embedded in trade. 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
Annual net carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions embedded in trade, measured in tonnes.