CO₂ emissions from fossil fuels and land-use change in Hong Kong
Hong Kong: CO₂ emissions from fossil fuels and land-use change was 33.32 million tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
33.32 million tonnes
Change on year
up 1.1%
World rank
68th
of 215 countries
All-time high
45.49 million tonnes
in 2014
All-time low
18,171 tonnes
in 1947
Years of data
81
1938–2024
CO₂ emissions from fossil fuels and land-use change in Hong Kong, 1938–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
The most recent figure for co₂ emissions from fossil fuels and land-use change in Hong Kong is 33.32 million tonnes, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.1% on the previous year and down 26.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, co₂ emissions from fossil fuels and land-use change in Hong Kong peaked at 45.49 million tonnes in 2014 and was at its lowest, 18,171 tonnes, in 1947.
That places Hong Kong 68th out of 215 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
CO₂ emissions from fossil fuels and land-use change in Hong Kong, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1938 | 54,514 tonnes | — |
| 1939 | 54,514 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 54,514 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 18,171 tonnes | -66.7% |
| 1948 | 25,440 tonnes | +40.0% |
| 1949 | 29,074 tonnes | +14.3% |
| 1950 | 1.32 million tonnes | +4435.9% |
| 1951 | 1.56 million tonnes | +18.1% |
| 1952 | 1.53 million tonnes | -1.4% |
| 1953 | 1.73 million tonnes | +12.7% |
| 1954 | 1.80 million tonnes | +4.0% |
| 1955 | 1.88 million tonnes | +4.5% |
| 1956 | 2.12 million tonnes | +12.9% |
| 1957 | 2.36 million tonnes | +11.4% |
| 1958 | 2.37 million tonnes | +0.5% |
| 1959 | 2.70 million tonnes | +13.9% |
| 1960 | 2.95 million tonnes | +9.2% |
| 1961 | 3.37 million tonnes | +14.1% |
| 1962 | 3.68 million tonnes | +9.2% |
| 1963 | 4.25 million tonnes | +15.3% |
| 1964 | 4.22 million tonnes | -0.6% |
| 1965 | 4.80 million tonnes | +13.8% |
| 1966 | 5.16 million tonnes | +7.5% |
| 1967 | 6.05 million tonnes | +17.3% |
| 1968 | 6.20 million tonnes | +2.4% |
| 1969 | 7.75 million tonnes | +25.1% |
| 1970 | 8.39 million tonnes | +8.3% |
| 1971 | 9.15 million tonnes | +9.0% |
| 1972 | 9.28 million tonnes | +1.4% |
| 1973 | 9.29 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1974 | 10.67 million tonnes | +14.9% |
| 1975 | 11.01 million tonnes | +3.2% |
| 1976 | 12.49 million tonnes | +13.5% |
| 1977 | 14.20 million tonnes | +13.7% |
| 1978 | 15.71 million tonnes | +10.6% |
| 1979 | 15.84 million tonnes | +0.8% |
| 1980 | 16.60 million tonnes | +4.8% |
| 1981 | 18.62 million tonnes | +12.1% |
| 1982 | 19.62 million tonnes | +5.4% |
| 1983 | 20.91 million tonnes | +6.6% |
| 1984 | 22.22 million tonnes | +6.3% |
| 1985 | 22.88 million tonnes | +3.0% |
| 1986 | 25.53 million tonnes | +11.6% |
| 1987 | 28.09 million tonnes | +10.0% |
| 1988 | 29.28 million tonnes | +4.3% |
| 1989 | 30.14 million tonnes | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 27.15 million tonnes | -9.9% |
| 1991 | 28.46 million tonnes | +4.8% |
| 1992 | 32.92 million tonnes | +15.7% |
| 1993 | 34.78 million tonnes | +5.6% |
| 1994 | 31.08 million tonnes | -10.6% |
| 1995 | 31.27 million tonnes | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 28.91 million tonnes | -7.6% |
| 1997 | 30.50 million tonnes | +5.5% |
| 1998 | 38.92 million tonnes | +27.6% |
| 1999 | 42.55 million tonnes | +9.3% |
| 2000 | 39.77 million tonnes | -6.5% |
| 2001 | 37.29 million tonnes | -6.2% |
| 2002 | 39.00 million tonnes | +4.6% |
| 2003 | 42.73 million tonnes | +9.6% |
| 2004 | 41.16 million tonnes | -3.7% |
| 2005 | 43.33 million tonnes | +5.3% |
| 2006 | 41.91 million tonnes | -3.3% |
| 2007 | 43.57 million tonnes | +4.0% |
| 2008 | 42.79 million tonnes | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 41.58 million tonnes | -2.8% |
| 2010 | 40.06 million tonnes | -3.7% |
| 2011 | 43.15 million tonnes | +7.7% |
| 2012 | 42.74 million tonnes | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 44.31 million tonnes | +3.7% |
| 2014 | 45.49 million tonnes | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 42.40 million tonnes | -6.8% |
| 2016 | 43.37 million tonnes | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 42.43 million tonnes | -2.2% |
| 2018 | 42.60 million tonnes | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 41.90 million tonnes | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 33.51 million tonnes | -20.0% |
| 2021 | 33.64 million tonnes | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 30.76 million tonnes | -8.5% |
| 2023 | 32.96 million tonnes | +7.1% |
| 2024 | 33.32 million tonnes | +1.1% |
Hong Kong compared with similar countries
- Hong Kong's 33.32 million tonnes is above the median for high income countries, which is 30.70 million tonnes, 1.1× the median. (74 countries reporting)
- Hong Kong's 33.32 million tonnes is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 16.97 million tonnes, 2.0× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where CO₂ emissions from fossil fuels and land-use change in Hong Kong 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | +4435.9% | 29,074 tonnes | 1.32 million tonnes |
| 1947 | -66.7% | 54,514 tonnes | 18,171 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 54,514 tonnes | 54,514 tonnes | 54,514 tonnes | 2 |
| 1940s | 31,800 tonnes | 18,171 tonnes | 54,514 tonnes | 4 |
| 1950s | 1.94 million tonnes | 1.32 million tonnes | 2.70 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1960s | 4.84 million tonnes | 2.95 million tonnes | 7.75 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1970s | 11.60 million tonnes | 8.39 million tonnes | 15.84 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 23.39 million tonnes | 16.60 million tonnes | 30.14 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 32.65 million tonnes | 27.15 million tonnes | 42.55 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 41.31 million tonnes | 37.29 million tonnes | 43.57 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 42.84 million tonnes | 40.06 million tonnes | 45.49 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 32.84 million tonnes | 30.76 million tonnes | 33.64 million tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Hong Kong
More climate change data for Hong Kong
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 0.0% (2100)
- Population, total, annual growth rate -0.3349 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate -0.3349 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 1 units per person (2025)
- Precipitation anomalies, annual growth rate -76.56 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population 7.50 million (2025)
- Urban population growth -0.3% (2025)
- Population, total 7.50 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is co₂ emissions from fossil fuels and land-use change in Hong Kong?
- Co₂ emissions from fossil fuels and land-use change in Hong Kong was 33.32 million tonnes in 2024, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest co₂ emissions from fossil fuels and land-use change recorded in Hong Kong?
- The highest recorded value was 45.49 million tonnes in 2014.
- What is the lowest co₂ emissions from fossil fuels and land-use change recorded in Hong Kong?
- The lowest recorded value was 18,171 tonnes in 1947.
- How does Hong Kong rank for co₂ emissions from fossil fuels and land-use change?
- Hong Kong ranks 68th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is co₂ emissions from fossil fuels and land-use change rising or falling in Hong Kong?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Hong Kong 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 from fossil fuels and land-use change. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 81 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual total emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), excluding land-use change, measured in tonnes.