Carbon intensity: CO₂ emissions per dollar of GDP in China
China: Carbon intensity: CO₂ emissions per dollar of GDP was 0.4343 kilograms per international-$ in 2022. ▲ Rising
Carbon intensity: CO₂ emissions per dollar of GDP in China, 1911–2022
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025); Bolt and van Zanden – Maddison Project Database 2023 – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilograms per international-$.
Analysis
China recorded 0.4343 kilograms per international-$ for carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp in 2022.
The figure is up 0.8% on the previous year and down 34.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp in China peaked at 1.13 kilograms per international-$ in 1960 and was at its lowest, 0.0563 kilograms per international-$, in 1913.
That places China 19th out of 164 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 85 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 0.06 kilograms per international-$ | 0.0563 kilograms per international-$ | 0.0636 kilograms per international-$ | 2 |
| 1920s | 0.0988 kilograms per international-$ | 0.0988 kilograms per international-$ | 0.0988 kilograms per international-$ | 1 |
| 1930s | 0.1208 kilograms per international-$ | 0.0975 kilograms per international-$ | 0.1428 kilograms per international-$ | 9 |
| 1950s | 0.3605 kilograms per international-$ | 0.1804 kilograms per international-$ | 0.9681 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.6878 kilograms per international-$ | 0.4931 kilograms per international-$ | 1.13 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.8063 kilograms per international-$ | 0.7063 kilograms per international-$ | 0.8977 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.7376 kilograms per international-$ | 0.7102 kilograms per international-$ | 0.7891 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.6919 kilograms per international-$ | 0.6285 kilograms per international-$ | 0.7464 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.655 kilograms per international-$ | 0.5884 kilograms per international-$ | 0.6938 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.5667 kilograms per international-$ | 0.4533 kilograms per international-$ | 0.6953 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.4388 kilograms per international-$ | 0.431 kilograms per international-$ | 0.4512 kilograms per international-$ | 3 |
Countries ranked near China
- 16 Russia 0.449 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 17 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.4407 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 18 Oman 0.4398 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 20 Iraq 0.4125 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 21 Laos 0.4103 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 22 Jamaica 0.395 kilograms per international-$ compare
More climate change data for China
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 6.2% (2100)
- Population growth -0.2% (2025)
- Population, total 1.41 billion (2025)
- Urban population growth 0.5% (2025)
- Urban population 933.17 million (2025)
- Urban population 66.3% (2025)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. GDP per capita 8.66 tonnes per person (2024)
- Cumulative CO₂ emissions 285.09 billion tonnes (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita 8.66 tonnes per person (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. share of electricity generation from renewables 8.66 tonnes per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp in China?
- Carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp in China was 0.4343 kilograms per international-$ in 2022, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025); Bolt and van Zanden – Maddison Project Database 2023 – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 1.13 kilograms per international-$ in 1960.
- What is the lowest carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0563 kilograms per international-$ in 1913.
- How does China rank for carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp?
- China ranks 19th out of 164 countries with data for 2022.
- Is carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 34.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025); Bolt and van Zanden – Maddison Project Database 2023 – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Carbon intensity: CO₂ emissions per dollar of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual total emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), excluding land-use change, measured in kilograms per dollar of GDP (2011 international-$).