Carbon intensity: CO₂ emissions per dollar of GDP in Iceland
Iceland: Carbon intensity: CO₂ emissions per dollar of GDP was 0.2246 kilograms per international-$ in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
0.2246 kilograms per international-$
Change on year
down 3.2%
World rank
63rd
of 164 countries
All-time high
0.6825 kilograms per international-$
in 1953
All-time low
0.2246 kilograms per international-$
in 2022
Years of data
73
1950–2022
Carbon intensity: CO₂ emissions per dollar of GDP in Iceland, 1950–2022
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-$.
Analysis
In 2022, carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp in Iceland stood at 0.2246 kilograms per international-$. That is the lowest value across all 73 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.2% on the previous year and down 24.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp in Iceland peaked at 0.6825 kilograms per international-$ in 1953 and was at its lowest, 0.2246 kilograms per international-$, in 2022.
Iceland ranks 63rd of 164 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 73 years of available data.
Carbon intensity: CO₂ emissions per dollar of GDP in Iceland, year by year
| Year | kilograms per international-$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 0.6093 kilograms per international-$ | — |
| 1951 | 0.5481 kilograms per international-$ | -10.0% |
| 1952 | 0.595 kilograms per international-$ | +8.6% |
| 1953 | 0.6825 kilograms per international-$ | +14.7% |
| 1954 | 0.5345 kilograms per international-$ | -21.7% |
| 1955 | 0.5718 kilograms per international-$ | +7.0% |
| 1956 | 0.5697 kilograms per international-$ | -0.4% |
| 1957 | 0.5791 kilograms per international-$ | +1.6% |
| 1958 | 0.6121 kilograms per international-$ | +5.7% |
| 1959 | 0.6714 kilograms per international-$ | +9.7% |
| 1960 | 0.6291 kilograms per international-$ | -6.3% |
| 1961 | 0.5687 kilograms per international-$ | -9.6% |
| 1962 | 0.5753 kilograms per international-$ | +1.2% |
| 1963 | 0.5685 kilograms per international-$ | -1.2% |
| 1964 | 0.5173 kilograms per international-$ | -9.0% |
| 1965 | 0.5147 kilograms per international-$ | -0.5% |
| 1966 | 0.5074 kilograms per international-$ | -1.4% |
| 1967 | 0.4961 kilograms per international-$ | -2.2% |
| 1968 | 0.5801 kilograms per international-$ | +16.9% |
| 1969 | 0.4487 kilograms per international-$ | -22.7% |
| 1970 | 0.4587 kilograms per international-$ | +2.2% |
| 1971 | 0.4302 kilograms per international-$ | -6.2% |
| 1972 | 0.408 kilograms per international-$ | -5.2% |
| 1973 | 0.4509 kilograms per international-$ | +10.5% |
| 1974 | 0.4237 kilograms per international-$ | -6.0% |
| 1975 | 0.3908 kilograms per international-$ | -7.8% |
| 1976 | 0.3888 kilograms per international-$ | -0.5% |
| 1977 | 0.3996 kilograms per international-$ | +2.8% |
| 1978 | 0.3805 kilograms per international-$ | -4.8% |
| 1979 | 0.3747 kilograms per international-$ | -1.5% |
| 1980 | 0.3327 kilograms per international-$ | -11.2% |
| 1981 | 0.2995 kilograms per international-$ | -10.0% |
| 1982 | 0.2674 kilograms per international-$ | -10.7% |
| 1983 | 0.2645 kilograms per international-$ | -1.1% |
| 1984 | 0.298 kilograms per international-$ | +12.7% |
| 1985 | 0.2586 kilograms per international-$ | -13.2% |
| 1986 | 0.267 kilograms per international-$ | +3.2% |
| 1987 | 0.255 kilograms per international-$ | -4.5% |
| 1988 | 0.2546 kilograms per international-$ | -0.1% |
| 1989 | 0.2619 kilograms per international-$ | +2.8% |
| 1990 | 0.3033 kilograms per international-$ | +15.8% |
| 1991 | 0.2885 kilograms per international-$ | -4.9% |
| 1992 | 0.3208 kilograms per international-$ | +11.2% |
| 1993 | 0.3392 kilograms per international-$ | +5.7% |
| 1994 | 0.3217 kilograms per international-$ | -5.1% |
| 1995 | 0.3391 kilograms per international-$ | +5.4% |
| 1996 | 0.3319 kilograms per international-$ | -2.1% |
| 1997 | 0.3229 kilograms per international-$ | -2.7% |
| 1998 | 0.3065 kilograms per international-$ | -5.1% |
| 1999 | 0.3185 kilograms per international-$ | +3.9% |
| 2000 | 0.3151 kilograms per international-$ | -1.1% |
| 2001 | 0.2974 kilograms per international-$ | -5.6% |
| 2002 | 0.3109 kilograms per international-$ | +4.5% |
| 2003 | 0.3043 kilograms per international-$ | -2.1% |
| 2004 | 0.2934 kilograms per international-$ | -3.6% |
| 2005 | 0.2656 kilograms per international-$ | -9.5% |
| 2006 | 0.2679 kilograms per international-$ | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 0.273 kilograms per international-$ | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 0.2925 kilograms per international-$ | +7.1% |
| 2009 | 0.3101 kilograms per international-$ | +6.0% |
| 2010 | 0.3145 kilograms per international-$ | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 0.299 kilograms per international-$ | -4.9% |
| 2012 | 0.2955 kilograms per international-$ | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 0.2818 kilograms per international-$ | -4.6% |
| 2014 | 0.2737 kilograms per international-$ | -2.9% |
| 2015 | 0.2693 kilograms per international-$ | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 0.25 kilograms per international-$ | -7.2% |
| 2017 | 0.248 kilograms per international-$ | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 0.24 kilograms per international-$ | -3.2% |
| 2019 | 0.2285 kilograms per international-$ | -4.8% |
| 2020 | 0.2315 kilograms per international-$ | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 0.2319 kilograms per international-$ | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 0.2246 kilograms per international-$ | -3.2% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 0.2246 kilograms per international-$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.1825 kilograms per international-$, 1.2× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 0.2246 kilograms per international-$ is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.1899 kilograms per international-$, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 0.5974 kilograms per international-$ | 0.5345 kilograms per international-$ | 0.6825 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.5406 kilograms per international-$ | 0.4487 kilograms per international-$ | 0.6291 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.4106 kilograms per international-$ | 0.3747 kilograms per international-$ | 0.4587 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.2759 kilograms per international-$ | 0.2546 kilograms per international-$ | 0.3327 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.3192 kilograms per international-$ | 0.2885 kilograms per international-$ | 0.3392 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.293 kilograms per international-$ | 0.2656 kilograms per international-$ | 0.3151 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.27 kilograms per international-$ | 0.2285 kilograms per international-$ | 0.3145 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2293 kilograms per international-$ | 0.2246 kilograms per international-$ | 0.2319 kilograms per international-$ | 3 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
- 60 Azerbaijan 0.2348 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 61 Mali 0.2298 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 62 Jordan 0.2259 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 64 Morocco 0.2239 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 65 Mexico 0.2232 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 66 Taiwan 0.2196 kilograms per international-$ compare
More climate change data for Iceland
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 16.80 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 462.45 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 110.24 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 352.21 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 0.416 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 12.58 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 92.86 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 92.86 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.3504 kt (2050)
- Synthetic Fertilizers — Emissions (CO2eq) 92.72 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp in Iceland?
- Carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp in Iceland was 0.2246 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 Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 0.6825 kilograms per international-$ in 1953.
- What is the lowest carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2246 kilograms per international-$ in 2022.
- How does Iceland rank for carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp?
- Iceland ranks 63rd out of 164 countries with data for 2022.
- Is carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 24.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iceland 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 73 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 kilograms per dollar of GDP (2011 international-$).