Annual CO₂ emissions from land-use change in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Annual CO₂ emissions from land-use change was -986,495 tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
-986,495 tonnes
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
167th
of 197 countries
All-time high
57.42 million tonnes
in 1972
All-time low
-1.67 million tonnes
in 2022
Years of data
175
1850–2024
Annual CO₂ emissions from land-use change in Costa Rica, 1850–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual co₂ emissions from land-use change in Costa Rica is -986,495 tonnes, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and down 146.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual co₂ emissions from land-use change in Costa Rica peaked at 57.42 million tonnes in 1972 and was at its lowest, -1.67 million tonnes, in 2022.
Costa Rica ranks 167th of 197 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual CO₂ emissions from land-use change in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 2.42 million tonnes | — |
| 1851 | 2.21 million tonnes | -8.8% |
| 1852 | 2.31 million tonnes | +4.4% |
| 1853 | 2.14 million tonnes | -7.4% |
| 1854 | 2.08 million tonnes | -2.6% |
| 1855 | 2.18 million tonnes | +4.5% |
| 1856 | 2.06 million tonnes | -5.3% |
| 1857 | 2.02 million tonnes | -2.1% |
| 1858 | 2.32 million tonnes | +14.9% |
| 1859 | 2.20 million tonnes | -5.0% |
| 1860 | 2.84 million tonnes | +29.0% |
| 1861 | 3.07 million tonnes | +8.0% |
| 1862 | 3.04 million tonnes | -1.0% |
| 1863 | 3.48 million tonnes | +14.5% |
| 1864 | 3.41 million tonnes | -2.0% |
| 1865 | 3.47 million tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1866 | 3.34 million tonnes | -3.7% |
| 1867 | 3.57 million tonnes | +7.0% |
| 1868 | 3.77 million tonnes | +5.6% |
| 1869 | 3.84 million tonnes | +1.8% |
| 1870 | 3.91 million tonnes | +1.8% |
| 1871 | 4.20 million tonnes | +7.6% |
| 1872 | 4.46 million tonnes | +6.2% |
| 1873 | 4.42 million tonnes | -1.0% |
| 1874 | 4.70 million tonnes | +6.4% |
| 1875 | 4.58 million tonnes | -2.5% |
| 1876 | 4.61 million tonnes | +0.5% |
| 1877 | 4.64 million tonnes | +0.7% |
| 1878 | 4.75 million tonnes | +2.5% |
| 1879 | 4.70 million tonnes | -1.0% |
| 1880 | 4.50 million tonnes | -4.3% |
| 1881 | 4.76 million tonnes | +5.8% |
| 1882 | 4.68 million tonnes | -1.7% |
| 1883 | 4.59 million tonnes | -2.0% |
| 1884 | 4.32 million tonnes | -5.9% |
| 1885 | 4.48 million tonnes | +3.8% |
| 1886 | 4.78 million tonnes | +6.6% |
| 1887 | 4.61 million tonnes | -3.4% |
| 1888 | 4.57 million tonnes | -0.9% |
| 1889 | 4.31 million tonnes | -5.7% |
| 1890 | 5.21 million tonnes | +20.9% |
| 1891 | 6.14 million tonnes | +18.0% |
| 1892 | 6.33 million tonnes | +3.1% |
| 1893 | 6.24 million tonnes | -1.5% |
| 1894 | 6.53 million tonnes | +4.7% |
| 1895 | 6.90 million tonnes | +5.7% |
| 1896 | 6.65 million tonnes | -3.6% |
| 1897 | 6.60 million tonnes | -0.9% |
| 1898 | 7.04 million tonnes | +6.7% |
| 1899 | 7.11 million tonnes | +1.0% |
| 1900 | 7.20 million tonnes | +1.2% |
| 1901 | 7.22 million tonnes | +0.3% |
| 1902 | 7.14 million tonnes | -1.1% |
| 1903 | 6.84 million tonnes | -4.2% |
| 1904 | 8.21 million tonnes | +20.1% |
| 1905 | 7.36 million tonnes | -10.3% |
| 1906 | 7.99 million tonnes | +8.5% |
| 1907 | 6.54 million tonnes | -18.1% |
| 1908 | 6.72 million tonnes | +2.7% |
| 1909 | 8.38 million tonnes | +24.7% |
| 1910 | 7.73 million tonnes | -7.8% |
| 1911 | 9.42 million tonnes | +22.0% |
| 1912 | 7.13 million tonnes | -24.3% |
| 1913 | 7.95 million tonnes | +11.5% |
| 1914 | 9.60 million tonnes | +20.8% |
| 1915 | 8.51 million tonnes | -11.4% |
| 1916 | 8.08 million tonnes | -5.1% |
| 1917 | 8.28 million tonnes | +2.5% |
| 1918 | 9.54 million tonnes | +15.3% |
| 1919 | 8.42 million tonnes | -11.8% |
| 1920 | 8.89 million tonnes | +5.6% |
| 1921 | 6.86 million tonnes | -22.9% |
| 1922 | 6.88 million tonnes | +0.3% |
| 1923 | 6.08 million tonnes | -11.7% |
| 1924 | 6.51 million tonnes | +7.1% |
| 1925 | 7.11 million tonnes | +9.2% |
| 1926 | 6.03 million tonnes | -15.1% |
| 1927 | 6.99 million tonnes | +15.9% |
| 1928 | 6.93 million tonnes | -0.9% |
| 1929 | 6.89 million tonnes | -0.7% |
| 1930 | 10.00 million tonnes | +45.2% |
| 1931 | 13.34 million tonnes | +33.4% |
| 1932 | 17.59 million tonnes | +31.8% |
| 1933 | 15.25 million tonnes | -13.3% |
| 1934 | 16.47 million tonnes | +8.1% |
| 1935 | 20.15 million tonnes | +22.3% |
| 1936 | 19.93 million tonnes | -1.1% |
| 1937 | 17.64 million tonnes | -11.5% |
| 1938 | 21.97 million tonnes | +24.6% |
| 1939 | 19.15 million tonnes | -12.8% |
| 1940 | 25.06 million tonnes | +30.9% |
| 1941 | 30.37 million tonnes | +21.2% |
| 1942 | 29.68 million tonnes | -2.3% |
| 1943 | 31.55 million tonnes | +6.3% |
| 1944 | 29.66 million tonnes | -6.0% |
| 1945 | 27.17 million tonnes | -8.4% |
| 1946 | 30.86 million tonnes | +13.6% |
| 1947 | 28.52 million tonnes | -7.6% |
| 1948 | 26.45 million tonnes | -7.3% |
| 1949 | 28.43 million tonnes | +7.5% |
| 1950 | 28.23 million tonnes | -0.7% |
| 1951 | 25.57 million tonnes | -9.4% |
| 1952 | 25.80 million tonnes | +0.9% |
| 1953 | 29.20 million tonnes | +13.2% |
| 1954 | 30.64 million tonnes | +4.9% |
| 1955 | 32.59 million tonnes | +6.4% |
| 1956 | 33.11 million tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1957 | 35.64 million tonnes | +7.7% |
| 1958 | 36.07 million tonnes | +1.2% |
| 1959 | 44.35 million tonnes | +23.0% |
| 1960 | 25.17 million tonnes | -43.3% |
| 1961 | 23.79 million tonnes | -5.5% |
| 1962 | 18.93 million tonnes | -20.5% |
| 1963 | 28.10 million tonnes | +48.5% |
| 1964 | 31.68 million tonnes | +12.7% |
| 1965 | 36.50 million tonnes | +15.2% |
| 1966 | 19.41 million tonnes | -46.8% |
| 1967 | 34.07 million tonnes | +75.5% |
| 1968 | 35.77 million tonnes | +5.0% |
| 1969 | 36.15 million tonnes | +1.1% |
| 1970 | 27.93 million tonnes | -22.7% |
| 1971 | 18.27 million tonnes | -34.6% |
| 1972 | 57.42 million tonnes | +214.2% |
| 1973 | 24.13 million tonnes | -58.0% |
| 1974 | 39.37 million tonnes | +63.2% |
| 1975 | 44.67 million tonnes | +13.5% |
| 1976 | 49.05 million tonnes | +9.8% |
| 1977 | 47.54 million tonnes | -3.1% |
| 1978 | 52.31 million tonnes | +10.0% |
| 1979 | 54.63 million tonnes | +4.4% |
| 1980 | 52.15 million tonnes | -4.5% |
| 1981 | 54.17 million tonnes | +3.9% |
| 1982 | 27.82 million tonnes | -48.6% |
| 1983 | 44.95 million tonnes | +61.6% |
| 1984 | 21.54 million tonnes | -52.1% |
| 1985 | 16.22 million tonnes | -24.7% |
| 1986 | 12.65 million tonnes | -22.0% |
| 1987 | 10.06 million tonnes | -20.5% |
| 1988 | 5.21 million tonnes | -48.2% |
| 1989 | 1.97 million tonnes | -62.2% |
| 1990 | 5.02 million tonnes | +154.8% |
| 1991 | 2.24 million tonnes | -55.5% |
| 1992 | 1.37 million tonnes | -38.6% |
| 1993 | 3.33 million tonnes | +142.7% |
| 1994 | 8.04 million tonnes | +141.3% |
| 1995 | 3.67 million tonnes | -54.4% |
| 1996 | 3.31 million tonnes | -9.7% |
| 1997 | 1.03 million tonnes | -68.9% |
| 1998 | 1.14 million tonnes | +10.6% |
| 1999 | 278,647 tonnes | -75.6% |
| 2000 | 2.81 million tonnes | +908.9% |
| 2001 | 3.36 million tonnes | +19.6% |
| 2002 | 5.47 million tonnes | +62.7% |
| 2003 | 3.97 million tonnes | -27.5% |
| 2004 | -950,552 tonnes | -124.0% |
| 2005 | 907,243 tonnes | -195.4% |
| 2006 | 1.38 million tonnes | +52.3% |
| 2007 | 2.45 million tonnes | +77.6% |
| 2008 | 6.25 million tonnes | +154.7% |
| 2009 | 6.25 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 4.68 million tonnes | -25.1% |
| 2011 | 2.20 million tonnes | -53.0% |
| 2012 | 3.01 million tonnes | +36.9% |
| 2013 | 3.68 million tonnes | +22.3% |
| 2014 | 2.12 million tonnes | -42.4% |
| 2015 | 4.77 million tonnes | +125.1% |
| 2016 | 2.55 million tonnes | -46.6% |
| 2017 | 2.72 million tonnes | +6.5% |
| 2018 | 952,274 tonnes | -64.9% |
| 2019 | 962,276 tonnes | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 732,580 tonnes | -23.9% |
| 2021 | -998,294 tonnes | -236.3% |
| 2022 | -1.67 million tonnes | +66.8% |
| 2023 | -989,756 tonnes | -40.6% |
| 2024 | -986,495 tonnes | -0.3% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's -986,495 tonnes is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 174,516 tonnes. (33 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual CO₂ emissions from land-use change in Costa Rica 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +908.9% | 278,647 tonnes | 2.81 million tonnes |
| 2021 | -236.3% | 732,580 tonnes | -998,294 tonnes |
| 1972 | +214.2% | 18.27 million tonnes | 57.42 million tonnes |
| 2005 | +195.4% | -950,552 tonnes | 907,243 tonnes |
| 1990 | +154.8% | 1.97 million tonnes | 5.02 million tonnes |
| 2008 | +154.7% | 2.45 million tonnes | 6.25 million tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1850s | 2.20 million tonnes | 2.02 million tonnes | 2.42 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1860s | 3.38 million tonnes | 2.84 million tonnes | 3.84 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1870s | 4.50 million tonnes | 3.91 million tonnes | 4.75 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1880s | 4.56 million tonnes | 4.31 million tonnes | 4.78 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1890s | 6.48 million tonnes | 5.21 million tonnes | 7.11 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1900s | 7.36 million tonnes | 6.54 million tonnes | 8.38 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1910s | 8.47 million tonnes | 7.13 million tonnes | 9.60 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1920s | 6.92 million tonnes | 6.03 million tonnes | 8.89 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1930s | 17.15 million tonnes | 10.00 million tonnes | 21.97 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1940s | 28.78 million tonnes | 25.06 million tonnes | 31.55 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1950s | 32.12 million tonnes | 25.57 million tonnes | 44.35 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1960s | 28.96 million tonnes | 18.93 million tonnes | 36.50 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1970s | 41.53 million tonnes | 18.27 million tonnes | 57.42 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 24.68 million tonnes | 1.97 million tonnes | 54.17 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.94 million tonnes | 278,647 tonnes | 8.04 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.19 million tonnes | -950,552 tonnes | 6.25 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.76 million tonnes | 952,274 tonnes | 4.77 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | -781,487 tonnes | -1.67 million tonnes | 732,580 tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More climate change data for Costa Rica
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 108.28 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 3,751 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 942.79 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,808 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 3.56 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 100.29 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 688.78 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 623.33 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 65.45 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 2.35 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual co₂ emissions from land-use change in Costa Rica?
- Annual co₂ emissions from land-use change in Costa Rica was -986,495 tonnes in 2024, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual co₂ emissions from land-use change recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 57.42 million tonnes in 1972.
- What is the lowest annual co₂ emissions from land-use change recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.67 million tonnes in 2022.
- How does Costa Rica rank for annual co₂ emissions from land-use change?
- Costa Rica ranks 167th out of 197 countries with data for 2024.
- Is annual co₂ emissions from land-use change rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 146.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual CO₂ emissions from land-use change. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 175 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from land-use change, measured in tonnes.