Annual CO₂ emissions from land-use change in Zambia
Zambia: Annual CO₂ emissions from land-use change was 62.59 million tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
62.59 million tonnes
Change on year
down 2.5%
World rank
15th
of 197 countries
All-time high
139.58 million tonnes
in 2008
All-time low
5.12 million tonnes
in 1919
Years of data
175
1850–2024
Annual CO₂ emissions from land-use change in Zambia, 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 Zambia is 62.59 million tonnes, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.5% on the previous year and down 26.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual co₂ emissions from land-use change in Zambia peaked at 139.58 million tonnes in 2008 and was at its lowest, 5.12 million tonnes, in 1919.
Zambia ranks 15th of 197 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual CO₂ emissions from land-use change in Zambia, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 14.31 million tonnes | — |
| 1851 | 12.99 million tonnes | -9.2% |
| 1852 | 12.24 million tonnes | -5.8% |
| 1853 | 12.09 million tonnes | -1.2% |
| 1854 | 11.56 million tonnes | -4.4% |
| 1855 | 11.21 million tonnes | -3.0% |
| 1856 | 10.92 million tonnes | -2.6% |
| 1857 | 10.81 million tonnes | -1.0% |
| 1858 | 10.54 million tonnes | -2.5% |
| 1859 | 10.39 million tonnes | -1.5% |
| 1860 | 10.26 million tonnes | -1.3% |
| 1861 | 10.07 million tonnes | -1.8% |
| 1862 | 9.92 million tonnes | -1.5% |
| 1863 | 9.81 million tonnes | -1.1% |
| 1864 | 9.69 million tonnes | -1.2% |
| 1865 | 9.75 million tonnes | +0.6% |
| 1866 | 9.57 million tonnes | -1.8% |
| 1867 | 9.47 million tonnes | -1.0% |
| 1868 | 9.46 million tonnes | -0.1% |
| 1869 | 9.37 million tonnes | -0.9% |
| 1870 | 9.38 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1871 | 9.36 million tonnes | -0.3% |
| 1872 | 9.46 million tonnes | +1.1% |
| 1873 | 9.60 million tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1874 | 9.50 million tonnes | -1.1% |
| 1875 | 9.43 million tonnes | -0.8% |
| 1876 | 9.45 million tonnes | +0.2% |
| 1877 | 9.42 million tonnes | -0.3% |
| 1878 | 9.41 million tonnes | -0.1% |
| 1879 | 9.49 million tonnes | +0.9% |
| 1880 | 10.23 million tonnes | +7.8% |
| 1881 | 10.68 million tonnes | +4.4% |
| 1882 | 11.02 million tonnes | +3.1% |
| 1883 | 11.57 million tonnes | +5.0% |
| 1884 | 11.60 million tonnes | +0.3% |
| 1885 | 11.74 million tonnes | +1.2% |
| 1886 | 11.90 million tonnes | +1.4% |
| 1887 | 12.51 million tonnes | +5.1% |
| 1888 | 12.40 million tonnes | -0.9% |
| 1889 | 12.41 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 11.51 million tonnes | -7.2% |
| 1891 | 10.92 million tonnes | -5.1% |
| 1892 | 10.52 million tonnes | -3.7% |
| 1893 | 10.21 million tonnes | -3.0% |
| 1894 | 9.95 million tonnes | -2.5% |
| 1895 | 9.75 million tonnes | -2.1% |
| 1896 | 9.57 million tonnes | -1.8% |
| 1897 | 9.42 million tonnes | -1.6% |
| 1898 | 9.28 million tonnes | -1.4% |
| 1899 | 9.17 million tonnes | -1.3% |
| 1900 | 8.76 million tonnes | -4.4% |
| 1901 | 8.34 million tonnes | -4.8% |
| 1902 | 7.94 million tonnes | -4.9% |
| 1903 | 7.55 million tonnes | -4.8% |
| 1904 | 7.20 million tonnes | -4.7% |
| 1905 | 6.86 million tonnes | -4.7% |
| 1906 | 6.54 million tonnes | -4.6% |
| 1907 | 6.24 million tonnes | -4.5% |
| 1908 | 5.97 million tonnes | -4.4% |
| 1909 | 5.71 million tonnes | -4.4% |
| 1910 | 5.61 million tonnes | -1.7% |
| 1911 | 5.54 million tonnes | -1.3% |
| 1912 | 5.48 million tonnes | -1.1% |
| 1913 | 5.43 million tonnes | -0.9% |
| 1914 | 5.39 million tonnes | -0.8% |
| 1915 | 5.34 million tonnes | -0.9% |
| 1916 | 5.30 million tonnes | -0.8% |
| 1917 | 5.26 million tonnes | -0.8% |
| 1918 | 5.19 million tonnes | -1.2% |
| 1919 | 5.12 million tonnes | -1.4% |
| 1920 | 12.68 million tonnes | +147.5% |
| 1921 | 17.06 million tonnes | +34.6% |
| 1922 | 20.08 million tonnes | +17.7% |
| 1923 | 22.33 million tonnes | +11.2% |
| 1924 | 24.07 million tonnes | +7.8% |
| 1925 | 25.48 million tonnes | +5.9% |
| 1926 | 26.66 million tonnes | +4.6% |
| 1927 | 27.65 million tonnes | +3.7% |
| 1928 | 28.51 million tonnes | +3.1% |
| 1929 | 29.24 million tonnes | +2.6% |
| 1930 | 30.43 million tonnes | +4.1% |
| 1931 | 31.26 million tonnes | +2.7% |
| 1932 | 31.95 million tonnes | +2.2% |
| 1933 | 33.07 million tonnes | +3.5% |
| 1934 | 33.21 million tonnes | +0.4% |
| 1935 | 33.54 million tonnes | +1.0% |
| 1936 | 33.97 million tonnes | +1.3% |
| 1937 | 35.25 million tonnes | +3.8% |
| 1938 | 35.30 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1939 | 35.42 million tonnes | +0.3% |
| 1940 | 40.87 million tonnes | +15.4% |
| 1941 | 44.44 million tonnes | +8.7% |
| 1942 | 46.21 million tonnes | +4.0% |
| 1943 | 47.51 million tonnes | +2.8% |
| 1944 | 48.77 million tonnes | +2.6% |
| 1945 | 50.31 million tonnes | +3.2% |
| 1946 | 50.47 million tonnes | +0.3% |
| 1947 | 51.86 million tonnes | +2.7% |
| 1948 | 52.65 million tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1949 | 53.68 million tonnes | +2.0% |
| 1950 | 49.71 million tonnes | -7.4% |
| 1951 | 50.03 million tonnes | +0.6% |
| 1952 | 53.42 million tonnes | +6.8% |
| 1953 | 55.54 million tonnes | +4.0% |
| 1954 | 56.77 million tonnes | +2.2% |
| 1955 | 60.37 million tonnes | +6.3% |
| 1956 | 63.82 million tonnes | +5.7% |
| 1957 | 67.71 million tonnes | +6.1% |
| 1958 | 70.89 million tonnes | +4.7% |
| 1959 | 75.78 million tonnes | +6.9% |
| 1960 | 78.27 million tonnes | +3.3% |
| 1961 | 64.24 million tonnes | -17.9% |
| 1962 | 54.46 million tonnes | -15.2% |
| 1963 | 50.97 million tonnes | -6.4% |
| 1964 | 47.74 million tonnes | -6.3% |
| 1965 | 50.46 million tonnes | +5.7% |
| 1966 | 51.80 million tonnes | +2.7% |
| 1967 | 48.96 million tonnes | -5.5% |
| 1968 | 50.35 million tonnes | +2.8% |
| 1969 | 50.92 million tonnes | +1.1% |
| 1970 | 64.19 million tonnes | +26.1% |
| 1971 | 66.35 million tonnes | +3.4% |
| 1972 | 54.00 million tonnes | -18.6% |
| 1973 | 54.05 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1974 | 49.34 million tonnes | -8.7% |
| 1975 | 44.48 million tonnes | -9.8% |
| 1976 | 40.95 million tonnes | -7.9% |
| 1977 | 33.90 million tonnes | -17.2% |
| 1978 | 18.93 million tonnes | -44.2% |
| 1979 | 23.84 million tonnes | +25.9% |
| 1980 | 30.69 million tonnes | +28.7% |
| 1981 | 33.25 million tonnes | +8.3% |
| 1982 | 37.93 million tonnes | +14.1% |
| 1983 | 40.05 million tonnes | +5.6% |
| 1984 | 43.45 million tonnes | +8.5% |
| 1985 | 45.72 million tonnes | +5.2% |
| 1986 | 47.98 million tonnes | +4.9% |
| 1987 | 46.60 million tonnes | -2.9% |
| 1988 | 53.45 million tonnes | +14.7% |
| 1989 | 47.54 million tonnes | -11.1% |
| 1990 | 39.58 million tonnes | -16.7% |
| 1991 | 50.33 million tonnes | +27.2% |
| 1992 | 53.12 million tonnes | +5.5% |
| 1993 | 60.03 million tonnes | +13.0% |
| 1994 | 62.19 million tonnes | +3.6% |
| 1995 | 59.68 million tonnes | -4.0% |
| 1996 | 52.84 million tonnes | -11.5% |
| 1997 | 59.03 million tonnes | +11.7% |
| 1998 | 56.07 million tonnes | -5.0% |
| 1999 | 51.15 million tonnes | -8.8% |
| 2000 | 48.03 million tonnes | -6.1% |
| 2001 | 61.71 million tonnes | +28.5% |
| 2002 | 86.31 million tonnes | +39.9% |
| 2003 | 73.87 million tonnes | -14.4% |
| 2004 | 70.11 million tonnes | -5.1% |
| 2005 | 94.66 million tonnes | +35.0% |
| 2006 | 81.44 million tonnes | -14.0% |
| 2007 | 101.23 million tonnes | +24.3% |
| 2008 | 139.58 million tonnes | +37.9% |
| 2009 | 113.65 million tonnes | -18.6% |
| 2010 | 122.98 million tonnes | +8.2% |
| 2011 | 128.19 million tonnes | +4.2% |
| 2012 | 104.94 million tonnes | -18.1% |
| 2013 | 91.88 million tonnes | -12.4% |
| 2014 | 85.16 million tonnes | -7.3% |
| 2015 | 81.17 million tonnes | -4.7% |
| 2016 | 86.88 million tonnes | +7.0% |
| 2017 | 86.63 million tonnes | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 79.13 million tonnes | -8.7% |
| 2019 | 73.18 million tonnes | -7.5% |
| 2020 | 68.32 million tonnes | -6.6% |
| 2021 | 66.33 million tonnes | -2.9% |
| 2022 | 65.45 million tonnes | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 64.17 million tonnes | -2.0% |
| 2024 | 62.59 million tonnes | -2.5% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 62.59 million tonnes is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.54 million tonnes, 9.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 62.59 million tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 7.78 million tonnes, 8.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual CO₂ emissions from land-use change in Zambia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | +147.5% | 5.12 million tonnes | 12.68 million tonnes |
| 1978 | -44.2% | 33.90 million tonnes | 18.93 million tonnes |
| 2002 | +39.9% | 61.71 million tonnes | 86.31 million tonnes |
| 2008 | +37.9% | 101.23 million tonnes | 139.58 million tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1850s | 11.71 million tonnes | 10.39 million tonnes | 14.31 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1860s | 9.74 million tonnes | 9.37 million tonnes | 10.26 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1870s | 9.45 million tonnes | 9.36 million tonnes | 9.60 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1880s | 11.61 million tonnes | 10.23 million tonnes | 12.51 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1890s | 10.03 million tonnes | 9.17 million tonnes | 11.51 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1900s | 7.11 million tonnes | 5.71 million tonnes | 8.76 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1910s | 5.37 million tonnes | 5.12 million tonnes | 5.61 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1920s | 23.37 million tonnes | 12.68 million tonnes | 29.24 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1930s | 33.34 million tonnes | 30.43 million tonnes | 35.42 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1940s | 48.68 million tonnes | 40.87 million tonnes | 53.68 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1950s | 60.40 million tonnes | 49.71 million tonnes | 75.78 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1960s | 54.82 million tonnes | 47.74 million tonnes | 78.27 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1970s | 45.00 million tonnes | 18.93 million tonnes | 66.35 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 42.66 million tonnes | 30.69 million tonnes | 53.45 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 54.40 million tonnes | 39.58 million tonnes | 62.19 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 87.06 million tonnes | 48.03 million tonnes | 139.58 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 94.01 million tonnes | 73.18 million tonnes | 128.19 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 65.37 million tonnes | 62.59 million tonnes | 68.32 million tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More climate change data for Zambia
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 303.19 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 7,547 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,795 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 4,752 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 10.55 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 169.71 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 2,153 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,033 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 120.21 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 7.67 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual co₂ emissions from land-use change in Zambia?
- Annual co₂ emissions from land-use change in Zambia was 62.59 million 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 139.58 million tonnes in 2008.
- What is the lowest annual co₂ emissions from land-use change recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.12 million tonnes in 1919.
- How does Zambia rank for annual co₂ emissions from land-use change?
- Zambia ranks 15th out of 197 countries with data for 2024.
- Is annual co₂ emissions from land-use change rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia 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.