Carbon intensity of energy in Switzerland
Switzerland: Carbon intensity of energy was 120 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
120 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour
Change on year
down 1.8%
World rank
195th
of 204 countries
All-time high
224.22 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour
in 1965
All-time low
120 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour
in 2024
Years of data
60
1965–2024
Carbon intensity of energy in Switzerland, 1965–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour.
Analysis
Switzerland recorded 120 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour for carbon intensity of energy in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 60 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.8% on the previous year and down 11.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, carbon intensity of energy in Switzerland peaked at 224.22 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour in 1965 and was at its lowest, 120 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour, in 2024.
That places Switzerland 195th out of 204 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 60 years of available data.
Carbon intensity of energy in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 224.22 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | — |
| 1966 | 221.42 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.3% |
| 1967 | 215.37 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -2.7% |
| 1968 | 221.84 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +3.0% |
| 1969 | 220.74 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.5% |
| 1970 | 209.3 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -5.2% |
| 1971 | 211.27 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.9% |
| 1972 | 209.99 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.6% |
| 1973 | 203.69 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -3.0% |
| 1974 | 195.13 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -4.2% |
| 1975 | 182.52 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -6.5% |
| 1976 | 188.88 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +3.5% |
| 1977 | 181.81 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -3.7% |
| 1978 | 185.07 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +1.8% |
| 1979 | 172.45 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -6.8% |
| 1980 | 165.56 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -4.0% |
| 1981 | 160.95 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -2.8% |
| 1982 | 156.84 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -2.6% |
| 1983 | 161.92 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +3.2% |
| 1984 | 157.7 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -2.6% |
| 1985 | 149.87 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -5.0% |
| 1986 | 150.96 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 146.48 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -3.0% |
| 1988 | 147.96 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +1.0% |
| 1989 | 149.1 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 158.94 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +6.6% |
| 1991 | 163.52 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +2.9% |
| 1992 | 160.64 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.8% |
| 1993 | 155.84 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -3.0% |
| 1994 | 146.59 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -5.9% |
| 1995 | 155.15 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +5.8% |
| 1996 | 157.12 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 146.7 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -6.6% |
| 1998 | 150.43 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +2.5% |
| 1999 | 148.28 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.4% |
| 2000 | 146.8 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 143.35 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -2.3% |
| 2002 | 144.52 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 149.41 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +3.4% |
| 2004 | 150.5 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 158.44 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +5.3% |
| 2006 | 150.72 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -4.9% |
| 2007 | 145.03 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -3.8% |
| 2008 | 145.99 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 144.96 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 147.78 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 142.46 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -3.6% |
| 2012 | 142.65 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 142.82 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 135.56 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -5.1% |
| 2015 | 138.62 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +2.3% |
| 2016 | 147.85 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +6.7% |
| 2017 | 143.3 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -3.1% |
| 2018 | 135.43 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -5.5% |
| 2019 | 130.14 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -3.9% |
| 2020 | 134.9 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +3.7% |
| 2021 | 153.02 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +13.4% |
| 2022 | 129.59 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -15.3% |
| 2023 | 122.17 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -5.7% |
| 2024 | 120 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.8% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 120 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour is below the median for high income countries, which is 184.8 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour, 65% of the median. (69 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 120 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 189.51 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour, 63% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 220.72 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 215.37 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 224.22 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 5 |
| 1970s | 194.01 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 172.45 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 211.27 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 10 |
| 1980s | 154.73 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 146.48 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 165.56 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 10 |
| 1990s | 154.32 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 146.59 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 163.52 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 10 |
| 2000s | 147.97 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 143.35 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 158.44 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 10 |
| 2010s | 140.66 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 130.14 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 147.85 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 10 |
| 2020s | 131.94 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 120 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 153.02 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 5 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
- 192 Hong Kong 122.25 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
- 193 Norway 121.81 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
- 194 Panama 121.36 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
- 196 France 105.64 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
- 197 Finland 99.91 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
- 198 Bhutan 93.14 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
More climate change data for Switzerland
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 72.47 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 6,008 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,192 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 4,816 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 4.5 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 171.99 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 476.97 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 472.94 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 4.03 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 1.78 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is carbon intensity of energy in Switzerland?
- Carbon intensity of energy in Switzerland was 120 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour in 2024, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest carbon intensity of energy recorded in Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 224.22 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour in 1965.
- What is the lowest carbon intensity of energy recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 120 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour in 2024.
- How does Switzerland rank for carbon intensity of energy?
- Switzerland ranks 195th out of 204 countries with data for 2024.
- Is carbon intensity of energy rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Switzerland data come from?
- The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Carbon intensity of energy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 60 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Fossil carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions per unit of total energy supply, measured in grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour.